Someone once told me, it's all about building yourself, not finding yourself: Money Worries and Extra Legroom

Living in America seemed like a different life style, either it was just because I was travelling or because it was genuinley more relaxed is yet to be known. I found personally that the American people have a polite and socialable nature aslong as you were not also American, hugely so if you were English. The little lake town of Lake Geneva was where I made my stop, the town where many Americans go for the summer to relax amoungst the lake itself.
Upon leaving I was made an "Honourary Lake Genevian", it really was an honour to live amoung such awesome people for the time I was there but it wasnt without problems. First off I was 20, and ten points to anyone who can tell me the drinking age in the USA, that's right... 21. So I went out with a plan, being a big eater I walked into town (a good 30-40mins I might add) getting funny looks from passing drivers and went between each bar and restaurant making friends with the barstaff and bouncers while eating in each place so when I went back later on they would welcome me in with open arms!

The next thing I had to deal with was something which happens often in the UK, problems with the bank. Before I left the UK I had been waiting for my money to move from one bank to another into an overseas worldwide account, sounds simple to me. Well it took them 6 weeks, so I had arrived in America with some cash I had run out pretty quickly, to much drinking at the bars I think.

The nights I spent in Carvetti's (my favorite bar there) including Saint Patricks day with the new group of friends Matt Wingate, Stevie Michael, Muffin, April Fee, Tyler Shaitel, Eric Akuetteh plus loads of others were amazing, especially my leaving do which we all went back to Matt's for a party. Ever tried Everclear? Dont. 190 Proof Alcohol. You'll die.

Here's a photo of us all following ALOT of drunk guitar playing

Playing pool on a saddle:

The banks however told me, and I quote "There's nothing we can do". Luckily I could do chores for my Auntie to earn my keep. Eventually after another 2 weeks and one of the employees from the new bank I managed to get my money from the previous and I was ready for my next step, Japan.

$200 was all it costed from Chicago to Tokyo but what I saved in money I made up for in hours lost in changing timezones. Upon arriving in San Francisco I found myself wanting to run around the city but had to be constrained to the airport as I only had an hour before my flight. I found myself a nice suprise when checking in, the little Japanese lady behind the counter, tapping away on a computer, looked up at me, straining her neck. Smiled and looked back down. I took it as odd and thought she was ignoring me trying to check in.

"Excuse me, I'd like to check in?"

"One moment, please".

A few moments passed and then she looked up,

"Sir, I have given you an entire row of four seats in the middle so you can lie down, you're very tall" she smiled. I'd never been treated to like that by a stranger, it was a lovely gesture.

So I boarded the plane, sat in my four seats and settled down for a long journey. A sleepless night passed and I would not see the sun again for many hours as the night I crossed into had just begun, landing in Tokyo was fine, but the toilets, were not. I dont think my guitar pedal has as many buttons as a Japanese toilet. I stood staring for a while before taking what was the most daunting cross of what seemed like playing an Xbox while having a pee.

After getting the achievement for managing that trial, I made my way through the airport for the next, finding my way through the city. While on the plane I had searched which train I would need to get and learnt some phrases to try and help me. I asked the lady at the desk how to get to my train.

"I'm sorry, there is a problem on that line, the train is not running."

Oh God. Here we go.

"You'll have to take the underground, continue down there and you'll see it." she gestured.

"Ok, thank you."

I found the underground and stood feeling slightly stared at by the other passengers with my head gently rubbing the ceiling of the tram. I got off where I needed to be but not being able to read, I was lost. I found a map board, but to my dispair was not able to read it, suprising I know, but it was in Japanese. Not only that, but I didnt even know which station I was currently standing in!

This was the first stop on my travels where I was literally alone, there was no family here to comfort me or help me, it was midnight in one of the biggest cities in the world and I had no clue where I was and after a good twenty four hours of constant flying I was more than irritable. I forced my way through the crowds up to the heaving streets to look around for anything or anyone that could help. Taxis. Thats what I needed and luckily there they were, I lugged my bag to them and went to open one. Only to find it had no door handles. What? Are you kidding? I shit you not. Then the door opened as the driver had a remote, and I climbed in. He said something to me that I did not understand, and I tried my best to get across to him my point. I am lost. I had the name of my hostel and then district name Asakusa. He reached down onto the floor and pulled up a book, which he then passed to me. Upon inspection it was a book containing columns of writing next to other columns in five different languages. Thank you. He understood, kind of, where I wanted to go. I gave him the hostel name and we set off. It really struck me how this city, regardless of it being midnight, was incredibly busy, floods of busy people on their way to places. Im glad I was on my way.