In which the gods contribute to my indecision
This morning, I woke up feeling cold and unmotivated, and not feeling like taking the train to work. So I decided that I would ride my bike instead, because that always cheers me up and stuff. You know that you’re sick of trains when the prospect of Tokyo traffic makes you feel better.
So I checked the weather forecast just to make sure it’d be safe, and that I wouldn’t freeze to death or anything. Gah! It said it would rain this afternoon! I switched back to taking the train.
I got to the station and discovered that the train that I could have taken to get to work quickly wasn’t running (due to a suicide somewhere between Ikebukuro and Akabane apparently). It goes to Shinjuku, though, which is the busiest train station in the entire world—everyone goes there. That means that it’s overcrowded all the time and I generally don’t ride it. Instead I duck around to Ueno and then take regular trains or subways from there, and generally have a nice comfy seat. Unfortunately, what with trains to Shinjuku not running, all of the Shinjuku-bound salarymen had gotten onto the Ueno-bound train, stuffing it to amazing levels. After two trains packed so full they were visibly bulging went past, both without me on them, I realized that my first instinct, after all else, was the correct one anyway. I went back home and grabbed my bike.
Ueno — I’ve just booked my flight to Narita for the week after Easter and I’ll be arriving in Tokyo via the Keisei (1000 yen instead of 4000plus on the NEX) which means my first port of call will be Ueno as usual. Anyone recommend cheap hotels in the area? I usually stop off at the First City Hotel or the RandB but I’ll be squeezing pennies this trip and somewhere cheaper (<5000 yen) would be preferable. I know there’s a kapsuru somewhere near the station but I’m going to be knackered when I get in and I’d prefer a real bed for the night. As for biking in the rain, that’s what you do. Wet-weather oversuits don’t cost that much and will work well enough in normal weather to keep you dry(ish). Cold-weather or snow biking is something else but a quick look at the forecast for Tokyo suggests no freezing temps for the next few days at least.