Part 1 – Arrival and Humidity
Being a rather shy individual growing up and never really a fan of large gatherings I was surly pushing my limits with a solo trip to one of the busiest cities on the planet. But hey, I took the plunge and never looked back. Allow me to divulge a summary of how this long awaited trip to the land of the rising sun influenced me a both a person and an artist.
Lets Fly
The flight was booked to leave Heathrow in late July. It was my first distance flight and not knowing how I would fare on a long haul journey I opted for business class. It was pretty comfortable arrangement with complimentary champagne and on board meals. I was quite settled with a glass of cold lager and some on board entertainment in the form of Fawlty Towers.
About 11 and a half hours later and we began our decent into Haneda airport. With a short trip through security I had arrived in Japan. I was as naive to the temperatures of the Far East and was inbound for an experience with humidity that would raise the bar for many years to come.
A Room With a View
The taxi picked me up from the airport and I saw my first glimpse of the vast metropolis that is the capital city Tokyo. The soaring skyscrapers and vast crowded streets were an exhilarating sight to this less travelled artist.
Once I arrived at the Hotel New Otani where I would be residing for the next two weeks I was sure that this was going to be a new experience of unrivalled luxury compared to trips of the past few years. The room was exceptional and the view certainly made my head spin. (left image)
Hotel New Otani
The Japanese Garden
The hotel boasts a traditional Japanese garden dating back over 400 years. It is free to visit and walk around and well worth a look. The garden has some seriously impressive elements. There will be another blog that will cover the garden in more depth.
