After 12 or 14 hours on an airplane and 2 hours on a bus, I found myself stumbling through the world's busiest subway stop during rush hour, dissheveled and likely odorous, with a fully-loaded backpack and and zero yen in my pocket. I knew where I wanted to go - the Higashi-Shinjuku station - but the metro ticket machine didn't accept credit or debit cards, and all I had were dollars. A kind subway attendant directed me to the nearest bank, but much to my chagrin the ATM wouldn't accept either of my cards. Thankfully, the taxis are equipped to handle clueless foreigners, and with a swipe of my debit card I was able to get to my hotel.
Which, by the way, didn't cash travelers checks. C'est la vie, I thought, tonight's festivities would be brought to me by Visa and/or Mastercard. After getting cleaned up, I set out into the drizzly evening to rustle up some grub. Unfortunately, most places I walked past - or into - didn't take credit or debit cards, either. I managed to find a Korean joint that did (and dinner was quite good), but I ran into the same cash-only problem this morning when out for a stroll at dawn in search of coffee. Imagine the rollercoaster of emotions I felt when I saw this:
but was then denied the joy of their wholesome lard & sugar goodness simply because I didn't have any yen.
I don't know what kind of backwater these savages live in, but any place where Mister Freaking Donut doesn't accept credit cards is a place I will never, ever call home.
OK, more highlights (it got much better):
It turns out my hotel the first night was near somewhat of a red light district (no, I did not plan it that way)
Besides the clubs there were plenty of *love hotels* with both short-term and long-term rates
Remember to work on your 3 L's
Took a lunchtime stroll through a peaceful garden oasis in the middle of the city
Shibuya = Times Square on steroids
This is the greatest store in the world - Hot & Spicy Spam next to faux leopardskin fur boots next to Brylcream next to *ahem* marital aids next to flat-screen TVs next to R2D2 shampoo dispensers next to... you get the idea
It's good to see Tommy Lee Jones getting a paycheck
I don't know where I'll wind up tomorrow, as apparently there's a bit of a situation at BKK at the moment. Not to worry - when the going gets tough, the tough make lemonade. Or something like that.
3 comments:
From the looks of the NOW poster, I think I would move in that place until my finances would no longer allow me to live there.
Oh Silliest of Silly Americans! You have traveled MORE than enough to know to get local currency either from home or the arrival city airport!!! (Although I wholeheartedly agree with you on the shameless barbarism of a renown tourist town not accepting credit or debit cards OR cashing traveler’s checks! Reminds me of the time I went to Geneva and discovered that American Express is no longer considered the "card to carry" when on holiday abroad. Imagine my shock when I found out that the claims in all those 70's commercials no longer held water!!!)
"Your bank cards will be fine," said one wise traveler to you before your journey. Woops.
-JS
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