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Published: June 26th 2012
Well, I am alive!
Yesterday can be filed under "things I never want to do again". I didn't expect the "oh my god what am I doing" feelings to hit me before I even left. So I went to bed crying Sunday night, was trying not to cry en route to the airport that morning. Lost it when we said goodbye. And went through security while furiously trying to stop. LOL what is that, seriously.
But the flight to Chicago was fine, and once I got on the flight to Tokyo, I was having "get off plane there only to get back on to come back" feelings, and I just wasn't expecting them to hit so early. 12.5 hours is a really long plane ride. Luckily, I sat next to a nice Filipino couple with a layover at Narita, so we talked a bit. And I watched
21 Jump Street, which was actually hilarious.
So I arrive in Tokyo after about 21 hours of being awake/trying not to cry (yuck), and fortunately, once I got to Narita, I was in BUSINESS MODE!!! Get stuff done. I was on a mission. It's hard getting through that alone with all that luggage, but I totally got it - my big suitcase was sent to work so I can pick it up this weekend, and I got on the "Friendly Airport Limousine" bus service to Shinjuku station.
Katy: 3, Narita Airport: 0
I actually came into the city during twilight, which was pretty - I could see Odaiba and the new tower, so it was cool and nice to be able to orient myself.
Of course, once I arrived at Shinjuku, which is like the busiest station in Tokyo or something, all of the "here is what you have to do" sort of stopped since this was where I had to waste some time before Sam got off work (since I was heading to her and Fitz's apartment). I walked around dragging my 2 bags going "how the hell do I even get into the station" because the bus drops you off at ground level and the station itself is beneath it. So I walk around, am totally lost, can't find my way in. Stop at a Starbucks figuring I can get my laptop out there and look at a map - want to know how difficult it is to get 2 large bags + laptop bag + coffee inside a small space? Riiiiiiiight, LOL.
I sit down, make a pile of luggage (I'm sure I looked hilarious), and pulled my computer out. COMPUTER DEAD. POWERING OFF. What.. how... OH CRAP. So no computer. No map. I drank my coffee and read my kindle. Then I steeled myself to head off IN MY VAIN SEARCH FOR NO SERIOUSLY HOW DO I GET TO THIS SUBWAY LINE.
I finally found an elevator down and was like oooooh god this is huge. Plus, LOOK AT ME DRAGGING MY HEAVY LUGGAGE. I walked about 15 minutes through it to get to the subway line I needed and THANKFULLY had looked up my fare online - because it doesn't tell you in English how MUCH the fare will be only how to BUY certain amounts. HELPFUL!!! Oh wait... so I bought my ticket and went to my subway.
I get on only to look at the monitor because I knew which stop I needed and go... wait, that's not the right name for the number stop that I need. I realize that the line has a split, and some trains go up and some trains go down and I was on the wrong one. I get off at the very next stop because the path hasn't split yet and then wait for the NEXT train, which IS the one I need. LOL WHY
I get off and am like a zombie having been awake 27 hours, but they gave me great directions towards their apartment and I'd google earth-ed it before I left so I knew what the building looked like. It was dark and not bad outside as I lugged my stupid bags to the apartment. I had beaten Sam home from work, so I was like WHATEVER, I'LL WAIT HERE, so I camped on the walkway outside their door with my luggage and sort of fell asleep there for like 20 minutes before Sam got home. Not lying. I literally am like a hobo, lol.
They are beautiful, wonderful people who let me crash on their extra bed. I set an alarm to get up around 8 AM so I could shower and be on my way towards work/immigration office to get my visa, since they gamely gave me a key to the place so I can get in and out, and it's 6:15 AM and I'm apparently so jet-lagged that I'm awake now. Ah, well, slept about 6 hours, that's better than nothing. Getting around is (hopefully) going to be a lot easier without that dang luggage.
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Aya
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Ganbare!
Considering you managed to get to their place by yourself after sleeping so little... YOU ARE DOING GREAT! And don't you JUST LOVE IT when "Get things done" mode comes over you? And hey, at least when you made minor mistakes you caught them very quickly and didn't just collapse in a heap of nonobservance on the train. I forgot about this travel blog but I'm so happy I subscribed back when you went to Germany ♥ can't wait to hear about your adventures (no matter how uneventful some may seem to you).