Himeji sucks

Brucie, tell you're friend that I can say with confidence, as someone who has never been there, that Himeji is the asshole of the world. I would rather mop-up at the peep shows in hell than stop there for a night. People from there are not only the ugliest and dumbest human beings I've ever met, but they have all the charm and culture of 16th-century Chinese public restroooms.

I would like to see their castle before I leave though.

I got the paperwork started today for my Chinese Visa. I couldn't even believe how easy it was. When I was planning my trip back in August the guy at No. 1 Travel told me that I had to show the Chinese officials my flight reservations as well as everything else to prove when I was entering and leaving. Totally unnecessary. I showed up dressed for success, but other than that I didn't have much to show them. I hadn't even filled out the paperwork properly (I could't quite decide on my purpose in China, was I there to: 'THOULS88DKJ' or to 'OTIYU$HIOU'?). The woman behind the counter had spoken in Chinese and Japanese before I got to the window and I was positive that I was walking into a liguistic disaster before she busted out her well-pronounced English as well. It was a snap and I can pick up my passport again in a week as long as I pay them 6000 yen. Which, thanks to the rapidly- plummeting yen, is now about $0.40 US.

I celebrated my accidental success with pancakes and coffee at McDonalds and an International Herald. I've been having logistical problems with how to get out of Pakistan (if I actually go) since I'll be fenced in by Afghanistan and Iran. The solution might be a short flight or boat-trip to the UAE before heading towards Egypt or Israel via Saudi Arabia. That sounds extra sexy to me because of the potential violence factor. I got the idea from Wu, who went there and said it was a blast, and from the newspaper today because there was an article about how the US State Department is now using the UAE as their base of operations in learning all they can about Iran. So maybe I can meet actual spies and CIA workers trying to overthrow the Iranian government while I'm there! ... I hope I see lions!

I guess thats it. I'm in a great mood so hopefully my postings in the future will have less morbid self-loathing and more humor. I noticed people admitting in emails to me that they're not reading this crap anymore. I guess details about what I ate in Hiroshima doesn't attract the interest that a funny story about climbing Mt. Fuji does. Oh well.