Day 8: A surprise second supper
Today was a quiet day spent in the common area of my guest house in Osaka, intentionally avoiding the weekend crowds in the city. I spent much of the day sitting at the table in the common area watching live sumo wrestling on TV and continuing to hash out my revised plan. That isn't to say I spent the entire day inside. I did pop out a few times, mainly to the 7-11 for a cold drink, or as evening closed in, an easy bowl of udon. It was just after 6pm when I tucked into my convenience store udon, which rivaled many restaurant bowls I have eaten in western countries. I returned to my planning, then headed upstairs to relax in my bed. A few hours later, as I was laying in bed looking at maps and wondering if i had eaten too early and if I would be hungry before bedtime, Takanori came up the stairs to the third floor and called out for me. I slipped out of my bunk to find my host holding a small dish of tuna sashimi for me. I was by all rights very surprised. Not...