Thank goodness for broken packets!!

I guess when you are desperate you will give anything a go.

In the supermarket today I was trying to find sugar. Once again I was plunged into the world of a non reader. Using Google translate on my Iphone I had sourced the Japanese symbols for sugar but...you don't realise how much writing is on a packet until you can't decode any of it. Finally I noticed spillage on a shelf near some packets.  A quick dip and taste soon told me which was the sugar and which was the salt. I gave up working out which packets contained low fat milk. Way too much useful information in indecipherable symbols. The other day someone told be he ended up with a packet of cottage cheese instead of milk but unfortunately didn't realize this until he poured it in his coffee. Oh, the trials of an alien!! 

Sourcing a product similar to Napisan may have to be the next mission. This alien has had just a few disasters with black clothes running into lighter coloured garments.

T

Sugar, herbs, cereal and a botltle of Californian wine. The Italian wine I bought the other day was not good!! I suspect that sourcing a good wine will be a never ending mission.

Today's mission.... to buy Steve a pair of hair clippers and get some mugs. Currently we have to drink multiple mini cups to get the amount we want. To do this I caught a train to Oimachi (pronounced Oh-i-mar-ch-ee) and went to a huge store called LABI. LABI  comprised of two six storey buildings linked by an elevated glass walkway. Once again I have never seen so many products in the one store. You could buy anything from household electrical goods, cameras and sporting equipment to groceries.  I have been searching for mugs since arriving and today I finally found some which passed the test. Next I stood in front of the men's products and made my choice. Let's hope we don't have any huge mistakes when testing them out, can't afford to lose too much hair. I am fairly confident I didn't buy an electric toothbrush or an electric razor.

The only real mistake I made today was to get off the train and follow the crowd without thinking. Once the crowd moved away I realized I was somewhere unfamiliar. I had ended up at the wrong exit on Shinagawa Station. You could compare the station with Chadstone in size. I quickly retraced my steps and got back to Central Station, not North and made my way safely back to the apartment. Nice!! When I got back there the maids!!were changing the sheets and vacuuming. Perfect I could sit and enjoy a cuppa (still haven't sourced any decaff tea yet)and celebrate another successful mission!!

In my next post I will introduce you to my new friend, the Great Buddha!!