Arrival in Japan
Well if I thought there was a lot of fun and games getting to Bangkok there was a whole lot more to come. We'd been told that some time during our stay in Bangkok we would find out where we were going. Well at the very end of the last meeting we finally got word. I was going to Kagoshima! 10 minutes later the meeting was concluded and as I walked out of the conference room I was collared. There'd been a slight change of plans and I was going to Hiroshima. Everybody's flights were early in the morning so we all went to the airport together. Up at 3am to get out there, that's way too early! Then I found out as we left the hotel that I'm going to Kagoshima again, well I guess that's that and I'm off to Kagoshima. The flight was a fairly uneventful 6.5 hours, but then I really copped it.
Since my luggage was already overweight, I wore heavy boots and my trench coat to keep the luggage weight down. Well wearing a trench coat and heavy boots in summer in Japan marks you as a trouble maker. At immigration the guy behind the desk grilled me for a long time about what I was doing before finally letting through. Then while I waited for my luggage to come through I was given a very thorough going over by no less than 3 drug sniffer dogs. I collected my luggage and went off to customs. There while I was waiting in a queue a customs official came around and asked me specially past everyone else to have my check. Then he pulled out a picture book of all sorts of drugs, knives and guns and asked me one by one if I had any of them. After successfully answered no to every question I was "invited" to follow him.
In a customs back room somewhere in Narita airport I was given a full body search. Then as I again masterfully answered no to every drug and weapon in the picture book another guy went through every single article of my luggage searching for something I was not allowed top bring into the country. I got grilled about everything I had, especially the Yen I had with me and my guitar. Eventually when everything else had been done and they had found nothing I was asked if I had swallowed or otherwise hidden any drugs internally. When I again skillfully answered no, I was asked to sign a consent form allowing them to x-ray me to see if there was anything inside me. After signing the consent form they decided that I must be clean after all and lead me through into the arrivals lounge.
In the arrivals lounge I looked around and could not find anybody I was meant to be with. After looking for around 10 minutes I realized that I had been taken to the wrong gate by the customs official so I found out where I was meant to be going and sure enough everyone else was there waiting for me. So off we went to courier the main portion of my luggage to Kagoshima, with me to follow the next day. Looking over peoples shoulders at the receipt I saw it was labeled to go to Hiroshima. After some quick checks it was confirmed, I'm going to Hiroshima.
Going to Kagoshima would have been a flight, but Hiroshima was close enough for me to get the Shinkansen(Bullet Train) there. That's extremely cool! My second day in Japan and I get to ride the Shinkansen. That's an amazing train, it shoots along at crazy speeds and yet is more stable and a smoother ride than the best trains on the best lines in Sydney. Not only that, but the leg room, while not being enormous was ample even for one of my stature. Unfortunately I could not get any pictures of me next to the shinkansen because Japanese trains follow the schedule rigidly. They always arrive and leave on time, so I didn't have any time to get any pictures. After a few hours I was in Hiroshima station. As it happened all the high up officials were out of town at various places so I was met and shown around by the book keeper, Masako.
My apartment here is great. There are two bedrooms, each 6 tatami mats (the measurement of rooms in Japan) a nice living room/kitchen a small toilet and a small and almost indecipherable shower. My room is on the left and the shower is on the right. See if you can figure it out. I'm on the 9th floor and the balcony looks out over the Motoyasu-gawa River. The apartment is about 15 minutes walk from the school, there is a small shopping center not far away and the fire station is literally just around the corner.
You've all heard the saying "No rest for the wicked". Well if it's true then I must be some seriously evil guy! I've arrived here mid afternoon on Wednesday and my first class is Sunday morning. I'm writing up next weeks newsletter. I have my first sermon to deliver (yes you heard me right) in a week and a half. I'll probably be taking over 2 or 3 of the bible classes from one of the teachers who is leaving, the others will probably stop. The current number of teachers is 2 and aparently we really need 3 here. Now comes the real killer, both the current teachers are leaving so I'm picking up from both of them and have only 1 week to learn from them before they go. I think I shall be a busy little boy quite shortly!