The Chosen One

I saw 14/15 places over 2 days and only one jumped out at me. The minute I walked into this place, I was blown away.

It's a house on a really cute residential street. Newly renovated, wooden floors throughout, I was just grinning as I looked around because it whooped the arses of everything else that I had seen.

My room is on the ground floor and is gorgeous. Probably the equivalent of 9/10 tatami mats in size, it has a double bed, desk, chair, sofa, DVD player, TV, aircon and a pretty decent sized wardrobe. I can add or take anything away. I have my own toilet (sweeeet!) and the bathroom is cute, modern and spacious. Not one of those where you walk into the wall when you step out of the bath.

Upstairs is the second bedroom and study (my housemate's), another toilet and then this GORGEOUS lounge and kitchen. Mammoth TV, Wii, loads of DVDs, sofa bed, air con, dining table, big kitchen with a 3 hob stove (such a small thing but it made me soooo happy) and all the appliances I need (save an oven so I'm thinking about taking mine over).

The guy I'm sharing with is also a Brit. LOL! I'd be busting my arse off speaking Japanese all weekend and I end up sharing with a Brit - typical! Anyway, he seems really cool - funny and incredibly laid back, and seems easy to get along with. He works late and pretty much spends his evenings in the study so apparently I won't even see him except at the weekends. He's cool - already talking about my moving in party. I think we're gonna have a right laugh. He even came and picked me up from Ogikubo on his motorbike.

I'll tell you what guys, I am so pleased with this place. It's in Nermia-ku. Originally I was pretty set on Suginami-ku but it's still close. About 5 mins on the train to Ikebukuro and 15 mins on the Oedo subway line to Shinjuku. The house is only 2 mins from the subway station - LITERALLY. No deposit, no key money, no guarantor, no min. length of stay - NOTHING. I would've been a fool to turn it down. And the rent is all inclusive. I LOVED the place - and it was the only place I saw that I felt like that about. All the other places I thought were OK, I was thinking that I COULD make it work. Which isn't really the right attitude to be moving into a new apartment with.

I busted my arse off flathunting. I am honestly so proud of myself - doing all of this alone. If I hadn't of found anythign this weekend, I was gonna go back the first weekend in July to look again. The fact that I was looking 9am-6pm for 2 days and actually came away with a result feels amazing. I almost can't believe I did it.

Such an amazing feeling!

xx