Tokyo

Now in Tokyo. Still haven't come down with whatever disease is plaguing my sister, but am probably nursing a few million germs by now. Incubation will likely finish right around the time I board my flight home. I can already imagine the other passengers rolling their eyes at me in disgust. I will laugh if I contract swine flu...and then I will cough a little from laughing so hard. It would just be too ironic.

Asahi was pleasant, but Tokyo is much more English-friendly, and the subway system makes me happy. Meanwhile, a childhood friend of my mom hooked us up with a condo, internet access, spare cell phone, copious antibiotics, and her personal translation/navigation services, which makes this portion of our trip a whole lot easier. She simply rocks, as does my mom for having such great friends.

I'll wrap up with some thoughts from the past few days...

Apologies and pardons.
What would seem like profuse and unnecessary self-deprecation back in the States is nothing short of a national pastime here. I could get used to this!

Playing Japanese tourist.
Super fun in Japan, as there is no shame in whipping out the camera anywhere and everywhere.

Export/import industry.
Renders souvenir shopping almost pointless, as there are precious few things one couldn't just buy at Uwajimaya back in Seattle. My friends at home wouldn't know where their gifts came from. Either sad or awesome, can't decide.

"Vacation" with the family.
A bit of an oxymoron, it would seem.

Blue screen of death.
Even scarier in Japanese. Can now relate with the parents and their experiences with technology.

Japanese toilet paper.
More prone to tear longitudinally than across the transverse perforation. Whatever. Will wipe with streamers if necessary. Which brings us to my final thought...

Bidets.
Oh, wow. o_O

For those of you who happen to be cursed gifted with a visually-prone imagination like I, you are welcome.