Current mood:monkey-like
So we`ve wrapped up the second day in Tokyo and here are some things that I have learned:
1. When changing your clock in a foreign country, make sure that you know what time it is there.....otherwise you might find yourself waking up at 5am instead of 6:30am (ultimately it was for the greater good, however, I doubt that our roommates would agree).
2. The Tokyo subway system is a lot easier to navigate when there aren`t any other people trying to use it. Unlike yesterday we did NOT get lost today :)
3. People in Tokyo must have subway times down to an art form. We arrived 5 minutes early for a train and no one was anywhere near the track. But, as soon as the train was approaching the track dozens of people came running up the stairs to board. It was amazing, almost like their internal clocks are somehow in-sync with the subway clocks. However, if people do have to wait, they do so in the most orderly fashion. Every track consists of very straight lines of people quietly waiting for the next train.
4. When on a train in Tokyo, you are sure to be given as much room as possible. Apparently foreigners give off a certain scent that drives Japanese people to the farthest corners of the train. No matter how packed it was, people managed to back away as far from us as possible.
5. Apparently Casey and I are quite the phenomenon. It is currently the time of year when apparently EVERY school in the area takes a trip. On our way through a JR station line, we managed to mingle in with a group of students. As soon as we stepped in line, the reaction aforementioned in #4 occcured and then I heard a little girl go, "SUGOI,ne" and I turned and she was starring up at us. This either means AMAZING or FRIEGHTENING....not sure which. Needless to say every little kid was looking our way as we journeyed through Tokyo today.
6. Most Japanese ATMs even if they have a VISA sign, don`t accept foreign cards, even if you have a police officer helping you insert the card correctly, because you can`t possibly believe that they wouldn`t accept your card...It was actually rather funny looking at the police officer`s face when I asked him to help me use the ATM...."You want me to do what?" I`M guessing this probably also relates to #4 (it`s got to be some sort of conspiracy, I swear).
7. Japanese tour guides are extremely knowledgeable. Not only could she tell us the entire history of the tokugawa shogunate, the current construction progress on various Tokyo streets and buildings (which buildings also had the coolest elevators), the original source of all the materials used to build various shrines in Nikko (pictures forth-coming), she could also give exact directions to various ATM`s in Tokyo (including the names of stores located next door - SUGOI, ne....<-----you can take that any way you want). But then again, I`m sure that`s just part of her job. 8. Don`t pet the wild monkies....because they`re monkies <----more words of wisdom from the tour guide....I REPEAT, D-O-N-`T P-E-T-T-O D-A M-U-N-K-E-E-S...... 9. The day someone tells you that it`s not going to rain, assume they`re just abusing your trust, because it sure did RAIN! <---on the issue of trust...people don`t lock up bikes here and frequently leave their purses while they use the restroom in a restaurant....now that`s trust! 10. No matter what time of day....TRAFFIC IS ALWAYS HEAVIER COMING INTO TOKYO THAN LEAVING.... 11. (SORRY THIS KEYBOARD IS NOT THE SAME AS HOME AND NOW THE CAPS WON`T TURN OFF) EVERYTHING YOU EAT IN JAPAN WILL EVENTUALLY GET STUCK IN YOUR TEETH. 12. WHEN ENTERING A SMALL CONVENIENCE STORE YOU`LL AUTOMATICALLY BE USHERED INTO A LINE, DURING YOUR TRIP THROUGH THE LINE YOU`LL BE EXPECTED TO PICK OUT EVERYTHING YOU NEED AS YOU ARE PUSHED TOWARDS THE REGISTER....AMAZINGLY EFFICIENT. AND JEANETTE, YOU`LL BE HAPPY TO KNOW THAT I HAVE ALREADY PURCHASED YOUR AND JOHN`S GIFT, BUT....UMMM, I LEFT IT ON THE TOURIST BUS....HOPEFULLY WE`LL BE ABLE TO GET IT BACK, BECAUSE I`M SURE AS H-E-DOUBLE HOCKEY STICKS NOT GOING TO BUY ANOTHER :)
1. When changing your clock in a foreign country, make sure that you know what time it is there.....otherwise you might find yourself waking up at 5am instead of 6:30am (ultimately it was for the greater good, however, I doubt that our roommates would agree).
