Let's Adventuring!!!

I arrive and we all make it through customs, get our baggage, walk through lines where we stow it off again for our time in Tokyo and ultimately until we get to our new homes. This we do very quickly even at a leisurely pace. We take about an hour long bus ride from the airport to Shinjuku and check into our hotel rooms. As one person put it, "They're swank!" They really are. I've now utilized my first bellhop and bedet (though I promise, not at the same time!).

I walked to a post office and used an ATM so that I'd have a bit of cash on my person and with one of my roommates decided to get a bite to eat near the hotel and met a couple of guys in our group from Denver in a noodle restaurant. I got a spicy pork noodle bowl of some sort and a hard-boiled-ish type of egg with a brown "white" and a pinkish-orange yolk. They were both great. Outside the lights were great as we walked around. Everything's great.

Except now... it's 3:00 a.m. here and I can't sleep even though I went to sleep at 9:00. Se la vie. I listen to David Bowie sing such songs as "Life on Mars", "Space Oddity" and "Heroes" directly into my psyche which parellels the otherworldy feeling that I- and I'm sure many others- are now beginning to experience as we begin to grasp what we have gotten ourselves into.

In any event, I am here. I am safe. I have taken the first steps in what I can only imagine will be...

I'll let the ellipse do the speaking. Thank you to everyone whose thoughts, words, prayers and deeds got me to this point. I will keep you all updated.

As the months, weeks, and days have ticked down I have had many goodbyes to say to my friends and family before the real adventure begins. Not all parts of the adventure are enjoyable, and the tears of farewell sting the worst. Those are the times where I wonder why I've ever had the dream of seeing the world and maybe it would be better if I just got a job close to family- the kind that just pays the bills, but isn't necessarily very rewarding- but then of course I wake up and realize that it's just a thought in passing.

The adventure is what I have dreamed about for so long, and while I would love to even bring those family and friends along for the trip, I realize even then that it's all part of the journey. The experience requires an unfortunate separation.

This morning is my last one for a while in the US. I have eaten a ceremonial cheeseburger and the next morning some pancakes, which will not be readily available upon my arrival in Japan. I only wish I had thought to bring a bottle of Red Hot so that I could make my own Buffalo Wings while there. I suppose I'll think of more things upon my arrival as well.

After a 13 hour flight, I will arrive in Narita Airport in Tokyo. It may be difficult for at least a week (if not longer) to correspond with anyone in the US, but I'll do what I can. Soon enough I'll have my wireless internet for my Skype and a cell phone that will be easy to use to make calls to the US. Also, I will have a US number that will forward to a local number in Japan to make it easier- and cheaper!- for people back home to call.

Farewell friends and family, I will see you soon enough and talk even sooner.

Luke