Thursday 17 September 2009
Time Bomb
Ice cream in a balloon, the Japanese can think of some pretty creative things. You cut a small hole in the top of the balloon from which you suck the ice cream out. As the ice cream is in a solid state this is done with some level of difficulty. As time goes by however it becomes easier and easier and even begins to flow out on its own. It was at this phase when I took my last suck from the balloon. I removed the balloon from my mouth and as I did the time bomb went off. This white creamy liquid came screaming out of the balloon shooting me in the face. In the blink of an eye I changed the trajectory away from me and it shot ten feet down the side walk luckily avoiding innocent bystanders. As I now have ice cream all over my face I ask my girlfriend for a tissue. She proceeds to die with laughter and reaches instead for her camera.
Monday 14 September 2009
Move to Tokyo
Let me tell you, I had a feeling it was going to be painful but I had no idea just how painful. It did not help that I left the arrangements up to my girlfriend.
I landed at Narita International Airport with my carry on (40 pounds), my duffel bag (40 pounds) and my suitcase (70 pounds). I thought this was fairly reasonable considering I will be living here in Japan for a year.My next step was finding my way from Narita to Tokyo. This step was easy enough. I left the baggage claim area and immediately found a place to buy a bus ticket. I purchase one to take me to Shinagawa which is close to where my apartment would be.
As I’m riding the bus, I text my girlfriend to tell her that I had landed and was on my way to Shinagawa. She texts back stating that I was supposed to meet her in Shinjuku. This should have been worked out previously but please do understand that our apartment is close to Shinagawa and not Shinjuku. I arrive in Shinagawa, take my bags from the bus and trek to the train station. At this point I’m still doing good. I’m excited about my trip and barely feel the weight bearing down on my shoulders. My girlfriend arrives at the station carrying just one simple suitcase. I ask here where her other bags are and she says she has mailed them to the apartment. Smart on her part, yes, but easier as well as she was moving from Hiroshima and not the US.
We then proceed to journey from Shinagawa to Shinjuku on the train. Not an easy task with all my bags but it gets worse. At Shinjuku she informs me that we have to make our way to yet another station where our hotel was reserved for our first night (we’d be moving into the apartment the next day). She did not tell me we were transferring to the subway. There are many stairs between the surface of the earth and the subway system. Carrying 150 pounds up and down them is not the easiest of tasks. My shoulders very soon began to feel gravity’s mighty hand shoving the weight of my bags deep into my shoulders. I could feel the sting of my shoulder being rubbed raw from my duffel.
Luckily after riding the subway, the hotel was not too far. As we arrived at the hotel, I could feel anger build up inside me as I thought about my girlfriends lack of consideration for me as she had to of known I’d have several bags with me and yet chose a hotel so far away. I sucked my anger back down and presented her with her birthday gift, an open heart necklace from Tiffany and Co. We then had a pleasant evening as we strolled though Shinjuku checking out the sites. The next day however, it was back to lugging all my bags back to Shinagawa and then to the apartment. As I drag my bags into the apartment, I go to the sliding glass door and look out. What do I see? Business Hotel Ripple* right on the other side of the street.
*Hotel’s with unique names such as Hotel Ripple are typically love hotels. Love hotels are typically more expensive but are incredible. They think of every amenity you could possibly need and provide it for you. There is anonymity to you staying in them as well as you simply pick the room from a computer screen. No human interaction required.
I landed at Narita International Airport with my carry on (40 pounds), my duffel bag (40 pounds) and my suitcase (70 pounds). I thought this was fairly reasonable considering I will be living here in Japan for a year.My next step was finding my way from Narita to Tokyo. This step was easy enough. I left the baggage claim area and immediately found a place to buy a bus ticket. I purchase one to take me to Shinagawa which is close to where my apartment would be.
As I’m riding the bus, I text my girlfriend to tell her that I had landed and was on my way to Shinagawa. She texts back stating that I was supposed to meet her in Shinjuku. This should have been worked out previously but please do understand that our apartment is close to Shinagawa and not Shinjuku. I arrive in Shinagawa, take my bags from the bus and trek to the train station. At this point I’m still doing good. I’m excited about my trip and barely feel the weight bearing down on my shoulders. My girlfriend arrives at the station carrying just one simple suitcase. I ask here where her other bags are and she says she has mailed them to the apartment. Smart on her part, yes, but easier as well as she was moving from Hiroshima and not the US.
We then proceed to journey from Shinagawa to Shinjuku on the train. Not an easy task with all my bags but it gets worse. At Shinjuku she informs me that we have to make our way to yet another station where our hotel was reserved for our first night (we’d be moving into the apartment the next day). She did not tell me we were transferring to the subway. There are many stairs between the surface of the earth and the subway system. Carrying 150 pounds up and down them is not the easiest of tasks. My shoulders very soon began to feel gravity’s mighty hand shoving the weight of my bags deep into my shoulders. I could feel the sting of my shoulder being rubbed raw from my duffel.
Luckily after riding the subway, the hotel was not too far. As we arrived at the hotel, I could feel anger build up inside me as I thought about my girlfriends lack of consideration for me as she had to of known I’d have several bags with me and yet chose a hotel so far away. I sucked my anger back down and presented her with her birthday gift, an open heart necklace from Tiffany and Co. We then had a pleasant evening as we strolled though Shinjuku checking out the sites. The next day however, it was back to lugging all my bags back to Shinagawa and then to the apartment. As I drag my bags into the apartment, I go to the sliding glass door and look out. What do I see? Business Hotel Ripple* right on the other side of the street.
*Hotel’s with unique names such as Hotel Ripple are typically love hotels. Love hotels are typically more expensive but are incredible. They think of every amenity you could possibly need and provide it for you. There is anonymity to you staying in them as well as you simply pick the room from a computer screen. No human interaction required.
Sunday 13 September 2009
Tokyo Horizons
Growing up in Tennessee, I had a very narrow viewpoint. My horizons did not span that great of a distance. I knew little beyond my small home town. Joining the United States Marine Corps was the first step I took that helped open my eyes to the larger world. Now as I am a student at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, I am seeking to once again open my eyes to yet a larger world. This academic year I will be studying at Tokyo's prestigious Keio University. I look to expand my horizons, my desires, knowledge, and interests. Please share this journey with me as we move through Tokyo Horizons.
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