2. The Tokyo subway system is a lot easier to navigate when there aren`t any other people trying to use it. Unlike yesterday we did NOT get lost today :)
3. People in Tokyo must have subway times down to an art form. We arrived 5 minutes early for a train and no one was anywhere near the track. But, as soon as the train was approaching the track dozens of people came running up the stairs to board. It was amazing, almost like their internal clocks are somehow in-sync with the subway clocks. However, if people do have to wait, they do so in the most orderly fashion. Every track consists of very straight lines of people quietly waiting for the next train.
4. When on a train in Tokyo, you are sure to be given as much room as possible. Apparently foreigners give off a certain scent that drives Japanese people to the farthest corners of the train. No matter how packed it was, people managed to back away as far from us as possible.
5. Apparently Casey and I are quite the phenomenon. It is currently the time of year when apparently EVERY school in the area takes a trip. On our way through a JR station line, we managed to mingle in with a group of students. As soon as we stepped in line, the reaction aforementioned in #4 occcured and then I heard a little girl go, "SUGOI,ne" and I turned and she was starring up at us. This either means AMAZING or FRIEGHTENING....not sure which. Needless to say every little kid was looking our way as we journeyed through Tokyo today.
6. Most Japanese ATMs even if they have a VISA sign, don`t accept foreign cards, even if you have a police officer helping you insert the card correctly, because you can`t possibly believe that they wouldn`t accept your card...It was actually rather funny looking at the police officer`s face when I asked him to help me use the ATM...."You want me to do what?" I`M guessing this probably also relates to #4 (it`s got to be some sort of conspiracy, I swear).
7. Japanese tour guides are extremely knowledgeable. Not only could she tell us the entire history of the tokugawa shogunate, the current construction progress on various Tokyo streets and buildings (which buildings also had the coolest elevators), the original source of all the materials used to build various shrines in Nikko (pictures forth-coming), she could also give exact directions to various ATM`s in Tokyo (including the names of stores located next door - SUGOI, ne....<-----you can take that any way you want). But then again, I`m sure that`s just part of her job. 8. Don`t pet the wild monkies....because they`re monkies <----more words of wisdom from the tour guide....I REPEAT, D-O-N-`T P-E-T-T-O D-A M-U-N-K-E-E-S...... 9. The day someone tells you that it`s not going to rain, assume they`re just abusing your trust, because it sure did RAIN! <---on the issue of trust...people don`t lock up bikes here and frequently leave their purses while they use the restroom in a restaurant....now that`s trust! 10. No matter what time of day....TRAFFIC IS ALWAYS HEAVIER COMING INTO TOKYO THAN LEAVING.... 11. (SORRY THIS KEYBOARD IS NOT THE SAME AS HOME AND NOW THE CAPS WON`T TURN OFF) EVERYTHING YOU EAT IN JAPAN WILL EVENTUALLY GET STUCK IN YOUR TEETH. 12. WHEN ENTERING A SMALL CONVENIENCE STORE YOU`LL AUTOMATICALLY BE USHERED INTO A LINE, DURING YOUR TRIP THROUGH THE LINE YOU`LL BE EXPECTED TO PICK OUT EVERYTHING YOU NEED AS YOU ARE PUSHED TOWARDS THE REGISTER....AMAZINGLY EFFICIENT. AND JEANETTE, YOU`LL BE HAPPY TO KNOW THAT I HAVE ALREADY PURCHASED YOUR AND JOHN`S GIFT, BUT....UMMM, I LEFT IT ON THE TOURIST BUS....HOPEFULLY WE`LL BE ABLE TO GET IT BACK, BECAUSE I`M SURE AS H-E-DOUBLE HOCKEY STICKS NOT GOING TO BUY ANOTHER :)
No comments:
Post a Comment