Samuel Yeoh

One of the biggest things on my agenda this trip, was a photoshoot. Managed to arrange one with the lovely Lilan, and it turned out to be the best souvenir I brought back.

Again, there are so many nitpicks, but I guess the biggest one was the lack of time. I could hardly pay attention to the details (I guess her wonderful figure wasn’t helping either), and I was still too apprehensive to use my rusty Japanese, so by the time we both warmed up, it was time to wrap up.

Still, it was a great experience, and shooting will be the main agenda the next time I go back.

After 6 surreal days in Japan, coming back to Singapore is a painful slap back to reality. A slap with a brick, probably.

There’s just something incredible about being surrounded by a world of strangers, the ever beautiful Japanese language filling my ears even as I manage to catch only smatterings of it, and the total obliviousness of everyone else to me. It’s like being in this surreal reality of my own, where I can watch the people in broad daylight, and yet remain completely apart.

I love the country for its kombini, its jidouhanbaiki, and its kawaii jyouseitachi, the way all the shop attendants go ‘irasshaimase‘ when you enter, the way the cashier rattles off about your change and thanks you for your patronage, and the way the people dress so prettily even in winter. And most of all, I love how the girls have such skinny legs!

Met up with my sensei as well, and she looks even younger and prettier now. Must be the Japanese air and the food. She reminds me of why I enjoy the language so much, as conversing with her in my broken Japanese is enough to send shivers of joy down my spine. Somehow, the language never ceases to inspire this strange sense of euphoria. I would probably be happy spending my days in Japan just listening to people talk.

But all good things must come to an end, and here I am, wondering when I’ll be able to visit again. Definitely before the year is through, I’m sure.

I’m not the type of person who calls for the manager when I experience bad service, or bang out an angry complain letter when I’m mistreated. However, this is the one exception that really really pissed me off. My maiden complain letter, to the fucked up Speedpost. They don’t even have a general enquiry email for complains, and it’s impossible to get their customer service officer. Wonder if this will even reach the right persons. Anyway, the poison letter.

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