Wow, sort of wondering if this was the right idea. I am in Tokyo right now, in my hotel. After this I am traveling to Fukuoka to meet my "host family" , who I'll be staying with while I study Japanese... cept.. they don't know any English.. and I hardly know any Japanese.. and lets just say that the conversation we had on the phone didn't go to well :-I

The plane ride was pretty horrible. 13 hours in seat E, which means it's in the direct center, 2 people on my right and 2 on my left. It made it really akward since I usually pee alot. After flying into narita airport I was happy to get off the plane... but then I realized I have to make it to my hotel in Tokyo.

LUCKILY, I had my ipod touch, which has a copy of wikipedia on it(2gb). I was able to look up Narita Airport and discovered that the subway at the bottom of the airport goes directly to Tokyo by a train called the "narita express". So I hopped on that and sat down, I didn't give my ticket much notice to where I sat because I'm used to getting on the subway. Well, that's not how it works in Japan...

I started to realize I was in the wrong place when all the seats were open.. and some random guy sat down next to me and asked me to move my things. I was like, wow I'm being hit on by a Japanese guy at the airport? Then a woman asked me to move because I was in her seat. So I was in the wrong seat and MY seat was 7 cars up... so I had to lug all my packages to the front, and I really felt like a smelly american as I was sweating. I had also been up for almost 24 hours so I looked like shit.

As we pulled up to Tokyo station I was very relieved.. but then came the realization that I had no money on me to get a taxi. I went to ATM's but they wouldn't take an American card (or at least the ones I tried). Eventually I found a really helpful taxi driver that knew where the hotel was and could also take payment with a credit card. I wanted to give him a tip but I knew in Japan that isn't really done.. and I had no clue about asking. I said "tip" a few times but the guy just didn't respond. ..

After I got back, I realized I was STARVING. I hadn't eaten on the plane much, so I really hadn't eaten much in 24 hours either. I walked to the am/pm down the street but ... they couldn't take my card, they only took EDY or something. So I trudged back to the hotel and exchanged my money... then walked all the way back and got 2 coke zero's and a really bad red bean bun.

Now I have to get on a train to Fukuoka and meet my host family. Wish me luck!