| TOKYO |
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| Thur - Fri, December 11-12
I'm sitting on the plane over the Pacific Ocean, having just crossed the International Date Line, on my way to Japan. Has my vacation begun? Yes, I think it's safe to say. But getting to the point where I could believe it has been difficult at best. Every time I take time off from work I do all of the work that I would have done had I been there. And this time it was unbelievably hard to finish everything. I put in 5 hours Saturday, 12 hours Monday, 12 hours Tuesday and 14 hours Wednesday and early Thursday morning, working up to the last possible minute where I'd still be able to make my 11:35am Thursday plane. It was a nightmare. And I still didn't get everything done -- but almost. But enough of that. What's done is done. The last time I was on a 12 hour flight I barely slept a wink. This time, however, I got myself a window seat so there'd be somewhere to put my head, and I didn't have big dumb Germans pounding on the back of my seat. Oh, and it also helps that I'd had 10 hours of sleep in three days, with no sleep last night. I'm sitting next to two Japanese girls who seem to know English, but I haven't attempted to strike up a conversation with them. And that's a shame. How else am I going to learn about Tokyo? One way I can be sure not to learn about Tokyo is forget my goddamned printouts that I've been amassing for weeks. Oh sure, I brought the one that contained information on the Ramen Museum and the Museum of Tobacco and Salt, but I left behind the address of Mike's apartment, the contact info for the two Japanese guys who have offered to show me around, and the tips on how to eat cheaply. I realized my mistake with a fright and a shudder as I stood at the All Nippon Airways counter, wanting to write my contact info on the ANA baggage tag and realizing I didn't have jack. At the last second back in the apartment, Megan asked if I wanted Mike's number in Tokyo, which I'd written on a piece of paper for some reason. I said, sure, what the hell, thinking I'd already had the printout with all his info with me. I'd arrived at Tom Bradley International terminal an hour and a half before my flight. It had taken me 20 minutes to get my luggage x-rayed, 10 minutes to navigate the ANA counter, and at that point I thought I was home free. But that was a stupid assumption. The line to get through security and to the gates began near the ANA counter, then wrapped around... and around... and around again until the back of the line reached all the way back to where I'd had my luggage screened. I asked someone to save my place in line. He was Asian and didn't seem to understand me, but then when I asked again he said in perfect English, "No problem," however wearily. Thus began one of the games of this trip -- Who Here Knows English and Can Help Me? I then went to the pay phone to call Chris at work, who was nice enough to take the time to get on my computer and email me the necessary files. I rewarded him with a poster that the company owns that we both wanted but which I was awarded after we moved buildings -- a copy of a drawing of the Santa Maria della Salute church in Venice. I'll simply have to get my own. After getting off the phone I tried to find my place in line, but wasn't able to recognize the guy who'd saved it. But right at that moment I heard an airport security guy saying there was a faster line and I took it. I made it to my flight with 10 minutes to spare. Enduring the past three days is something that basically made me want to cry. It's typical for me to save everything until the last minute -- including packing, which I did from 10pm - 2am last night -- but much of the work couldn't have been done until this week. Wait, wait, wait. Enough, I said! Enough talk of work. Mark asked me last night at what point do I get excited about the trip. The answer I gave was when I get off the plane. But that still probably won't be the truth. I'll have a huge, overpacked bag on my back, I'll have to get yen, a train ticket, a subway pass and directions to the Oakwood where I'm crashing with Mike, and then I'll actually have to find the place with all this weight on my back. Mike suggested I call a cab, which would cost me 15 dollars American. I said I'd rather hoof it, but never say never. December 13th, Aoyama Oakwood Guest Residence, Tokyo Found where Mike's staying in two tries. It felt great! Only had to ask someone for help once, and her English was very limited. I get bonus points for that!
