2016-07 summary

Early July 2016 material covers Daniel's travels in Japan: a spreading, itchy, flaking rash on his arms and hands that creams did not relieve and that disrupted sleep, which he self-diagnosed from Wikipedia as radiation poisoning, with jokes about a superhero called Skin Man.

Daniel alleged that the Japanese government lied about radiation safety and that contamination was widespread; this remains his claim, not an established fact.

Daniel found Pokémon Go interesting after seeing attention on Facebook, but had not played it because it was unavailable on the UK app store he used in Japan and he had no mobile SIM for outdoor internet.

Late July: Daniel left his Japanese residence after farewells, waited about four hours outside a train station closed for construction, took a train to the airport, flew to Taiwan, took a nearly two-hour bus, and checked into a small hotel room without Wi-Fi.

On arrival in Taiwan after about 24 hours of travel, Daniel slept through most of the day, met a friend of six years in person for the first time, ate at McDonald's, noted Taiwan seemed hotter and dirtier than Japan, and later met the friend's father and brother.

Daniel traveled by car with the friend and his father into Taiwan's central mountains, visited a temple and the cold summit, unexpectedly stayed overnight in a house, watched the sunrise, toured an empty indigenous village school, and visited a windy beach with crabs.

In a mid-July recording Daniel complained about living conditions: no hot water, no Wi-Fi in his room, noisy common areas, irritation with other residents, and unwanted physical contact, and reflected on taking private space in the UK for granted.

Health: rash symptoms and self-diagnosis in Japan.

Alleged government deception about radiation.

Pokémon Go mechanics, safety concerns, and regional access limits.

Leaving Japan and travel to Taiwan.

Taiwan mountain trip, heat, school, and beach.

Living conditions, privacy, and comparison with life in the UK.

Daniel was unsure whether to report the hot water problem to the manager and did not understand the lack of hot water or why a resident poked his stomach and patted his head.

Unclear whether Pokémon Go was released in the UK, and whether Daniel could play without a SIM.

Ownership of the mountain house and bed is unknown; it may be shared lodging.

Daniel was unsure whether people downstairs were waiting to say goodbye, what the construction workers were doing, and whether his hotel route was correct.

Daniel was unsure of the day's schedule, whether filming at the school was allowed, whether the school was empty because it was Sunday, and whether it had Wi-Fi.

Unclear whether the girl at the lockers understood him; Peter's safety and circumstances are unresolved.