Kamakura, Japan

Forgive me while I try to organize this blog...

So I`ve arrived in Japan and, after much debate, decided to start blogging about this whole `around the world` experience. I struggle with my confidence as a writer and thusly will probably be bringing you this blog as anecdotes and random thoughts I have while seeing all corners of this earth. I just don`t believe I have a knack for story telling (my friends will tell you I`m a horrible story teller).

Anyway, after a 645am flight to Chicago, a 5 hour layover, a 13 hour flight to Tokyo, a two hour train ride and a 2 hour wait for my host, I`m here! I`m staying with a couchsurfer (http://www.couchsurfing.com/) in Kamakura, Japan, which is a beach town about 45 minutes south of Tokyo. I chose this place because it seems a little quieter than the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, plus theyve got a huge Buddha statue. My bed is a futon, there is no AC and the flat is tiny, but all is well. Tomoko (my host) has been wonderful thusfar. Her English is a little shaky, but good enough that we can communicate fairly easily.

I will set out in a few minutes to explore Kamakura. Tomoko tried explaining the bus route to get there, but I think that I`ll just use a map and hoof it. That seems like it will provide less confusion (or maybe more, who knows).

So to close this first blog entry (let`s hope I don`t get lazy and slack on more), let me share with you some random observations of Japan:

-I arrived and am instantly the tallest guy in town. Also the fattest. Ok, so I don`t really think I`m the tallest, but of the thousands of people I have seen today, probably top 3. No doubt.

-How much do electricty bills run around here? Everything is neon and flashing. It`s CT`s worst nightmare.

-Obviously a different culture here, but what stands out is that people will go out of their way to help you. If you`re in NYC and look lost, you better ask for directions because no one is stopping to help. Here, I looked lost for a minute and had 2 people come up to me and ask if they could help.

-You know my first dinner story had to be a good one. So I`m in the train station and decide I want a bite to eat. Only I can`t read/recognize any food available. I end up point to a few a la carte items at a little snack place and hope for the best. I take my purchases and go down to the platform to wait on my train. This is where it gets interesting. I put my backpack down and start rifling through the bags. Enclosed are chopsticks, a wet nap, 2 packets of secret sauce, what can only be described as a Japanese mystery meat corndog and two crab cake-looking things.
I start to open the packets of sauce but realize I have to have scissors. Really? You`re in a train station and you have to have scissors to open it? I did the best I could do and punctured a hole in the side of it with a pen. I then start squeezing the sauce onto the crab cakey thing. Only a little comes out. I squeeze harder. (Keep in mind I`m a giant white face in the middle of a bunch of Asian ones and a train platform with two backpacks and a bad haircut.) Of course you know what happens with I squeeze harder. Yup, it shoots a chunk across the platform and lands right next to a girls shoe. She looks at me, looks down, frowns and keeps walking. Score one for the diplomat-in-training!

The meal didnt turn out too poorly. I do think, however, that I ate at the Japanese version of Long John`s.

Until next time...