And now for something completely different

We spent today shopping. First, in Akihabara, the electronics district. That's where we saw the Humping Dog above. It's actually a USB thumb drive for your computer, with a dog on the top. That's one small example of the range of electronics you can find there, from more components than you'd see at Radio Shack to large screen TVs and computers. Also, cell phones, kitchen appliances, and everthing in between. One store after another, each 7 or 8 floors high. for several city blocks.

Later in the day, we went to Ginza to check out some of the famous Japanese department stores. When it started raining, we headed inside to Joypolis at Tokyo Decks. Joypolis is like an indoor amusement park, with a wide range of virtual reality rides. We had a great time, and came home tired from all the walking.

By the way, if you were wondering how the Humping Dog USB drive got its name, here's a short video explanation of what happens when you plug the Humping Dog into a USB port...

Harajuku in the rain

We spent Sunday at Harajuku. Sunday is definitely the day to visit the area as it was packed with young people. But, it was raining heavily throughout the day, which kept the crowds down and kept people from gathering in large crowds in the park. We did visit the Meiji Shrine and did some shopping. Thanks to my friends who recommended the Tokyu Hands store which was a big hit with Sam. We shopped for a while there and bought some unique souvenirs. By the second half of the day, we were exhausted as we hadn't slept well the night before. We both collapsed after returning home and slept well on Sunday night. Here are some photos from the Meiji Shrine. We didn't take a lot of pictures due to the rains. But, we did see the irises, which are only out in June. It was a huge beautiful iris garden and drew some big crowds.

Japanese Lodging

As you might expect, we had a pretty spotty night’s sleep on our first night. We slept a few hours, but had trouble sleeping through the night. So, we hung out in the hotel room until breakfast time. As is typical with a Japanese hotel, the room is pretty small. Two beds, a small desk/table with one chair, and a small bathroom. No space for storing clothes other than a small closet with room for a few hangers and one shelf. So, we’re living out of our suitcases primarily. And, the room isn’t too good for lengthy lounging. We won’t be spending our days here, but when you can’t sleep from 3 AM onward, you don’t have a lot of options other than hanging around the room. So, we read and watched a movie on my laptop.

One new thing for Sam – a Japanese high-tech toilet. It has a set of controls which heat the seat, deodorize the room, and wash the parts of you that are closest to the seat. See the picture for the controls. Not sure we’ll try it, but it’s quite a curiosity.

The room and the hotel is nice, as was the hotel breakfast. It was a mix of western and Japanese items (rice, rice porridge, fish, vegetables, soup, and salad). Sam ate Western. I had a combination. Now, on to Harajuku for the day!

What a long flight!

Wow. Okay, ummm, 14 hour flight, 3 movies, 3/4 of a book, 2 hours of sleep and 1 very tired girl (that's me). Can't type...must sleep...zzz...
-Sam

Why is it daytime?

We're on the Narita Express from the airport to Tokyo. Arriving, getting our bags, clearing customs, and getting on the train went smoothly.

We barely mde our connection at JFK. Our plane left Boston late. Just like the old days of running through airports. Our flight to Tokyo was very nice as I was able to get a cheap upgrade to business class.

But, neither of us slept much. We tried, but leaving at 11:45 AM makes it tough to sleep along the way. We each slept for a couple of hours. Now we're tired, but it's 3 PM (2 AM back home, but that's the last time I'll think about that). We're going to relax for the rest of the day once we finally get to our hotel. And, an early bed time!

Airport

Well, our trip is about to start! Here we are at the gate waiting to board. The flight leaves at 9:50, and it's 9:41. The connecting flight at JFK is very tight, so fingers crossed! Today was my last day of school, and my friends are at the talent show. They will be missed greatly, but this trip will be super fun!
-Sam

Good Byes

Even when you are excited about a trip, it can be tough to say good bye. We're waiting to board our first leg of the journey. But saying good bye at the airport curb was tough. We know it will be fun, but we'll miss the rest of our family back home.