I was telling Sachi today about my excitement about Tokyo and Japan in general. I told her that it feels like a first date that is going really well- so well that I'm already looking forward to the next date. Maybe I have a crush on Tokyo.

I've mentioned before that I enjoy visiting places that feel other-worldly.  Usually it is landscapes that give me this feeling, but with Tokyo it is the cityscape and the people. There is surely no other place like Tokyo in the world.

All the places we've been before here felt like going back in time to more traditional lifestyles and fashions.  Visiting Tokyo is like going into the future where things have evolved in their own indepedent way- including every convenience one could image.

The Japanese have a style that is all their own. The young Japanese folks have a fashion sense that most Americans would consider over-the-top.  It seems that all the rage lately among the teenager girls is what I would call "Little Bo Peep" style.  I can't say I'm a fan. 

 And these with the industry-standard "peace" signs...

 One of the sights we set out to see today was the Shibuya Crosswalk, which is famous for the hordes of people who cross it all day.  TruthChild hooked us up on the best place to watch (2nd story Starbucks) and was fun to see, though it is a holiday and liklely had less people than usual. Here's a quick time lapse...

I hope you enjoy hearing about Japan and seeing lots of pictures, because we have Internet access in the hotel room for only the second time on the trip...lots more to come.

 

The trains in Mumbai are famous because they are so completely over taxed, moving more people than any metro system on earth. They have an excellent safety record based on train crashes, but 10-15 people per day die on the tracks. As Wikipedia describes: 

Mumbai's suburban railway is the densest route in the world. It is approximately a little more than 50,000 passengers per kilometer, transporting 65 lakh (6.5 million) commuters daily. This has resulted in severe overloading in the trains which carry 5000 commuters per 9 car train which are designed to carry less than a third of that amount. The density of passengers in peak hours is as high as 15 people per sq metre.

We went to the busy Dadar station today at rush hour to watch the spectacle, which should not be missed in any visit to Mumbai. The event can best be described as a sport for the men. It takes speed, agility, strength, perseverance and concentration.

 

As the train approaches the station, the men let out a chorus of yells as they gather on the platform. As the train speeds by as it slows, a few jump into the open doors as the crowds push closer to the edge. The men clearly revel in the competition among their peers.

 

When it comes to a stop, it turns into a civilized wrestling match with each man struggling to find some type of toe hold inside the train- some way to pry himself into the car before it leaves. The men are packed together so closely I wonder how they can breathe.

 

With more men than room, the train begins to move and the lucky ones fight tooth and nail to find some way to hold onto the train as it leaves, each with a confident smile, knowing he had won. Some are left to fight for another train.

Incredibly, we saw just one station of many, where the scene will be repeated until the train achieves a level of density that no mere mortal can handle. Athletes indeed.

Our trip to Sri Lanka would not have been so special had it not been for two people.  These two people helped us understand Sri Lanka and travel around it. They are both reliable, honest, trustworthy and nice people.  I can't say enough about their service.

First is Nimal De Silva of Mother Earth Nature Tours. I found him from this discussion on the Lonely Planet web site and emailed him directly at nimal(at)mother.earth-srilanka.com. He picked us up from the airport and reserved our room for the first night, along with treating us very well.  Though he could not be our driver (schedule conflict) he worked hard to find an honest driver for our trip and designed the perfect itinerary for us.  Nimal is highly recommended if you're going to Sri Lanka - he knows his stuff and will be honest. This is he and Sachi:

The reviews below are provided as a favor to our friend Nimal - they are *not* paid advertising of any sort.

A traveler's review of Nimal's services: Nimal De Silva - A Guide to Remember

Another review of Nimal's services with Mother Earth Nature Tours.

The second person is Mervyn Perera, who Nimal set us up with as our driver.We had no idea what to expect from Mervyn, but he turned out to be one of real highlights of our trip.  He is a safe, courteous, reliable and very friendly driver, but more than that, Mervyn is a great person who knows a lot about Sri Lanka.  We came away considering Mervyn one of our friends and someone we want our friends to meet.

Read a review of Mervyn's services here

.  Mervyn can be reached by email: pereramervyn2005(at)yahoo.com. (As of 2010, he is still a driver and guide.) This is Mervyn and me:

If you are going to Sri Lanka, talk to these guys- they will treat you right. You might also check out Sachi's post on the experience of having a driver.

As I've said before, the people of Sri Lanka were beautiful and wonderful.  I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.  This was is one of faves of the trip so far:

This guy was on the hike up Sigiriya rock.

A man in Negombo:

I love these kids looking at the pavement machinery too.  All kids wear uniforms to school in Sri Lanka.

This woman was walking on the road in the high country.

These are Tea workers, turning in their harvest for the day.  They earn about $2.00US per day.

 

As you may be aware, one of our goals on the trip is to use the Internet to connect with locals. Last night was a success story and I hope we can repeat it again soon.

It all started with the 43places web site, where you can ask the locals a question. So, I posted a message about wanting to meet someone in Singapore for a beer or coffee. Guarav was one of the folks that replied and last night he and two of his friends from grad school met us out and showed us around Chinatown and the Riverfront.

More than anything else, we appreciated how much we learned from each person last night. Guarav (middle- striped shirt) is Indian (born in Mumbai), Iftekhar (left) is from Banglesh but has lived in the United Arab Emirates his whole life and Gerard (right) is from the Philippines. From the history of Bangladesh to things to see in Northern India to Jon Stewart and Filipino food, we covered a lot of ground and learned so much from these guys. They were perfect hosts for a night out in Singapore. Not too bad for “meeting someone on the Internet”.

Guarav, Ifty and Gerard, thanks so much for the hospitality. We're happy to return the favor in Seattle anytime!