5-30-2009 8:21 JAPAN TIME
Hello friends! I am writing this post by hand, to be typed later... Why? Because I am currently on a JAPANESE AIRPLANE! And, as you may or may not know, Japanese airplanes are similar to American airplanes in that they don't have internet. This Japanese airplane is also similar to American airplanes in that it may have been made in the U.S. It is hard to tell, though.
So anyway. Here I am in Japan. So far, Japan is hot and humid, but also grey.Before it got dark, which it did early, it was cloudy. So so far, (mind you, I haven't left the airport yet...) Japan is grey. Greyer than Seattle!! However, I am determined to be delighted. So I am delighted. Plus, about 5,000 great things have already happened, so that helps.
Number One: Before I got off my boring, American airplane in Tokyo ("Narita"), about four men in full green hospital suits and surgical masks walked through our plane, talking to people, to ensure we were swine-flu-free.
Number Two: At one of 3 customs check points (the first of which was dedicated, yet again, to keeping that pesky swine stuff OUT), the guy asked for my passport, and I said "hai," which is Japanese for "yes." So of course he asks me a question in Japanese (yay!) which I can't understand (not so yay!), and then he had to repeat it for me in English.
Language-related failure count: 1
(But it's early...)
Number Three: Here's where it actually gets awesome. I go to the domestic terminal to re-check my bag, and the woman prints me this TINY ticket - like, half the size of an American plane ticket, AND she puts it in a cute case. Already, Japan is full of wonderful, tiny things. (Yes, see? That's an adorable Japanese ticket, RIGHT NEXT TO AN UGLY, LARGE AMERICAN VERSION!!!)
Number Four: I bought my first item ith yen! I love yen... I spent 150Y on a Royal Milk Tea (yes, the sugary kind of tea, that is totally acceptable here. I think. Anyway in airports it is...), paid with a 1000Y note, and got my change back ALL in COINS! And the 50Y coins have a hole in the middle. Don't worry, I'll bring some back to you as souvenirs.
Number Five: This is the best step yet, just you wait! So I'm looking through the in-flight magazine on my snazzy Japanese airplane, right? Which I can't read, really, because there's too many characters I don't know... But I'm bored, so I'm flipping through, and I get to the last page - it's pictures of all the size of planes that ANA (All Nippon Airlines) flies. Okay, good, good. I glance over it - I'm looking for the plane I'm on, even though I don't really know which one it is... And THEN I see it! In the bottom right-hand corner, where the smallest plane should be, there is instead a picture of a WHALE. Needless to say, I took the magazine.
Even more needless to say? I love Japan.
Number One: Before I got off my boring, American airplane in Tokyo ("Narita"), about four men in full green hospital suits and surgical masks walked through our plane, talking to people, to ensure we were swine-flu-free.
Number Two: At one of 3 customs check points (the first of which was dedicated, yet again, to keeping that pesky swine stuff OUT), the guy asked for my passport, and I said "hai," which is Japanese for "yes." So of course he asks me a question in Japanese (yay!) which I can't understand (not so yay!), and then he had to repeat it for me in English.
Language-related failure count: 1
(But it's early...)
Number Three: Here's where it actually gets awesome. I go to the domestic terminal to re-check my bag, and the woman prints me this TINY ticket - like, half the size of an American plane ticket, AND she puts it in a cute case. Already, Japan is full of wonderful, tiny things. (Yes, see? That's an adorable Japanese ticket, RIGHT NEXT TO AN UGLY, LARGE AMERICAN VERSION!!!)Number Four: I bought my first item ith yen! I love yen... I spent 150Y on a Royal Milk Tea (yes, the sugary kind of tea, that is totally acceptable here. I think. Anyway in airports it is...), paid with a 1000Y note, and got my change back ALL in COINS! And the 50Y coins have a hole in the middle. Don't worry, I'll bring some back to you as souvenirs.
Number Five: This is the best step yet, just you wait! So I'm looking through the in-flight magazine on my snazzy Japanese airplane, right? Which I can't read, really, because there's too many characters I don't know... But I'm bored, so I'm flipping through, and I get to the last page - it's pictures of all the size of planes that ANA (All Nippon Airlines) flies. Okay, good, good. I glance over it - I'm looking for the plane I'm on, even though I don't really know which one it is... And THEN I see it! In the bottom right-hand corner, where the smallest plane should be, there is instead a picture of a WHALE. Needless to say, I took the magazine.Even more needless to say? I love Japan.
Callittle, Japan was just MADE for you.
ReplyDeleteAlso, you rode to Japan on a whale. I just. Your life is great right now, aside from the fact that I miss you. But I suppose that is a problem with my life, not yours. ANYWAY I'm rambling. I love you in Japan!