Pissed around for way too long this morning so didn't get out of the hotel room until way too late. Brekkie finished already downstairs so head to the subway and down to Namba. Little confused by ticket purchase and without asking a uniformed man appears beside us and shows us just how easy it is.

Wander along the underground Namba Walk (about 15 klms) (not really) and then realise the info centre we were looking for was just about where we came off the platform so walked back the 'must have been at least 17 klms' ;)

Called into a bakery place and had pastries and iced coffee for breakfast . Can feel those pants tightening been here less than 24 hours.

Ladies in the info centre amazingly helpful. Ended up buying a one day pass including entry to the aquarium and unlimited public transport and a two day pass including free entry to heaps of places and free subway. Both bargains.

Go up out of underground Namba walk and wander around Namba. Some very nice streets (bit like Pattaya for those of you who understand what I'm staying BUT everything is spotlessly clean. There are uniformed men telling you when to cross the road (in case you can't see the green symbol or hear the noise). We're both wandering around smiling, despite the weather - everyone is so polite and helpful and everything is so clean and organised but chaotic at the same time.

Head down to the aquarium and it is an experience that is great and uncomfortable. It's a maybe eight story building where you start at the top and then wind your way down through regions of the world . Some of the tanks are huge but others seem uncomfortably small for what's in them. One is the Amazon tank. Giant fish, squashed in, bumping into each other. Another a way too small featureless cubic tank with a lone finless dolphin just swimming around in aimless circles. Made me want to cry.

In contrast there was another huge tank with caves and stuff under the water where a school/family of small pacific dolphins seemingly were having a great time (well, as great as they could be having trapped in a tank). A penguin enclosure where someone was in with them shovelling shaved ice (snow kind of) around for them to play in. The famous baby whale shark - again, a huge tank but the poor thing just circling round.

Both glad to get out of there eventually, even if we loved the otters and the penguins and the jellyfish.

Lunch in a food court and ordered off a 'plastic example' and really no idea what it was. Thought it was going to be the famous omelette thing but it was noodles and more octopus balls.

Back on the subway and got hopelessly lost when we got off. Headed in the wrong direction (away from the hotel) but ended up in some really cool streets lined with little restaurants and pachinku parlours (a machine with millions of little stainless steel balls kinda like a vertical pinball machine but not). We were actually in search of a 7-11 to draw some cash. Lonely Planet advises we might have some issues with drawing cash on a foreign card and the 7-11 machines are the most reliable. BUT, they also say that you can't draw cash on a credit card. If that's true, we have a problem. Eventually find one and have 50K in my hand in a flash. Lonely Planet - FAIL!

Head back to the hotel to change. Initial plan is to go find a gay bar to drink in but I'm a bit trepidous and their websites indicate drinks may be very expensive so we just head back to our local restaurant arcade.

Dinner is fun and delicious but again no idea what we've ordered. All good.

Buy more cheap beers at the supermarket, plus some deserts (one nice, one not so nice) on the way home. Work out how to watch BBC World on the tele and doze off. Fingers crossed they're right about the weather for the next two days.