Lost in Umeda

Sunday 8th November 2009

AM

Least: At nearly 8:30am, my eyes opened to find that I had a serious hangover. The mixture of beer,chu-hi and champagne took its toll and gave me a searing headache. The shock of seeing my mother sitting on my couch last night was a sobering experience and hid the real level of drunkeness that I had attained at the takoyaki party. I just wish the reminder was a faint memory rather than a stinking headache.

Most: At 8:31am, despite my confusion and headache, it came back to me that mum had made a surprise visit and was snoring on the couch. It's weird how time seems to compress when people so familiar tunr up. It seems like yesterday, when Mum and Dad were here in February, or when I was eating roast lamb in August. I make Mum poached eggs on toast for breakfast and we ate while trying to decide what to do for the day.

PM

Least: Just after 1:00pm, I, with Rosie and Mum, was once again stumbling around, lost in Umeda trying to find the Sky Building. It is such a warren that even above ground it is almost impossible to confidently navigate the area. The problem is, that every corner looks the same and that after making any turn, any familiar landmarks immediately disappear. When I finally spotted the sky building, it was still a long walk away - they must have found some cheap land to build it on, because it's off by itself with little around it. Signs please.

Most: At about 1:20pm, as we ascended the Umeda Sky Building, Mum screamed at the glass lift rocketed up forty floors. By the time we were on the escalators that cross the building, Mum was very giddy. From the top of the tower, the familiar smog hid the horizon. Although this was my second visit to the building, the view still amazed me. The density of the city is incredibly and it seems to fill every possible area for building. Despite the agony of finding the place, it was worth the walk.