Rip It is for Rookie Travellers!

Okay, here is my first post from Japan!

First: Getting to Nagoya (total travel time: approx. 18 hours)

The plane from Toronto to Chicago was uneventful. Almost everyone on the flight was Asian, on their way to connecting flights in Chicago. Once in Chicago I had to wait a while so I wandered around, watched the same news on CNN repeat itself 6 times and tried to avoid this wagamama of a Japanese child who was screaming and crying for over an hour! Strangely, many people on the plane were headed to various naval/army bases in Okinawa so there was a lot of army fatigue luggage and men with buzz cuts. I sat beside a southern belle and her family (2 little girls who didn't make a sound the entire flight!) and promptly fell asleep. I didn't even feel the plane take off. Oh and Aaron, the selection of movies was dismal! (The Shaggy Dog, Ice Age 2, Take the Lead, V for Vendetta). On the other hand, the food was pretty good.


Look Steph, no 'dust cake' - the carrot cake was actually yummy, although the beef dish was not.


Instant noodles on a plane?? Does anyone else think this snack was a little bizarre?


And if that wasn't enough food here is what they served us 1 hour before landing!

When we landed in Osaka I hopped on the little shuttle train, grabbed my bags (almost the first off the conveyor belt, baby!) and got in line at immigration. It was sweltering in the airport and the line up was forever. When I finally got to the counter the guy didn't understand my working holiday visa. After a while I think he just gave up and stamped my book. Haha, I was not stopped and asked about AEON or stopped for bringing in 'blank' dvds!

I forwarded my backpack to Obu (thankfully Mr. Yamamoto had written the address in Japanese) and made my way to the ticket counter. I explained what I needed, paid for my tickets and successfully got down to the right track and car number. I hauled my bag onto the train, smushed it into the luggage rack (had to push a Roots bag out of the way, sorry other Canadian!) and sat down in my single, reserved seat.

After a little while on the train I started to nod off....but I didn't feel ready to drink the Rip It. Also, I would be arriving in Kyoto in approx 1/2 hr and I wasn't sure I could drink it all in that time (All I needed was a half can of Rip It to carry along with my massive suitcase!). In Kyoto I found the right platform for the Nozumi and then attempted to make a phone call from a payphone. Success. I hopped on the train, pushed my bag behind some unfortunate guy's seat and sat down beside a business man who did not look happy to see me.

No time for Rip It now, I was almost in Nagoya. The train stopped, I jumped off hauling 70.5 pounds of suitcase and found the exit. I had made it to Nagoya without Rip It and without ending up in Tokyo! I met Andy (one of the trainers) and he pointed out some landmarks and where the AEON office was. I checked in to my hotel and passed out, exhausted on my bed. Later I was pleasantly surprised to get a phone call from Mr. Yamamoto, who was checking to see that I made it okay. Then I got a second surprise of a call from my parents!

I think all of the train/plane travel in Europe last summer paid off...I made it to the hotel 1.5 hours earlier than I had scheduled.