Sunday, August 23, 2009

Set foot on Japanese Concrete (Narita Airport)

We made it to the airport and it was hot and muggy. Made me feel like I was in the south again.

The view of the land was so pretty from the air. I've traveled quite a bit and this has topped it all for me(as far as a view from an airplane). The cultivated land, and the housing was all so sectioned into neat little partitions, but bits and sections of natural tree/forest were left in their natural shapes to break up the sectioned bits, but somehow still fit in harmony.

Immigrations went just fine, though it was surprising that we had to have our picture taken, as well as fingerprints taken. There was a TV screen advertising how the immigration process works, and when it was describing the fingerprint/photo portion it said that if you refused to do so, you would be ordered to leave Japan! @_@

I am worried about our phones though.... We verified with AT&T that our phones would work here, and we paid to have international coverage (I also paid to have data usage as well) and we have had no service yet. Which has kind of surprised me, but at the same time not. Part of me thinks we should have had service because we were at an international airport..... but the other part of me isn't surprised that we didn't have service because that airport is out in the 'boonies'. I am positive it will work once we get past/around Tokyo.

Now I am on the Shinkansen on my way to Shinjuku. The seats are pretty roomy, sort of like riding an amtrak. I got a window seat so I could take time lapse video of the train ride (Like I have done before in London and Paris). Too bad its getting dark... I think the video will still be cool ^_^. I feel like I am in one of the first animes I ever saw. Galaxy Express 999. I'd love to cosplay Maetel! *squee*

I then felt like I was on a train to Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry because a cute little train lady came by with a cart of goodies. They had everything from toys to snacks to juices. I got 200 ($2) yen 100 ml Orange juice that I will definitely make last a while @_@. lol I was so proud of my bad Japanese T_T. The cart lady understood what I was saying. Though all I asked was how much the items were. They had these CUTE little trains....a set of like 8 of them for 1,000 yen ($10) but I was strong..... and didn't get them. Unfortunately, I believe I will have to do that a good bit this trip. I will be able to judge more when we get our first meal... that way I can see how much the food will cost.

I am also very happy with my Katakana retention... I've been able to read a lot of signs which have been whizzing by as my train zips its way towards Shinjuku.

(223 V) ~~> (233 V)

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