Negotiations as to how long I can stay here were a little strained last night. Mike is saying we'll play it by ear as to how long I can stay (he leaves Tokyo on the 19th, I leave on the 21st). I told him if I begin to inconvenience him I can move on, it's alright. And he said, "Wow, it's like it's the 60s and you're my hippie friend!" I can't believe he called me a hippie. Mike left a key for me, and when the lady at the front desk gave it to me she asked with an investigative tone, "How long will you be staying?" "I'm not sure," I said with this enormous pack on my back. If the management wants to charge Mike's company (the ones paying for him to stay in this lap of luxury) more for another person staying in the room, then there may be some problem. But there's no need to worry Mike about that. He hasn't been sleeping well, and that would be the number one reason how I could overstay my welcome. He's here working as Associate Producer of a movie, and he says he's been waking up at 4am with his mind already processing all the things he has to think about. The movie is a remake of a Japanese film. The writer/director, who already has made one sequel and two versions for television, is remaking his own movie for the Hollywood version. And then after that, he's making the next sequel for Japan! Tomorrow there will be an all-day meeting to discuss art direction, and I can't fathom how the director would want to once again plan the details of a movie he's already made four times before. Mike said the director wants to move on to other things soon. Yeah, no shit! The apartment is a one bedroom, and I slept on the couch in the living room -- quite comfortably, I might add. I'm using the teeny-tiny REI sleeping bag I brought. While Mike could easily find me a blanket, I figure I brought it, so I'm gonna use it. The biggest problem in staying here is that I have to go through the bedroom to get to the bathroom. I woke up having to pee and waited until I thought Mike might be up before sneaking in, not turning on the light and not flushing, just so I wouldn't disturb him. I'll also be leaving my toiletries in the kitchen. That's sure to confound the maids. I'd like to take Mike out to dinner to show my appreciation, but he refused, and also I doubt we'll be around much at the same time during dinner time. At one point last night Mike commented how rundown he's feeling, and I suggested he start taking Cold-Eeze. He asked if I had some on me, and I had to confess I only brought a few. "You mean to tell me I let you stay in this opulent apartment and you can't spare a lousy lozenge?" he said only half-jokingly. I explained that the suggested dosage is six a day, and that I'd try and find him some of the Japanese equivalent. But when he found me later at his lap top trying to find the active ingredient on the Cold-Eeze website, he said to forget about it. [I went to three different pharmacies and couldn't find them]. Maybe I'll buy him a hooker. That'll go over well with management. Sunday I plan to meet some
of my fellow Santas, who will be in "Full Santa" mode, and
I guess I will be too. Mike made me promise not to enter or leave the
building in my Santa suit. Fair enough.
(Check back later for more
trip additions.)
email:
ryan[at]monkeyduck[dot]com
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Narita Airport Information Desk After getting out of the passport check look for a currency exchange booth. Then the next thing you'll want is the Information Desk. The clerks there speak English and they can tell you how to get to your destination via subway once you get into Tokyo. You'll also want a subway map and a free city map. be sure to get both a JR line map and a subway map.
Transport: Narita Airport to Tokyo You can spend 30 dollars and take the Narita Express to Tokyo Station, or you can take the subway. I took the subway. It's only a half hour or so longer, depending on where you get off, and you'll save 25 bucks. The subway's a little rough in that there's space for large luggage on the Narita Express and there's only overhead racks on the subway. But my huge backpack fit up there. I also liked getting to know the subways immediately. It's best to get used to them since you'll be spending so much time on them.
Tokyo Trains Unlike most big cities where one organization runs the trains and buses, there's a number of companies that run them, and that has the potential to get pretty confusing. But I did well -- only got lost once. It helps to ask people you're going the right way. There's really only two train systems that you're going to be dealing with -- the JR and the Subway. I think there's more than one subway, and that "the subway" is owned by some company the name of which I don't know. But everyone just calls it "the subway." The JR, on the other hand, is all above ground, for the most part. The JR Yamanote Line is the main line in that it runs in a circle around the city. The guide book I had recommended using it as a way to familiarize yourself with the city -- since it runs in a circle you could go all away around and then just get off at the next stop, which would mean you'd only pay 160 yen instead of 450, or whatever. But I think that's stupid. What an incredible waste of time -- to intentionally stick yourself in a crowded rail car for an hour when all you can see are the sides of buildings and very few landmarks.
Rail Passes Apparently if you have a JR rail pass for the rest of the country you can use it on the JR trains. I imagine that you'd have to flash your card to the station agent each time, and that takes some time. Otherwise, look for 1000 yen cards sold in machines in the station. These can be bought for both the JR and subway. (The subway ones are called "SF Card", but there's also some other names for the same things). The cards look bigger than the normal, smaller tickets, but they work in the turnstiles just the same. You'll go through 1000 yen of subway tickets in a day to a day and a half, depending on how much travel you're doing. Unfortunately the cards don't give you any discount, but they do save time since it's a drag to wait in line for the ticket machines each time.
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