INTERNET: I CAN HAS?

So, I typed about half of this up yesterday on my iPod, having been foiled in my plans to find an internet cafe. Turns out that I can use the computers in the lobby of the hotel. I feel dumb.

So. First days in Japan! Woo!

The Air Canada flight was great :D It was about 12 and a half hours long, and there were the occasional crynig babies, but for an overseas flight I think that was a given. There was a decent amount of legroom, even when you're like me and shoved way too much under the seat in front of me. We were actually given a snack and three separate meals, which was nice-- I don't think I ever got hungry. ...You probably don't care about the flight so much as me actually in Japan, do you. Too bad. I'm documenting, so shush. Got to see the wolverine movie, and Star Trek again, woo :D

Some volcano in Russia that I can't remember the name of...


Immigration...was. Yeah. An hour standing in line with that many people was hot and tiring and dizzy-making, but then I was finally through. Then it was down to baggage claim, wherer I waited a while before realizing that they had already set the Air Canada bags aside. *headdesk* so I got them -- my hug 49.5 and 60 lb bags, and I got stuck at customs, because they were so huge. Customs guy was nice as he went through the bag, but yeah. Anyway. Then it was through yet another set of doors to the lobby, where I didn't have too much trouble finding the transport company. But I can't really communicate well in Japanese for lack of vocabulary recall, which sucks. We finally managed to get all the info straight, I paid, and then I was off to the bathroom. Comparted to the coolness of the plane, the walking around in Japan (yes, even inside) was making me overheat, so yay shorts and sandals in carryon!

Then I was off to find the train. If you haven't been to Narita, I'm sure its not terribly different from most other airports, but damn are there a lot of long corridors. My computer backpack was killing me; add that to my heavy (but rolling) carryon, and I was mentally whining. Found the Keisei Line counter, and as soon as I said Katsutadai (which is a mouthful to pronounce, and I usually don't have that issue with Japanese) the ticket guy typed out the price on that ubiquitous calculator used for foreign shoppers worldwide. I paid, he gave me the ticket and change, and told me the time the next train was coming. I actually remember numbers (along with a lot of grammar patterns -- oh brain....( and after a little bit of oh-crap-is-it-down-these-stairs, I was off.

Note to travellers: if you sit with your back to the side where the opposite train passes, you will jump like nobody's business if you aren't used to it. Like me. /psa

So, met Miki at the station, she walked me to my hotel, and then... I was there. I had Sunday free to do whatever (which for me is a death knell -- you know me and decision making, especially with new environments...). So Saturday night, I grabbed a drink from a vending machine, and then holed up in the room. Not the smartest thing ever, but...





Sunday was... well. Jet lag caused me to wake up super early, so I was out wandering the streets at like, 8 in the morning. Possibly earlier. Most places were still closed at that hour... though I did, in my wide wanderings, pass by the local high school, where there were students doing sports. Lots of organized sports. I admit to staring a little bit as I went by, though I figure with some of the looks I'll be sure to get, whatever. (I was kind of deliberately not looking at people because I'm kinda uncomfortable enough as it is. I got better about that today.)

So, went back to hotel, then out again to wander some more. Made my way to the nearby 7-11 to pick up an umbrella, and on my way back, found a sewing machine shop. ITS FATE I TELL YOU. FATE. Haven't gone in, but I might.



Then I went to find a restaurant, and ...the few I was comfortable with going in (yes, I am a chicken, this too shall pass...) looked closed. So, also unable to find this fabled internet cafe, I frazzled-ly gave up and went to the supermarket. Wandered a bit in there (probably made the full circuit of the first floor three or four times) before settling on yogurt, juice, soda, and jam-filled bread. Oh, China, you have served me well.*


This has gotten pretty long, so I think I'll start an new post for today -- Monday.

*These were the snack foods we usually grabbed up -- plus ice cream -- at the local convenience store while on study abroad in Beijing. Asian yogurt is a bit different in consistency, but not enough to bother. In fact, its a bit easier to drink if one does not have proper utensils...*shifty look*

Many, many thanks to Em, who has kept watch over teh intarwebz for me while I was incommunicado :D