Heading onto the plane I was taken aside for questioning. The drug sniffing dog smelled my bags, and I was asked where I was from, what I did, and all my plans for Tokyo. The overall experience was quick and painless, and I got on the plane without incident. My seat partner was a fellow gamer, we had a good chat about bw, sc2 and dota. I arrived at Narita, and proceeded to customs. There I was asked where I was staying and what my phone number would be. I only had a district name, not a solid address, I tried to explain what my plan was, and eventually just put down a japanese phone number and said I was staying in a hostel. The baggage check was pretty easy, "I am here to take photos" being the reason I was in Tokyo, and the tripod, monopod, and bag full of gear backed me up.
THE HEAT! Already, even in the airport it's ridiculously warm. I grabbed my luggage and went outside to cool down. It is super humid and 25 degress celsius. It's summertime Victoria weather without the breeze. Luckily I smartened up and bought shorts before I came, you'd enjoy them, they have a monster in the pocket.
I am now playing the waiting game, it is approximately 630pm local time, 230am Victoria time according to my trusty eeepc. I have been reading through "The hot shoe diaries" that Matt Richardson gave me for christmas. It's about flash photography. It has some really amazing shots in it, and talks about a variety of topics. I am also attempting to study my japanese. I had two weeks to prepare, and 23 hours in buses, boats, airports, and planes to study, but am only now, sitting in Narita airport, starting to learn.
The following is a phoentic version of what I know. This doesn't include phrases and words I already knew like anata wa, domo, sayonara, and anything common back home.
not allowed, that's bad - dah-meh
etah nichiwa pazholstah - zehn zehn
great idea - ee-ee deh-soo neh
go for it - gahm-baht-teh
gratz - oh-meh-deh-tohh
welcome -yohh-koh-soh
dont worry -sheenpah-ee sheenah-eedeh
you're right -soh-noh tohhree
WWWWW
dahree/dohnahtah -nahnee ee-tsoo doh-koh...... how-dohh
shkolkah- eekoorah dohreh-which one
Some of it may not make sense, I am using russian to associate the new phrases im learning with the ones I know to make a pattern. In my head 'What' is quoi-shtoh-nahnee, how much is quelle price -shkolhka - eekorah. Though I am not entirely sure how accurate it is, it's all based off of a ariety of books I am going through. I am only really worried about one thing, having to use the bathroom. I have a fair amount of luggage that I would rather not haul to the toilet. Though I would not want all the thieves and brigands to make off with such a grand booty, nor would I want airport security to start thinking like Calgary's airport security.
I need you here with me, not way over in a bucket seat.
I am camped out in a little alcove with rows of brown chairs that look like they stepped out of the late eighties trying to force the decade into the early nineties. To my right is a row of weird looking pay phones. They're far bulkier than the phones (which few are left) back home. Behind me is a giant orange sign with a stick figure with luggage holding another stick figures hand. To my left is a flatscreen spouting off Narita propoganda. Weather on the 17/34, news for 50 min, airport topics at 5/49, music at 13/32. I have to talk about the music. The only music video I've seen, and I've seen it two or three times, is a group of school girls singing and jumping in uniform, that is followed by an all pink slumber party jump session. NINJA EDIT: There was another video with a japanese man running around and touching things with his palm, this would cause a sliders wormhole style effect wherever he touched. Then it would switch to 90's boy band style synchronized dancing. There is also a travel segment, and a sports segment, which is supposed to feature sumo wrestling. I eagerly await the sports segment, the cast ironware segment is kind of interesting, but I would like to see something else at the moment.
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