Finally..............the day had arrived! Our first guests were arriving. Naturally I was up very early so I had hours to wait... hours spent tidying an already tidy apartment, ironing work shirts, child proofing and relocating anything with a switch or button......the time seemed to pass so slowly.
All International flights arriving in Tokyo land at Narita International Airport. Narita is located 60 kilometres from Tokyo and can be reached by train, taxi or bus. The cost of a taxi is ridiculous and is no faster than a bus. The easiest option is to catch a Limousine Bus which makes a few stops before reaching Tokyo. One of the stops is in Shinagawa and very close to our apartment. I had planned on going to the airport to welcome our first guests but truthfully it was too impractical. The plane was scheduled to arrive at 6.40am. The first limousine bus does not leave Shinagawa until 6.25am and takes an hour and a half so that was no good. Trains don't start running until 5am and to get to Narita I would have had to leave the apartment at about 4.45am. I still would have only reached the airport after they'd arrived. In the end I gave up and just sent very clear written instructions on what to do.
Unsure whether they would catch the 7.20am or 8.45am bus, dependent on the time taken to clear customs and collect luggage, I had arranged to be at the drop off point in Shinagawa for the first bus and if they didn't arrive then to meet the second bus. I was doing anything to waste time. I still had ten minutes left before I planned to walk very slowly to meet the first bus when the phone rang. Not used to receiving calls, I was very surprised to hear a voice saying "You're grandchildren are waiting down stairs for you........!!".
With that I flew down the elevator and raced outside. Between the tears I cried, "You wouldn't believe how long I've been wasting time until I could come to meet you..." and Sophie piped up and said, "And Nanny...... we was already in Japan!!"
After lots of kisses and cuddles I was very excited to open all the birthday presents that Bek had hand delivered for me. Thank you, thank you everybody!!
And...so started the alien visitation. One advantage of living in Tokyo is that we get to experience the absolute frenetic hubbub of the place before moving moving to the relatively quieter Yokohama. In a way I think I am going to miss it....the views of the multiple train tracks with never more than 20-30 seconds between 1, 2, 3 or even 4 trains going through, the tall skyscrapers, the human ants buzzing around, the taxis, bicycles, trucks.....! Our first visitors are lucky to be able to experience life in two cities. Knowing what to see and do in such a big city is further compounded by the fact that places can be actually quite difficult to find.....streets are rarely labelled and, dependent on which exit you use at any station, navigating can become a challenge. Add to this formula constantly high temperatures and humidity and two little children with a stroller.........say no more!!
We began with a walk around Shinagawa Station and a stroll through a Sunday street market.......then the day was finished off with a train trip to Kawasaki and a great pizza meal in this delightful little area called 'La Citadelia'. We had discovered this location and enjoyed a meal there the week before.
With the breadwinner at work, the first couple of weeks were spent exploring many different places. Adjusting to a different culture and recovering from a long flight with two littlies was also necessary. We visited the insanely loud and busy Shibuya, Epson Aquarium, Tsurumi, the National Museum of Nature and Science in Ueno, Lazona at Kawasaki and many other places. Naturally all of this involved many trips on trains, becoming familiar with recharging Suica cards, withdrawing yen from ATM's, gaining an understanding of the train guide and lots of walking in the heat. Walking around the streets in the evening is also a lovely way to finish the day. Other visits, to Kamakura and Disney Sea, I will cover in a separate post.
The photo above shows Bek looking around a little shop in Shibuya. Not all the shops are as quiet and peaceful as this little one.
Counting your yen keeps your mind on the job and in Japan they really like you to pass you're small coins over so they can use the least amount of coins in your change.
Sophie and Nanny went to visit Poppy in Tsurumi and had some lunch with him. We also needed to buy a bike helmet. One night, on his way home, Poppy had seen some in a store called Olympic, so we went there and purchased one for 2,950yen (about $36.00AUD). On our way back to the station we found a playground where Sophie played with some new little friends. This particular playground was very basic and not at all like the new and shiny playgrounds we have in Australia. In contrast to our playgrounds I am yet to see a playground with tan bark surfaces to soften any falls. The young children communicated to Soph in Japanese and attempted to include her, but she didn't understand them nor them her. Regardless of that they played happily for quite a while.
On another day, a visit to Kawasaki to procure a second bike helmet was unsuccessful but Soph and I found a great toy shop with demonstration computers and then as we were heading back to the station we found a shop selling ice creams. Isn't that what Nanny's are for??
Travelling so frequently on trains you quickly develop the skills of a seasoned train traveller. Often with faces pressed against the glass and doors struggling to shut it can be uncomfortable. You become quite accustomed to following the colours to reach the platform you want and familiar with the different lines. Many lines will take you to the same place but not all stop at the same places. The most important thing is to catch one heading in the right direction. The subways traverse the inner circle whilst the main JR lines tend to cover outer concentric circles (I think that's the word I need).
A trip to the Epson Centre in Shinagawa, not to be confused with the Shinagawa Aquarium, kept us entertained one afternoon. The dolphin show went down well and Harriet really enjoyed the overhead tunnel.
A visit to the National Museum of Science and Nature in Ueno was a huge success and extremely good value. There were excellent displays and great 'hands-on' activities. It was hard to drag ourselves away. A return visit would allow further exploration the very extensive Japanese section.
This was an interesting find, Tommo's ring. You clap loudly and the ring rises.
As always this little tourist was a real trooper. Patiently waiting, watching and absorbing! She never fails to grin at the Japanese, men and women, who 'goo and gah' over her constantly. She always treats everyone to her regal wave.
As for Miss Sophie she had a ball but this may have been a nice place to leave her for a while. Minutes later the stool she was standing on appeared through the dome. Typical!!
After leaving the museum we walked around Ueno Park which is also home to Ueno Zoo, temples, an amusement park and open entertainment areas. I rather liked this totem erected by the Lions Club and I especially enjoyed the bagpipe renditions provided by a gregarious young Japanese guy. I could listen to bagpipes for hours, must be my Scottish ancestry. So much to see, so much to do!! It is hard to absorb it all.
The 'Alien Arrival' has certainly made life interesting, maybe chaotic, but it is so good to share our experiences with them. I think they now have a far broader understanding of the Japanese people and their culture, as well as the hectic pace of a Tokyoite's life.
Needless to say the arrival of guests has had an effect on the number of blog posts I have been able to do. Time is not so free these days, says I, with Harriet asleep in the sling on my lap.
Konnichiwa until next time!
