My application for the training in Bangkok entailed submitting a medical report to the Thai Embassy. I did not have sufficient time to do that before going to Tokyo. Last Saturday, Wuan and I went to Hospital Pantai Indah at Pandan Indah for the health screening. Blood and urine specimen were taken followed by the medical examination by Dr. Lim, Physician and Nephrologist. We had a brief exchange about the condition of my kidneys too. Wuan had to go back to collect the medical report as it was half day and they tests were not completed yet.

Wuan and I went over to Esquire Kitchen for lunch. We had wanted to eat yee sang but it was a little too expensive and we had deep fried wantan and a vegetarian stir fried vegetables. I ate my portion of protein for that meal although it as a little difficult seeing how long it has been since my last feast in a restaurant.

We also took the opportunity to do a survey on accessibility around Pandan Indah town centre. The verdict is that the entire town is not accessible to wheelchair users. The slope leading to the walkways were too steep. The kerb of the slope was more than 2cm above the road. These two factors would make it very difficult and dangerous for a wheelchair user alone to traverse. Wuan had to push me along the road which made it even more dangerous with cars and heavy vehicles speeding by just a few meter or two from us. With time to kill, we went shopping at The Store and Fajar Supermarket. That was a change from the frequent shopping at Carrefour and Jusco at Mid Valley Megamall.

There was one particular restaurant at Pandan Indah that Wuan highly recommended. She had stayed there for a period. Restoran Hiong Pan was almost full when we arrived for dinner. We took a table at the far end of the corridor and ordered yee sang, venison and stir fried vegetable – taboo food but an auspicious day like that called for a mini celebration. According to Chinese traditions, the seventh day after the new Spring is Yan Yat. It is a celebration of humanity. The mood of the Chinese New Year was slowly coming back to me although a little too late for me to enjoy it fully.

Sunday was basically spent lazing around the Hino Experience Room. We were all worn out from last evening’s misadventures. This being the first day of the Chinese New Year, we decided to celebrate it by getting Calvin to cook up a feast and invite our Japanese friends to join us for dinner. Cook up a feast Calvin did. Akiyama-san came with her PA together with Sato-san, Director of Japan Council in Independent Living Centres. A short while later, Wakasugi-san, PA Coordinator for Human Care Association arrived, followed by Maejima-san and Saito-san. Much later, another PA Coordinator whose name I cannot recall now arrived. After dinner, we shared the traditions and culture of the Chinese New Year and the similarities of other festivals that are celebrated in Japan. The surprise of the evening was when Akiyama-san and Maejima-san gave us each a present respectively. I got a mouse pad from Akiyama-san while Maejima-san gave me a box of chocolates and a Daruma doll. Despite my gloom earlier in the day, the new Spring turned out to be a jovial one.

Camwhoring was easy, thanks to Canon Powershot A610′s Vari-angle LCD and two-second timer, and Jolene who initiated me into this shameless art. It was a Saturday. Weekends are free days. The group decided to go sightseeing to Tokyo Tower and then to Asakusa for some last minute shopping. First we had to take the Monorail from Manganji to Takahatafudo, catch the Keio Line all the way to Shinjuku.

The ride to Shinjuku took thirty minutes. I always looked forward to such long trips in the train as there were many interesting sights along the way. It is so true when they say that the joys are in the journey, not the destination. There were times when I felt claustrophobic being in the midst of endless streams of people inside the railway complexes. The view outside the train, on the other hand, provided some serene relief from the hectic programmes we have been following during weekdays.

To reach Kuramae our final destination before Tokyo Tower, we took the Toei Oedo Subway. We were supposed to survey the Oedo Subway on our field trip to Machida but that was cancelled because of the heavy snowfall that time. We had to take several elevators to reach the subway station.

The air was chilly the moment we got out from the subway station. Just around the corner, Tokyo Tower rose up like a showy version of the Eiffel Tower in red and white. It was not exactly an impressive structure. What fascinated me was the stark contrast between the tower and the deep blue and cloudless sky in the background.

The tower was built atop a small hill. It took quite an effort for Calvin to push me up the slope. There was a small temple just before the top. Japan is such an interesting mishmash of a highly advanced society that still hold strong to traditions. It is not unusual to find a temple or shrine (I do not know the difference) nestled among modern high rise buildings in busy downtown Tokyo.

While the rest of them went up to the main observation deck, I hung around gift shops at the lower level. Entry to the main observation costs Y820. I figured that since I have not bothered to visit KL Tower, there is no reason why I should pay that amount of money to do the same thing in Japan. There was a Hello Kitty shop selling a vast range of authentic items. I got a few handphone cords for Wuan. Those are not for sale outside Japan and they were rather expensive.

At a road junction somewhere to the Asakusa Kannon Temple, we came across life-size figures of Doraemon and Ultraman, among others. I grew up watching Ultraman battling giant alien monsters on television and reading Doraemon comics. I as naturally excited to see these figures here in Tokyo.

The Kaminari-mon is the outer gate of the Asakusa Kannon Temple. It was situated at a busy intersection. A huge red lantern hung at the doorway. After that, 200 meters of stalls lined the paved walkway called Nakamise offering handicrafts and Japanese snacks. This reminded me of the bazaars at Kek Lok Si Temple in Penang and Petaling Street in Kuala Lumpur.

We got lost on the way back to Kuramae Station. The temperature was dropping. Unfortunately, Harry’s electric wheelchair ran out of power. Calvin and Kim had to take turn to push us and look for the station. It was a great relief when we finally found the station after going back and forth along the road in that condition for more than one hour. While Harry charged his wheelchair batteries at the station, we were glad to be able to get away from the cold. At the Keio Shinjuku Station, the Station Master allowed us to ride in the women only car back to Takahatafudo. Yes, the car was packed to the brim with women returning home from Shinjuku!