Yeah Yeah Yeah(s?)

So i had to study for exams or else fail and have a complete waste of a summer. Whoa, whats that? No, not a complete waste just a bunch of Fails on my lawyering transcript. Who the hell knows what that thing is called anyway. Why do we have to have another degree first? These questions that others bring to my attention are quite good i think. However, they are inapplicable because who would of thought of me at law school? Nobody, thats who. Well i studied every night my last week in China much to my chagrin (usage?). Sat up studing at my favorite cafe - Sculpting in Time. S.I.T. for short. Those Chinese are clever eh? I think westerners owned it though because the bathrooms were a little too nice and they had soap at the sink. The place nexxt door called Cava had nothing but the same initial atmosphere. Last night of studies meet this dude (lets call him Ethan) who is from Vermont, studies in Montreal, and is learning Chinese in Beijing. This big bearded hippy studying Eastern philosophy needs to get his shit together. I get some tips from him but only have a few days left. To be wasted for sure.

Exams were grueling but Chin Jie said we could write about whatever we wanted (supposedly in class) and the others were completely predictable. I feel that i passed. The only reason for studying was to give those Pierce kids lower grades. Dont know why i think that i am better than them, just do. The last days were passed at the various markets buying various things i didnt need and filling a new suitcase to the brim and not having it pass inspection because of that a hole ticket taker. At the airport, after a luxurious cab ride which i had given up half way through my trip, I found myself having to pay nearly 100 for my freaking bag to get on the plane. This is half the price i paid for the ticket mind you. I am a sucka. Had to get it on though for it contained my treasures from Chine. Paid after some Russian pilot/steward guy was being a real meaniehead to the people at the excess baggage counter. He and his flight crew comprised of haggard old Russkies flying Aeroflot were trying to get about 20 huge duffel bag things on there. No doubt there was a connection to the Russian Mafia. He pushed other people out of the way but we got some other dude to put our stuff in front of theirs much to his chagrin (ha) and left. Luckily the bag made it.

Flight was ok, only time i have felt like i was going to die on an airplane. I always thought the question "how was your flight" was pretty much rhetorical but i guess not. First leg into Yantai was good and i had a good chat with some dude from there who was disappointed when i told him i was continuing to Osaka. The flight over the Sea of Japan was the bumpiest ever and i thought we may skid off the runway upon landing. I guess thats why you dont want the government controlling everything. China Eastern gets a thumbs down all around. Food was good though - shrimp and ham pasta and octopus salad and fig roll. Really, good.

Last night in China was one for the ages. Went to the standard Mom's for dinner then to Bla Bla for a tshirt. Frenchie sitting next to us comes over for a chat and come to find out hes a Michelin man, literally. Hes the son of the owner or founder or some such thing. First to have a Porsche in China. Really rich growing up in Africa, school in Paris, Dublin, and New York etc etc. Anyway, had a bad date and ended up at this dive and talking to us. Drank a million and a half beers and had some interesting talks with him and some Cameroonians(?). Actually that was second to last night, Mike's last. Last night at the cafe next to He Jia and apparently they run to get pizza for us because they have no food except snacks and give us Mongolian cheese which is creamy hardness. Makes me look down on Mongolian foods already. I was excited about going there but how now (brown cow)? (Sorry for all the parens)

Yeah. Made it to Japon. Seems cool and since i flew into the wrong airport seems like a fitting start. End up going to Kyoto where I am now and this place is something else. When it's not raining.