Shopping for Trouble - a shopper writes

When the going gets tough, I go shopping... 

I like shopping! Because I like looking many things for clothes, grocery, shose, etc.. So i like looking something but also buying something. When I buy new things, it makes me happy and excited. My favorite place is Karuizawa outlet and Isetan, which is famous department in Shinjuku.

Regarding Karuizawa, there are many shops. I can buy anything with cheap price. I also like to touch the high brand clothes. Of course I'm not able to buy them but it is exciting. And for the Isetan, I can look and buy latest stuff there. Sometimes, it is hard for me to get some products in Matsumoto, but if I would go this department store, I can get them.

For me, it is exhausting sometimes but I like looking goods and imagine how to use them in my life style. Furthermore, if I can buy a goods after researching, looking, it is very happy!

Trainspotting

MosBurger's waiting room!

Platform three at Matsumoto station, just before eleven o'clock in the morning is the place to be!

We bundled up very warmly, and toddled off across the road to stand at the bus stop - just as the freezing rain started to come down. Brrr. The kids piled into MosBurger's heated entrance while Jim kept his eye up the road to Asama onsen.

We jumped onto the back seats and enjoyed the warm ride into the city centre, passing a number of our familiar landmarks along the way - mobile phone shop, hardware store, supermarket, cranes & diggers.

Back seat gang

We took the escalators up to the concourse, and the lift down to the platforms. We found Super Azusa & Shinano trains arriving from Shinjuku & Nagoya, as well as local trains on other platforms; we waved at them as they left, then welcomed the trains going the other way as well. The driver waved to us from his perch on a Super Azusa; so did the guard as the last carriage shot past on the way to Tokyo. Brilliant!

E351 series Super Azusa - platform 2

We saw one train going through a giant trainwash, and saw lots of others (we counted twelve) waiting or being shunted around. Sota knew all the trains' names, as well as all the Thomas ones. Eleanor and Hina were keen to stay behind the yellow line! Eleanor got a stunner off the ticket barrier - walloped shut in her face because Jim had the wrong ticket. Oops - not funny for Eleanor, as it sent her flying & was a real surprise...her nose is still red like Rudolph's :(

Chilling on platform 3!

Snack time in the warmth of the bus station (we saw a spotty bus on the way back from the station - Kevin says it had chicken pox?!) where there were lots of old ladies! We had time to kill so we popped up to the seventh floor in the lift and jumped on the escalators all the way down - no window shopping! Back seat gang again back to Luna - Sota fell asleep it was so nice & cosy.

Spotty bus spotted!

A great morning's trainspotting - beats learning the alphabet :)