Polly's Travel Log -- Japan

16th Kendo World Championship ended with intense match  of Japan vs Korea.

My trip here is full of memory and feeling of accomplishment within my time line.  I felt relieved again that I completed the trip with ease through the amazing public train transportation.  Even though this is the second time I am traveling back to Japan it worried me much more than the last time.  My sister is not coming with me.  Traveling to Europe alone the last time was easier.  Psychological tripping that I caused in mind is more than the anxiety I wanted to feel.  After all this is not a strange land. This is like going back to visit my hometown.  Numerous illogical comical  'fear' appear to have taken hold of me.  "Sardine" train ride is one and maze like train station network.    Not sure if I can express myself all fully in Japanese.  But everything went smoothly.  I just spoke the language that came naturally - half Japanese and half English.  Train station JR Express' Green window staff are very helpful and most of them spoke English quite well.  The JR Express ticket I purchased took me all the way north to AOMORI and even had time for ONSEN, natural spring bath, and back.  I wanted to travel as far north as HOKKAIDO, but it will have to be on next itinerary if I should visit Japan again.  One of the funy feeling I had was that every morning when I wake up I think I am still in the States in a way.  Other than people and street signs, etc, if you are strolling through Sunshine City shopping mall, you would think you are in Valley Fair,,.  But of course it has its own flavor.  I even found Krispy Creme.  They stock far more varieties of fashionable selective items than in normal States' retails would stock.  Japanese young people are very fashionable even in humid heat, well dressed and on the average they are far taller than today's' Americans' - I say.  On the trains, I am surrounded by ladies and men who are 5'8" - 6' train riders.  They said it's the diet.  They have been eating more protein diet.

That's all for now. Time to board the plane.