TOKYO Prelude

I guess I owe you all a post on my trip from Tokyo, but I can't tell you much now because the pictures aren't with me. They are still with lazy soozey dearie. *hint hint hint HINT*

The trip started on 16th Dec with a flight to Tokyo, transiting at KL, with Malaysian Airlines. Mum was being the usual worry wort, and passed me various woollen sweaters and thick jackets for a 10 day trip, that threatened to explode my luggage. But I tossed them out anyway, to make space for my dance shoes and an extra pair of booties I had recently bought. :P and of course my new soon-to-be purchases.

One of my main concerns was my wardrobe in Tokyo. I didn't want to look touristy and Singaporean, mainly because I'm mostly embarrassed by the Singaporean tourists' antics when they are overseas... spoilt brats, naggy and complain-ish middle aged people, all complete with the all too cringeworthy accent. I can't recall how many times I've recognised a Singaporean family from a distant from the children's loud rants or whines for something on the street.

On the other hand, maybe looking touristy wouldn't warrant the nonchalant looks cast at us, because we look too much like the locals. Salespeople and registration staff chattered away happily in Japanese when we approached them.

Anyway, for the first time in my life, I took the plane trip by myself. Again, my worrywort mum toyed with the idea of making dearie wait for me at Narita Airport at 10am in the morning before I told her the trip takes around $100. Ok, slightly exaggerated, but still... I'm old enough lor haha.

On the plane from KL to Narita I sat beside this big, cheery American, although we slept for most of the way till the last hour. I was grumpy and was wondering whether I should just be anti-social and not speak to anyone beside the stewardesses. Just before the flight landed, we talked for a bit and he told me how it was good to have a stay at a ryokan, just for the experience of it. He said we'd have the best time in our life. He'd seen me desperately studying a map to K's House (where we were bunking at) and offered to take me to the train station and explain the routes to me. (Yay! I was secretly relieved)

His name was Glenn, and he's a businessman who'd travelled between Singapore, KL and Tokyo for over 15 years, and held double citizenship (US and Japan). And he was so nice. He waited for me at the checkout counter, because my luggage was checked and I was frisked. =.= All the time I was thinking.. Do I look like a terrorist to you? Glenn spoke in rapid Japanese to the train station staff and checked out the train schedule for me. Then he gave me his Suica (similar to Ez-link card) and bought the train ticket to Kuramae for me, saying that it was his gift to welcome me to Japan. Then he sent me off to the gates at the platform.

Yay!!! Thanks so much to Glenn.. I felt really welcome in Japan already. This was also the incident where I decided that, if I should get lost in the streets and there is some Caucasian guy who looks like he's at home, he's probably the best bet to ask for directions. Another incident reaffirmed my guess (:

It was an early train ride to the dormitory just after peak hour, so I had mostly a pleasant ride on the train, riding through the backgardens and backdoors through the residential areas. It was surreal, just thinking that I'd already arrived in Japan.

Ok , time to get off work. It'd be my first day of internship tomorrow, and I'll be back with more stories about Japan!!