Yesterday I took a long train ride, just for kicks, to the "outskirts" of Tokyo, in a place called Minamioosawa (South Big Swamp). I'd hoped to get there a couple of hours before sunset so I called follow a route in my guidebook. Lately though, I've been getting up at noon, and that means I've only got a few hours before the sun goes down. Because of the way this place is laid out, it takes at least an hour to get up, eat, shower, then get out of here; thus, I very rarely get to see much sun.

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Sorry for the lack of updates. Honestly, things have been pretty dull, and I've kind of been down. But I've been traveling around, checking out the new neighborhood and watching the leaves change.

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No, not the Tokyo Prince Hotel. The area I'm staying in at the moment is called Oji, "the prince." Even with all that has happened, I'll miss this place. Though I'd never heard of it before I discovered this guest house on the internet, it seems to be one of the greener areas of Tokyo. In fact, I've been to quite a few parks in the neighborhood and they are quite beautiful. I will miss this area, and would consider living here again if it weren't in this crummy, dirty, poorly maintained gaijin house.

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Just so you know, Jimbocho, the book district, has nothing to do with The Last Samurai, but I like the district, so I took a picture and thought I should include it.

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I thought I should tell everyone I haven't heard anything more about Misha. I hope he's being taken care of. I worry about him, but need to get on with my life.

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