just back from africa

- shibuya, west exit -



The wilderness, those incredible animals turned them into children again, she said. Lions, elephants, buffaloes. Crocodiles and birds.
But the best thing in Africa for both her and her husband was to be able to enjoy the company of their teenage son and daughter for a whole month. Conversations in their tent about books, about the past, or just playing with words in the night.
Drinking their beer in Shibuya, Worn kept asking her about the nomadic tribe their guide took them to. It was an unofficial, secret trip. The tribe had some temporary tents by a river, but no permanent village. They had very few belongings and were almost naked.
She and her family were completely ignored by the people in the tribe. Communication was done exclusively by the guide. Even when you stood next to someone, even when you touched them, you just didn’t exist. You were in a different dimension. Her family was allowed to join the men for a day’s hunting, but were treated like air by them. Never in her life had she felt so much ignored.
When around midnight Worn parted with her, the out-of-the-way west exit of Inokashira line appeared to be neither deserted nor crowded.

bright moon above shimokitazawa

The Albanian Chart was an extra cheap corner at the secondhand CD shop in Shimokitazawa. A source of inspiration: unexpected wonders and just plain rubbish.
Shimokitazawa, a colourful town with the energy of youth, was the best spot for Vaughan and Worn to get together for a beer, as their train lines crossed here.
La Cania, Tarato, Cafe Plants’, Saigon.
Never Never Land.
Sometimes they just sat with a can of beer on a street corner watching and sketching people before dropping in to check the Charts.
Since a few years, they are making an effort to systematically discover other towns of Tokyo. When Worn happens to come to here he is amazed to see how rapidly this town changes her face - her shops and bars and designs; her makeup, hats and scarfs.

On an especially hot August night Worn decided to buy a pair of sandals. He hopped off the train at Shimokita to look for the shoe shop near La Cania.
Walking down the street of the Albanian Chart he was stopped by the bright moon. In front of a boutique a couple was playing with some masks on display. They laughed as they turned each other into a tiger, a ghost, a shark.