How frustrating. I finally get my photos on to CD, itching to load them up here but my slightly evil hostel won't let me. Grrr. I hope my one in Singapore is much nicer about such things. I fly out tomorrow and am really sad to go. I just wandered around Kyoto today, soaking it up instead of sightseeing. I have so many amazing memories, with 4 particular 'gasp moments': 1 when i got my first glimpse of the Golden Temple, Kyoto, 1 when i saw the Giant Buddhas face peering out the huge wooden doors of a massive hall in Nara, 1 when i emerged from a bamboo forest and saw a gorgeous promenade garden unfold before me, and the most recent one was tonight when i was desperately searching for a bus stop and heard an 'excuse me' before looking up and seeing the white flash of a beautiful geisha brush past my face.
Quick rundown of my time:
Being lost count: many
Geisha count: 5
Racism count: 4
Unbelievable kindness count: 6
Japanese sweets sampled: 7
Japanese sweets swallowed: 2
Octopus balls eaten: 4
World heritage sites viewed: uncountable
Favourite city: Hiroshima - green and inviting with loads of riverside walks and pretty monuments
Favourite castle - Himeji exterior, Nijo interior
Favourite shrine - Inari - thousands of red gates snaking around the mountain
Favourite garden - Isui-en - literally breathtaking
Favourite temple - Daisen in Nara - gorgeous zen rock garden, extremely peaceful
Favourite shop - Kiddyland, Tokyo! - Hello Kitty EVERYTHING
Favourite stroll - by the canal near Gion in Kyoto

I love Japan!