Day 1 in Japan

So I left Home (CA) this past Sunday for my first trip to Japan. Part work, part vacation, part to find out if I want to come here after I am finished with my tour at Berkeley. From the start things were a little crazy.

I arrive at the airport incredibly early, about 3 hours before my flight boarded, and was amazed to see the line for the United International flights had at least 300 people. It took me just over an hour to get my bags checked, and by the time I did the line had nearly doubled in length. Come on, they sold the tickets, it isn't like it was a surprise to United when all these people were showing up. There had to be 10 stations that were unmanned.

So after getting through security I had about an hour before boarding, what better than some airport food for breakfast, my last authentic mex-american breakfast and at fast food airport chain :)

After the 10 hour flight (3 movies, a few songs and half of the 1st Harry Potter book) I land at the Narita International Airport in Tokyo. There is a bus that runs from NRT to Yokosuka. Today was going to turn into my day of just makes it. There was a problem with the baggage handler, it broke down half way through and took much longer than expected to get the luggage. I caught the bus with literally 3 minutes to spare. Turns out that this time of year tends to be overcast, humid, and rainy. Here are a few pics from the bus ride. The bus takes about 2 hours with light traffic.


So I finally make it to the base, figure out where the housing office is. Manage to check in, put my bags down and wash my face. I call my boss, he arrived the day before, to see if he wanted to get dinner. To my suprise, there was a dinner planned (in 10 minutes) with the outgoing guys we were relieving and our Japanese counterparts! Ok, into the shower to rinse the airplane funk off and out to dinner in Yokuska with a group of people I had never met....

We went to this small restaurant where you cook your own food. Each table has its own small gas grill. You are brought plates of frozen meat, fish, and vegetables and cook it yourself at the table. It is all you can eat with free refills on beer and Saki! The only catch is that they put you on a timer ,you have about an hour and a half before you pay for extra time. The cost, a mere 2900 yen (exchange is about $1.00 = 120yen). Everytime my glass came close to empty someone would refill it, then came the Saki toasts,, and toasted I became. Next up...What else but Karaoke! This wasn't anything like I expected. The karaoke joint ran private lounges you rented for an hour or so at a
time. About a 1000 yen/hour/person, but again all drinks are covered with the rate. All you can drink once again! Yikes! After the Karaoke it was time to call it a night.

You would think after being up for 18 hours or so I would be tired. You would be right. Jet lag is a strange thing though. I said to myself, drink enough beer and Saki, no problems sleeping, right? Well, ummm no. In bed around 12, wide awake (and slightly hung over) at 2:30. Stupid jet lag.