Brisbane

Everywhere in Australia is a pretty long distance apart, this means there are various "big cities" and somehow I found myself in another big city, Brisbane. The weather here is just perfect, the sunshines most days of the year and the winter peaks at mid 20's celsius. 

The gardens and South bank are beautiful here, and in the sunshine everything instantly looks prettier. I am extremely easily pleased and happiness comes in extreme waves for me.

A tree we found in the many many parks, I have not climbed a tree since I was around 10 years old, even then I was a little scaredy cat who would try and hardest to avoid anything. Considering I have lost so much upper arm strength during my travels I was pleasantly surprised by my ability to get even this far! 

Brisbane Art Scene was actually okay, I was not amazed by it as I was the MCA in Sydney but in Brisbane it was worth a visit seeing as there was very little else to do. Most people around this area seemed to be backpackers making a quick stop or studying.

It has amazing weather though, so if that is what you want to enjoy all year round - why the hell not!

Seeing this man made me extremely happy, he looks so content playing his instrument finding solitude to retreat to and play. A lot makes me happy, I am a simpleton.

Korean Fried Chicken, nothing beats fried chicken like this. It definitely did not live up to actual KOREA Korean Fried Chicken, but all in all I enjoyed it. It did not help my illness though, sore throat = moany Christine.

City views from above always get me, it makes me super nostalgic and sentimental and get all emotionally messy and think about everything and life and deep things and I turn into Drake.

On a Sunday evening we went to a folky live music bar, perfect atmosphere for chilling and a couple glasses of wine. Folk music is just warms my soul.

Brisbane only lasted for a few days, but that was plenty. I left with a liking of Brisbane, but nowhere I will be in a hurry to return to. Onto the next!

Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai again was intense. The second biggest city in Thailand. I should really do some research before I go to these places... but actually it was fun to hear and learn about the place whilst I was there. My friends who acted as my tour guides, so extremely proud of their city and made it even more fun for me.

I know, elephant riding. Nobody shoot me, it was just one of those experiences they took me too. I can't lie, it was fun but sad to see the elephants had hooks attacking them. The man tried to assure me he was using them to kill flies, what can I say I'm naive, later I read that it is clearly not the case. The elephants seemed so loyal, listening to their every word :(

One of my favourite past times - coffee time! I love that Asia has these cute little inspirational quotes everywhere, can you tell I'm a sap?

Overlooking the whole of Chiang Mai on our way up to the temple. How beautiful it all is and the weather was crazy good.

My favourite photo throughout my whole camera roll. This dog with eyebrows, this DOG has drawn on eyebrows..

HAHAHAHA, I look like such a dork. I don't know how to smile for photos, I'm not a "let me take a picture in front of the.." kind of person. They forced me to do this - and you can tell what an awkward turtle I always am :(

And guess what? They have a cat cafe in Chiang Mai, so we obviously had to go. Thank god these kitties were friendly than those Japanese ones. This cat cafe was loaded with them too, this moody one in particular was my favourite, just look at that grumpy face.

Chiang Mai night safari, I didn't actually capture any good photos during that evening. I mean I'm such an amateur photographer I don't even know how to adjust my camera for night time mode.

Finally on my final evening I manage to make it on a night out - with people who had been sleeping in the bunk next to me for 3 days who I hadn't spoken a word to. Turns out we get on like a house on fire and the rest of the night was history. Chiang Mai was a beautiful little getaway, besides the overbearing humidity and being eaten by gnats, it was a good change from Japan. It was now onto the next and final destination!

Tokyo

I will try and hide my love for Tokyo, because it will be overwhelming. Let's start with HOLY SMOKES. Again, I still believe the people in a city and/or country will either make or break a place for me. Tokyo was a little bit of everything. If I left my heart anywhere this trip, it is most definitely Tokyo. My words will not do this place any justice. Although, I do have to confess on the first day I was having difficulty feeling the amazement I felt whilst walking around New York, it just took a little longer to realise.

Tokyo Tower, in every city in Asia there is a place to see the sights. This is one of those, needless to say I avoided this due to the queues, the price and having the opportunity to see Tokyo from a height.

