Departures and arrivals can both take it out of you, in their own way.
Greetings from Tokyo, my new home. I arrived last night having been borne in the upper deck of an Airbus A380, easily the most monstrously huge plane I’ve ever flown. I think what they say about it being more sophisticated in terms of air pressure, etc. is true – I certainly felt better than I normally do after a flight.
My feelings on being here – and on having left the US – are complicated to say the least. Getting through immigration was shockingly efficient and easy, as is the Japanese way – by the time I’d been off the plane for ten minutes I’d been stamped through, issued my Resident I.D. card (one of my proudest possessions) and grabbed my luggage. As Vizzini would say, “Inconceivable!” – at least in America. Not in Japan.
Sadly, a huge rain squall hit just as I arrived at Senju-Ohashi station, from which my hotel is a five-minute walk. Now that’s not much, and I figured even with two huge bags on wheels very manageable. But if you have two bags on wheels with carryons perched on top, where exactly are you supposed to hold an umbrella? Given the scarcity of cabs as a small local station at 9 PM, this is an issue. It felt like a Tokyo indoctrination – or a baptizing, if you prefer. I certainly got wet, however you slice it.
Having collapsed and managed to sleep for seven hours, we’ll see how the old body holds up to jet lag. I’m going to play the tourist today for old time’s sakes, and we’ll hope the weather cooperates…
Justinnnnnn
October 6, 2012 at 11:15 pmTake care Enzo! Enjoy the journey.
Nayrael
October 6, 2012 at 11:24 pmHope the weather improves! Must be quite annoying to not be able to fully enjoy your arrival to your new home >.<
Richard
October 6, 2012 at 11:41 pm>I certainly got wet, however you slice it.
I'll give you 9/10 for that HSOTD reference.
Salce
October 6, 2012 at 11:45 pmEnzo, can I ask how old are you?
I always dreamed about living in America. Eventually, when I started college, I dismissed those ideas, thinking that I was setting foot on Earth.
But it always stayed in my mind. And reading your story, I feel I shouldn't dismiss that dream so quickly.
admin
October 6, 2012 at 11:46 pmYou shouldn't!
Anonymous
October 7, 2012 at 6:55 pmEnzo is about 28-30 years old. Maybe 33?
elianthos
October 7, 2012 at 7:20 pm@Anon: it's a secret :p
Cybersteel
October 6, 2012 at 11:52 pmWe should make an anime about this.
Gaijin ga Nihon!!!
Nayrael
October 7, 2012 at 12:08 amOpen the Kickstarter and you will get my donation XP
I can already see the opening… "Now this is the story of how my life got flipped upside-down and I'd like to take a minute while I sit right here to tell you how I came to become a Prince of a town called Tokyo."
admin
October 7, 2012 at 12:10 amHow about a Kickstarter for "Help Enzo keep from starving in Tokyo"? 😉
Helen
October 7, 2012 at 12:06 amGlad to hear you made it there safe and sound, now comes the fun part!
Doddle God
October 7, 2012 at 12:15 amEnzo, the upper deck of an Airbus A380, huh? Are the 1 percent-er? ha ha ha I kid. …but seriously it's only business/fist class up there, I hear (I also hear that these A380 have separate entrance for folks going into upper deck). Impressive indeed, for the purely materialistic way, that is. It must be at least $6000+ for those puppies, I mean, seats.
Doddle God
October 7, 2012 at 12:17 amBut having said that, I wouldn't want to stuck in economy seat for 15+ flights, either, if I could avoid it. Seriously they shrunk the seat space so much on economy seats that when I took one to London last month, I felt like I was being tortured for the entire duration of 8 hour non-stop flight. I can't imagine sitting on it for 15+ hours. Night and day when comparing to 5 years ago.
admin
October 7, 2012 at 7:35 amNo, most configs also have economy up there – and that's where I sat. But coach in the upper deck of an A380 on Singapore is about as good as coach gets.
Business and 1st is for those well above my lot in life.
elianthos
October 7, 2012 at 12:19 amWet, tired and happy then?
Good luck with the weather for today's exploration 🙂
GlassShadow
October 7, 2012 at 1:24 amIt must be getting cold in Tokyo around this time, I know it is here in Toronto. Be sure to put on more clothes, the last thing you want is getting sick when you have barely adjusted. But be safe and have lots of fun!!!!
Snuckerpooks
October 7, 2012 at 4:08 amIt isn't that bad in Tokyo… ever. I'm up north in Iwate Prefecture and the coldest it has goten at nights is sweatshirt weather. Today is still T-Shirt weather at 20^C.
admin
October 7, 2012 at 7:36 am26 C high today. Brrrr!
dv
October 7, 2012 at 5:23 amWhich station are you at?
And although Japan Immigration is indeed efficient, I've experienced slow moving times before. Still prefer my home country.
Anonymous
October 7, 2012 at 6:04 amI was thinking how you're doing with the whole relocation…so glad to see this post. Sucks that it rained, but there's gonna be loads of fun and many new discoveries… Know that you will have a lot to do, but if you have a moment, share with us how you're doing there. Take care and enjoy.
~Ronbb
lkk
October 7, 2012 at 12:41 pmGlad to hear that you arrived safely!