So I made it!! It was a MUCH longer trip than I anticipated. It was 10am Thursday Ohio time before I was finally able to get to bed in my hotel. Thats 29 hours of being up.
My plane in Minnesota had mechanical issues and we were stuck on the runway for over an hour which nearly made me miss my connection to Tokyo. Luckily they held the plane for the 7 of us on board, but as soon as we landed they ushered us from one plane to the next with no time for food and bathroom.
I wasn't even able to get into my seat before I realized that I got put next to the chattiest guy on the plane. I apparently have the face that says please tell me everything b/c within the first 10 minutes I already knew that he lost a wife and a daughter, had 4 boys and knew all of their names. He also shared some disturbing 9/11 views-never good discussions for a long plane ride!! Thank goodness after 2 hours they served our first meal. At least than he had to stop talking to take bites. I was uber impressed with the food (we even got shrimp cocktail). They were constantly bringing snacks, ice cream and drinks throughout the flight. Having had no meals prior I was thankful for the constant flow of food and drinks. After dinner I finally found some solace in watching movies. I think I watched at 3 or 4. This helped the time go by much faster and also offered a sanctuary from some of the screaming children.
After the 10 hour flight I finally landed. I was immediately surprised at the quiet I was met with. I knew the Japanese were quiet, but I figured in a bustling airport there would be some noise. I made it through baggage claim and customs with ease. Got to the arrival and found my brother hadn't yet arrived, so I carralled all my luggage to a seat and started to take in my surroundings. It is a very intimidating feeling to be in another country by yourself and really not what anyone is saying. After an hour of waiting I exchanged some money and decided to tackle the telephones and call my brother. He apparently got lost on one of the trains ( I later discovered how easy this was) so was late. When he finally arrived he was a bit panicked as two Japanese policemen were questioning me! I was sitting minding my own business when they approached me and asked if I spoke Japanese. I say no and they ask to see my passport and start asking me questions. They were very pleasant, but the whole episode seemed a bit sketchy as they took down my info on unofficial paper. Regardless, I was just glad to finally see my brother and have help carrying my luggage. We then went on to get on the trains and start our trek back to the hotel. The subways were quite an experience and I'm not sure how I'll manage them with any alcohol or an hangover. They also have a tendency to switch paths mid route which makes it really tricky to stay on the right subway. We haven't quite mastered this trickery yet, but luckily a nice japanese girl noticed we needed to switch and instructed us to switch tracks (the pink luggage must have tipped her off). A HUGE thank you to her though!!
After serval subways, and two taxis we made it base. My hotel is actually on base which meant that we had to go through all the paper work and hassle of getting me signed on. So many rules in the military!!
I'm happy to be here and am excited for the adventures. I now know the language barrier and navigation is going to be much more challenging than I expected, but I'm up for and can't wait for the memories.
I'll keep you all posted!