When walking around Tokyo, you will always stumble across something. This evening I stumbled across a radio station just in the middle of a shopping centre. I mean I probably stayed for around 20 mins just attempting to figure out what was so funny, needless to say I probably looked like I understood with my supposedly ambiguous asian look, but I HAD NO IDEA.

Likewise, I just stumbled across this again. I did a lot of walking in Tokyo, just endless, sometimes mindless walking. Tokyo weather is the perfect weather.

Shibuya a place where I finally found myself in awe. Just endless people, shops and sideboards. This was a little intense but it was refreshing to be in a sea of people and just feel so small again (that same feeling I had in New York). This area has everything, coffee shops, restaurants and the notorious love hotel street.

Shinjuku another place full of memories. So many mini streets full of food, bars and lots and lots of business men. Interesting to walk by during the evening, luckily I was surrounded by male friends every time I was in this area. I mean after all, it is the red light district area, area for gays and again bars.

Sushi, what people go to Japan for. What I expected to go to Japan for. Actually I wasn't all that amazed, it was mediocre. I only had one EXTREMELY enjoyable evening of sushi, but that wasn't until Osaka.

Harajuku, the hipster area of Tokyo. Totally filled with tourists and young girls. It was interesting...

One of my favourite spots in Tokyo! Meji shrine. This stole the show for me. I enjoy having long walks in nature like this, especially since I'd spent the last week completely engulfed in tall buildings and people everywhere. It was refreshing with the decorations of the past located on the journey to the shrine.

I mean, this is probably a tourist trap and/or a place for the romantics of Japan, but this tree full of placards of people's wishes and thanks made Meji Shrine all the more special for me. Call me sentimental, a sap, soppy but I love reading other people's wishes, dreams and thanks. It puts you in the moment and allows you to think of your own, it was refreshing.

One of my favourite quotes from the tree. Sorry David, whoever you are, wherever you may be haha. "Life is short, make every day worth it. Not for yourself, but for others. Don't be afraid to love, it's the only force of attraction which can be felt anywhere in the universe. Make the world a better place." I most definitely wrote my own, and I even may have taken a photo, but that will all be kept a deep dark secret.

Asakusa, a place filled with memories with different people too. These temples were all in one location, again filled with tourists and stalls full of trinkets and food. It's a nice little area, with more of a historical feel.

Akihibara, the place of games and electronics. I did not expect to be confronted by so many stores, so many arcades and so much noise. I have a feeling it is the most popular spot for maid cafes too...... I mean every corner there was a GIRL, I repeat GIRL, not woman, in a costume. I still did go, I just had to try it. Interesting. I think it wasn't surprising to know I was the only female there, but I was with a male, so I guess it either looked like I was a lesbian, or I had to accompany the guy, either way, awkward.

Wagyu beef, can I just suggest this to EVERYBODY. Whether you like beef or not, this is so good. I had very little expectation for this, despite this being one of the most expensive meals I had. (Expensive being only around 1,500 JPY equalling around £10 or so.) Even now, I cannot get over it...

Japan is full of little cafes, I probably just about tried ALL of them.

On this day, we took a little ride along Sumida River towards Asakusa and other spots. Japan is filled with bicycles and there are seemingly no rules, which I guess it makes it all the more fun and easier. One surprise is the height of the bikes, I mean asian people aren't the tallest of people, except why are the bikes still so tall?!

Directions was one thing I failed at, I mentioned how I aimlessly wondered, because I had no GPS. So whenever I had somebody to hang with, they ALWAYS used theirs, cheeky I know, I know. Tokyo is one of those places where you can find absolutely anything, and yet nothing at all, because when you are attempting to find something it's all buried in the sky scrapper buildings.

One of the things I managed to tick off my list. Cat cafe, we expected a lot more than just cats lazing around the cafe. I mean, they were pretty mean cats, they sat and ate and only paid attention when food was on the agenda.

Attempting to post pictures of Tokyo in one picture was unrealistic... I've most definitely left my heart behind here, just waiting for the day I return...