Visa/London

Last week I travelled down to London to apply for my visa.

No problems there really, the embassy wasn't busy and the staff were all very helpful*, I even got into a conversation with one chap about the scholarship (he'd been given JASSO too when he went to Japan).

* Just a quick tip, about something I didn't notice anywhere on the application form. You need to take a photocopy of the certificate of eligibility, even though the take the original from you.
(Yes they have a photocopier in the embassy, but no they won't take a copy for you, you need to go to the newsagent down the street if you don't have one and do it yourself).

I then had nearly 10 hrs in London before my train back to do with whatever I liked. I walked a lot, which was very interesting. Only ever really nagivated London via tube it was a little supprising to see how close everything is to each other.

I spent some time in the British museum. That day they had just opened a new exhibition on 'Dogu'. 'Dogu' are small clay statues only found in Japan. They date from the 'Jomon' period and the oldest were 14 thousand years old. They are peculiar looking representations of people (in their proportions) and their use/importance doesn't seem to be fully understood. One of the most remarkable aspects to me was how many of these resemble modern sculptures, yet they date back to the stone age!
If like me, you have some time to kill in London, go have a look.

http://www.britishmuseum.org/whats_on/future_exhibitions/the_power_of_dogu.aspx