We arrived safely in Osaka yesterday afternoon (or at midnight-depending on your time zone preference). After eight months of planning, our wonderful trip has finally become a reality.
The eleven hour flight went quicker than I expected, my utter exhaustion and the menu of movies a definite help. On my own personal screen, I watched Night at the Museum and Marie Attoinette (I’m looking forward to the James Bond flick and “Shut up and Sing” on the way home).
After our long plane ride, my teammate Alisha and I ventured forth into the unknown city of Osaka for a run and discovered an American shopping center, complete with the Gap and Brooks Brothers. For a moment we thought we were still in Modesto! I celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with a meal of spring rolls and hot tea at the Skye Bar on the top of the Ana Gate Hotel in Osaka. How’s that for bridging the cultural divide? It’s 5:00 am here, but Echo and I have been up since 2:00 am—sleeping in the afternoon is tough. I am reminded again of the movie Lost in Translation, as Bill Murray could never sleep. Japan will be doubly tough on my insomnia.
We’re off to Morioka this morning, but I’ll post more soon!