There are ups, and downs.

 

So whenever one is transplanted from one part of the globe to the other, one is bound to run across new people, new plants, new animals, new germs.

I managed to get sick first and yesterday was the worst of the entire thing. Seriously, I felt like an oven on thanksgiving day, 400 degrees and going All....day....long. Sweat was pouring off me like a monsoon, it was that bad.

Eventually things got better, and now I only have a sore throat and cough, but of course, now everyone else is in the cooking stages.

Anwyays, other then being sick, things are good. We're next on the list for a townhouse here on base, so it's only a matter of time before we get one. whheee!

Till next time!

Konnichiwa!!

  

So anyway, it took longer than expected for the next blog, but whatever, we're having fun. Just about every day this past week and a half we've been going outside of base and traveling around. Plus for this week we've been going to an orientation to the base and japan in general.

To say the least, it's been BUSY!

Now of course, all of you can see all of the pictures we post up at: http://picasaweb.google.com/jinxz0

but heres some of the better stuff.

Fist off, ive started to collect all of the cool stuff you can get at the vending ball machines. If you dont know what these are, basically it's a favorite past time of the japanese to collect toys that are sold out of these machines that release toys that are sealed in plastic balls, which of course you can take out and enjoy.

They also sell random cards and other silliness (swords, airplanes, boats, ninjas!)

 

And of course, we had to go to the mall and buy stuff for the kids. Behold!  Japanese children's books!

And we also ran across some delicious animal crackers that have way more then our normal kind do, plus they provide spellings of the words in japanese and english!

 

Followed by random pictures of us and the room in the Navy Lodge!

 

And here we are in Tokyo with the Kirkbrides. BTW Cheese Ramen is DE-FRIGGIN-LICIOUS.

(note- that yellow bowl below is empty cause i ate it all ^.^ )

 

(outside of the ramen shop had this small window with random pigs in it)

And then! on the way back, we stopped by the 7/11(yes we have a 7/11 but think of about 70% of the stuff replaced with japanese stuff....sushi anyone?) and i found the coolest thing.

Final Fantasy Drinks!

Then we had our first storm, it wasnt that bad, but the view from the hotel was fantastic.

(Random cute picture inserted here!)

And then for today, we went out on a tour of the area close by the base, and also visited a shrine nearby.

(Here is a park right outside of base)

(and here is Meredith pointing to the building she will be working in, which btw is up Really, Reaaaally high)

and our fortunes! hehe

oh, and we also stopped and got some hangy things for our phones, which is a necessity here of course :-P

 

Anyways, that's all for now, theres some more pictures on the main picture site, so feel free to go browse. Im exhausted so I wont go into anything more at the moment, but I hope ive at least given you guys a glimpse into what it's like for us over here.

More to come another day!

Sayonara!

A short one today, I R Tired!

 

So just about every day that we've been here in Japan, we've managed to go out and walk for at the very least 3 hours straight. Today we left at maybe 9am, and we didnt get back until 8pm. Crazy huh?

anyway, just a quick update for ya'll, we're doing fine, and it's so extremely fun out here that I have to say, even my huge expectations of japan were blown out by how cool it is here.

more pictures to come next post!

ZOMG WE'RE IN JAPAN!! JAPAN I TELL YOU!

 

Ahh it's been a hectic few days, I dare say months, but we finally made it to japan. Let me start out with the flight and move onto more pleasant times.

The flight started out like any other, we go to the airport, get into line and wait along side the many other stressed out people and their mini-dogs in purses. Eventually we got through the line(or meredith did, i got to sit down and watch the kids and the animals, both of which were vying for my attention) and we had to wait for the security guys to walk the animals over to the special security gate so that homeland security could make sure we werent packing cocaine into our animals and then they waved us along to the normal security gate that everyone must pass. Then we went through the gate, which was amazingly short(we went straight to the metal detector) and went over to board the plane.

Now comes the fun part!  So we get onto the plane, with me lifting two bags with my feet and rolling the other two bags behind me, we managed to get ourselves to the assigned seats, and then we sit there. Then we sit some more.   And then some more!  Finally the pilot announces that some douche decided to bring a random extra kid that wasn't scheduled to come on the trip with them(hey cousin Ronny! come to japan with us!)  So we left like two hours later then we were supposed to, but we still managed to land in time to get to the kennel to drop off the dog and cat before we were stranded with them.

Anyway, we got into base and checked in and finally got settled.Since then we've gone off base about two times and have gone around base by walking with stroller(strollers sometimes) and by bike to check out the scenery and of course eat the local cuisine. By far this is the best place ive been on Earth. I think I will kick and scream when the time comes to leave this place but either way, ive got 3 years ahead of me. Anyway! on to the awesomeness.....Pictures!

 

This is right inside the courtyard of the Navy Lodge(our temporary home till we get our house) It's friggin awesome for the kids.

One of the vending machines in the building and of course, actors endorsing products!

 

Here's a small little thing they set up inside of the lodge.

And money!

Heres us!

And a sewer Cap!

Yours truly and a wonderful view from one of the MANY playgrounds around base

And how can you go wrong with an R2D2 mailbox!

 

Anyways, that's all for now, Sayonara!