Jetting In Japan

Japan is fast moving, technologically advanced, bursting with culture, thrives off entertainment, consists of the sweetest, most helpful people and of course serves the best sushi I’ve ever had in my life. These past 5 days have been a test of true traveling and by a miracle- we made it.

Our first day was spent in Kobe. It took quite awhile to get off the ship due to our face-to-face inspection, fingerprints and temperature check but when we disembarked, we got on the subway heading for downtown. Right off the bat, we missed our stop and ended up taking the more scenic route before reaching our destination. I’ve never experienced such a language barrier (worse than my post about Morocco…) but I got lost in the chaos and grew to love it. We were on a mission to get our train/bus tickets but finding the bus station was more complicated than anticipated. With my great acting skills, we were able to show locals where we needed to go and boy were we surprised to find out we had walked around for 3 hours and the whole time the station was just outside the subway. Later in the afternoon, we dipped our toes into some Japanese entertainment at an 11 story bowling alley and arcade. Courtney and Anna tried sushi for the first time in their lives and I tried for the first time since breaking the vegetarian lifestyle. Honestly what was I doing not eating sushi? We headed back to the ship and got ready for the night- a bar downtown was throwing a SAS party and a Jamaican club nearby promised that Japanese nightlife we had been awaiting. On our way, of course, we got lost but a very kind Japanese pilot with a huge smile offered to personally walk us all the way there. That’s one thing I’ve really learned in Japan- they totally accommodate and help the tourists out. Back home I get easily annoyed but the people that helped us made our days and traveling so much easier.

The next morning we woke up early and Abby, Anna, Courtney, Gaylen, Amanda, Jessica and I took a train to Kyoto to begin our adventure. We stopped at one of the hundreds of vending machines- they not only offer soda but beer and hot coffee all for just $1. We arrived at the Kyoto Train Station- our home for the next 15 hours- locked up our bags and hopped on the first bus we found. We got off in search for the cherry blossoms that were blooming throughout the city. We wandered into a market where sweet smells filled the air and landed in a park covered with blossoms and people. We bought chocolate covered frozen bananas and sat on a bridge soaking up the sun and people watching around us. It was like farmers market on a hot summer day. Couples were sitting on blankets nibbling on packed picnics, children ran after the waddling ducks and the 7 of us gazed into all the surrounding beauty. When the sun began to set and our stomachs began to rumble, we ventured home to the train station and met our dinner reservations for sushi. More fabulous, extraordinary cuisine- fatty tuna rolls, tofu, salmon- everything we tried was better than the last. We stayed in the restaurant till closing and slowly moved our completely filled bodies outside to wait for our midnight bus. We boarded the double decker by midnight and tried to get cozy for our 7 hour ride to Tokyo. It was a great experience to travel by backpack, spend the entire day outside with no real destination but we needed sleep. However, due to snoring and frequent stops, we never got the much needed REM and before we knew it, the sun was rising and Tokyo was in clear view.

Living out of a train station was rather easy in Japan. The bathrooms were actually luxurious compared to anything I’ve ever seen in the states. The toilet seats are warmed and actually play calming music while you use the facilities, everything is automatic and the water was even safe to brush my teeth with. With some expensive Starbucks coffee in our veins, we began our next mission: find our hostel. First we bought subway day passes- greatest investment because we kept getting lost and taking the wrong routes. Finally we crawled out of the subway and were in Jimbocho. Our hostel was different from previous ones- meaning one shower and bathroom for the entire floor and multiple bunk beds but honestly we weren’t there to sleep. We dropped off our backpacks, found another subway line and decided it would be best if we went to the most magical place in Asia… Tokyo Disneyland. We met a few first timers on the train with Minnie Mouse ears and red polka dot dresses but I think we were more excited than the 2 year olds when the magical castle came into view. Suddenly the lack of sleep didn’t matter and we sprinted to the park riding and viewing every attraction available. I remember my first trip to Disneyland in the 4th grade with my dad- just the two of us- riding Space Mountain, Thunder Railroad, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Haunted Mansion and of course Splash Mountain. It brought me back to being a kid again and it didn’t feel like I was thousands of miles and 18 hours ahead of home. By dusk, the energy was at an all time low but we got more vending machine coffee and took more transfers and subways back to our hostel. The two hour nap might have made me more tired but the thought of sushi and dire hunger fixed that right up. We went to our first conveyor belt sushi restaurant and I honestly cannot say I have ever eaten as well and as cheap. The plates just go around and are arranged by color; you determine the price by the color and just eat away. For less than $10, I had miso soup, more salmon, nari, squid, and the best hand roll prawn salad ever. I think I actually ate 4 but our motto was no judging and so I devoured every last bite. After dinner, we scrambled onto another subway and arrived in Roppongi- home of Tokyo’s infamous nightlife. With the help of a few locals, we found a classy karaoke bar and I made my debut. My opening song, as if I need to really say, was Hilary Duff’s “Wake Up” because it mentions Tokyo. The girls now have the best blackmail of me ever… but singing karaoke was on my list of things to do and why not do it in Tokyo?

Day four- before heading to Yokohama, we strolled along Harajuku Street- the rumored inspiration of Gwen Steffani’s clothing line. I’m beyond impressed with the Japanese fashion- who knew you could mix polka dots, stripes and flannel and still call it style? Tempted by the shopping, we got on a train to Yokohama before we spent anymore money. Yokohama is quite the tourist and shipping/nautical town. Anchors and sailboats fill the atmosphere and the baseball stadium seemed to be the center of attraction. We found the ship (it had sailed from Kobe), dropped off our backpacks and made our way to the Yokohama Bay Stars vs. Giants game (who surprisingly have the same SF Giants colors). The baseball field was much smaller than anything in the states- balls were flying into the stadium and one even hit the row of chairs we were in- sending an uncomfortable vibration and wake up call to pay attention at all times. We were told the fans were more entertaining than the players and the rumor was true. Fans chant, wave obnoxiously large flags, bang sticks and anything together to create loud noise. I supported my new Yokohama Tee but really had no idea who was playing or what was going on. The sun set and I enjoyed yet another hotdog as we celebrated the Bay Stars victory.

Our final day in Japan I spent in Chinatown- ironic but felt necessary. I walked around first with Courtney and Anna but then felt a desire to just sit and be with myself- something not experienced in a long time. I sat out by the pier, people watched, sipped hot coffee and wrote away in my journal. Already exhausted, the sun burned my sleepy eyes but I really began to reflect on these past few months. I never knew time could fly by so fast and it seems that life is the best when it moves that quickly but that just doesn’t seem fair.

We have 9 days till Hawaii and it’s time to buckle down for school. We have all our final projects and tests within these next 2 weeks but for the first time I’m not scared or nervous as I head into finals. I’ve learned more in this semester than any past year of my life. Whether I can be accurately tested with a 100pt scantron on the material… I don’t know. But isn’t learning about taking what you have and applying it? Who needs the facts when I have the experience? As I sit in my cabin about to head to the 7th deck for some sunshine, there is nothing but golden blue waves crashing out my window. There’s comfort in each sway of the ship. For the first time on the voyage, we’re actually heading home- no longer escaping and moving east but rather shifting and heading back. We are 18 hours ahead of CA but we cross the International Dateline tomorrow- we have Easter Sunday twice and even though I can’t spend either of them with my family, I feel like I’m in the perfect place. This ship that has become “home”- just a large cruise vessel that promised exciting adventures, new opportunities and the experience of a lifetime. It has given me really so much more.