So by some minor miracle the 14.5h flight didn't actually feel that long and on the train home, which is all working very well. Except for the *expletives* who brought a not quiet child into the quiet
coach. I'm pretty sure you would be arrested in Japan for this. Praise noise cancelling headphones

And after a few chill days in Sapporo, back in Seoul, flying home tomorrow to a UK that is somehow nearly as cold as here. Tteokbokki is the cure for cold though, the Koreans have this down to a science.

Unfortunately not, though our special Akihabara correspondent will be returning next week for a few days to scour if there is anything left

But also I just got this for £8.40, so it's definitely not a crisis

It's not much, but I'm finding most meals are closer to 2k than the 1k that I seemed to get away with last year.

While this has proven to be a silly time to travel, as all of Japan are also on holiday this week, at least the Christmas/New Year's decorations are pretty. Also random cat statue in Asahikawa.

Food continues to be excellent, even if I'm sure eating out has gotten more expensive in just a year and a half. It's still cheap thanks to the weak yen, but not the absolute steal it was last time.

We have discovered that snow is one of the few things that can disrupt Japanese trains. Though we're talking "end of days blizzard will delay your train by 2hours". If the UK got the same there would be panic buying and cannibalism, forget train delays.

I enjoyed the Onsen town of Noboribetsu more than I thought. Would definitely visit more Onsen towns, I've been converted.

Also, I have seen KFCs and even a Popeye's here, how the hell do they stay in business? Even that Korean chain I went to had ~8 varieties of fried chicken from crunchy to saucy and anything in between, as well as tteokboki and other Korean essentials. Having KFC here is like Domino's in Italy.

yeah, for one that is clean or not repaired on a driveway that is what it is. And if you wanted the 1.7 they are not that expensive to drop in, certainly cheaper than welding a chassis. For how good the 1.7 is at top end with the VVT open, I'd say it's worth it, sensible option be damned!

@jmsf32.bsky.social see, inkonbini is a real word! (I got a lot of shit for calling larger grocery stores that in Japan)

Just over a month for me, this really is becoming an expensive habit...but have just wanted to go back since I came home last time.

As others have said, looking forward to the pics!

yeah, though you would have hoped their employers and clients would identify that language is a critical skill for writing. Perhaps that's where the government should put their focus 😄

Aside from that, the people I've come across at work who have frankly terrible English have typically been highly skilled at what was actually important, their job. One played a key part in keeping a company alive, so that their colleagues can go home and vote for fascists and their appeasers.

also, to the original point, the most annoying thing is that once they have been let to get on with building it, they actually aren't that slow, over here near the line the progress is now very visible. Only that it should have been started long before I moved to the UK, not to mind the midlands

here here, also no one points out that the strip of land they have dug is significantly narrower than if they built a new motorway, and well something needs to be built unless we just abandon all of the UK north of Watford. Also obligatory "and finish it off to Manchester and Leeds"