Pop Japan Samurai-Anime Tour

Sunday, March 28

I woke up at 3:58 this morning, two minutes before the alarm went off, 
which is always a good way to wake up. On the way to the airport, LLL 
called to make sure I was nearly there. Dad suggested two seconds too 
late that I should sound like I just woke up when I answered, then act 
all startled and upset and ask what time it was, just to freak her out. 
Ah well, chances lost and all that. Two longish flight and a layover 
later (where we had to walk to the farthest point in the farthest 
terminal to get to the right gate), we arrived in LA.

I guess we were a little too slow getting to the baggage claim, because 
some airport people had nabbed our bags off the conveyor and locked them 
up like derelicts. We finally found someone to spring them just as Sihaya 
pulled up and was being hassled by the curb guard. LLL and LS made it out 
to the curb just as he was saying, "They have to be ON the sidewalk WITH 
their bags..." and I said, pointing, "They ARE," and we loaded up in 10 
seconds and left.

LA was HOT that day, and after a couple of long flights, I was questioning 
my freshness, but LS and LL were determined to see Ned Kelly, as it was 
still opening weekend, so Sihaya took us directly into Hollywood. We walked 
around the Walk of Fame, snickered most heartily at all the really poorly 
costumed characters hanging out (for their own amusement??) outside Mann's 
Chinese Theater, and then booked it back to the theater and dropped LS and 
LLL off. Sihaya, to be nice and keep me company, settled down with me just 
outside a nearby Borders store, where there were some tables and chairs.

We weren't there for long before LLL and LS rejoined us. Evidentally, the 
theater thought $14 was a reasonable price for a limited release stalker 
film ticket like "Ned Kelly", but the Chicks did not agree, so we went 
shopping at a very groovy Korean food market and headed to Sihaya's to 
prepare for the sushi party.

We also stopped at a second-hand (chain) clothing store called "Aardvark", 
and I fell in love. Well, like, at least. They had kimono for $10-25, and 
a well broken in motercycle jacket that fit me perfectly for $40. We have 
to go by on our way back through LA - if we have time. Since it was Sunday... 
I was good and didn't buy anything. We also went to a fantastic little tea 
shop with shelves of beautiful kettles, cups - and tea. (Go figure.) They 
even had some herbal teas, which were also tempting. South Seas blend 
smelled like mango, papaya and coconut. There was also a rose tea that 
smelled wonderful. I stayed good, but I had to explain the whole not-buying-
stuff-on-Sunday thing, and wave off the usual offers of "well, if we buy 
it for you and you pay us back, then is it ok?" I had to gently tell them 
that buying stuff for me didn't "get around" the rule, and wouldn't make 
me feel better. I don't want to "get around" the rule. It's a good rule.

When we got back to Sihaya's place, we discovered that she didn't have 
house keys. She swapped keys with Susan to borrow her mini-van so all of 
us and our bags could make it back from the airport - but she forgot to 
keep a house key. So we all sat in the lovely (cooling) weather with the 
fresh sushi fish and the futon, and waited for Susan to get there and let 
us all in.

We ate, they drank, and I worked on the Preventer jacket patches late into 
the night, while Fruits Basket played in the background. LLL and Sihaya were 
discussing a doujinshi idea till about 1:15 am before they finally went to 
sleep. I mean, it was WAY after all my patches were done, and sewed onto 
ISOE's Preventer jacket. (I painted the backs of them with matte acrylic 
finish, and it seems to be working. They didn't fray when I sewed them on, 
and remain flexible. Oh, and they look really great. I hope they hold up.)


Monday, March 29 (written on the plane, 3:51 LA)

LLL woke up at 5:30 am. Actually, her watch alarm woke LS and I up as well, 
but instead of being a decent human being, rolling over and going back to 
sleep, LLL STAYED up, and went through every possession she owned to find 
her stuff and go shower... SO our morning was alot longer than we expected 
it to be, but at least we got to the airport in plenty of time. (Oh, Sihaya 
was showing me cool costumes from er... I'll get back to you on the name of 
the game... and says she thinks I should do Link's costume. The traditional 
green outfit. Heh, heh, I think that's cool. I'll have to add it to my list!)

Because the morning and traffic worked out so well, something needed to go 
slightly wrong, so the chicks and I waited at the WRONG "Noble's bookstore" 
for and hour before finding the RIGHT "Noble's" that everyone else in the 
tour was waiting at. We ended up being the last three people to check in 
and get in line for baggage check and tickets. Pheah. And then our flight 
was delayed an hour - so they gave us $15 to spend on overpriced food at 
the airport. Pheah. :P

I called home just before boarding, we boarded... and suddenly I am so tired. 
I'll have to figure out the ratio of awake vs alseep hours in my recent life 
when my brain is less fried. Awake hours are winning by a widening margin, 
though, I know that much.

I have a free seat to my left, which is nice, as I'm in the second in on 
the right in the middle four-block of seats. LS is right in front of me, 
and LLL is front and right. If she tries to sleep on this flight, I'm 
going to kick her chair.


*****
Tuesday, March 30 (written on the bus to the Sunshine City Prince Hotel)
8:45 pm, Tokyo; 4:45 am, LA; 6:45 am, DC

The flight was long. It was made longer by the rather chatty fellow Pop Tour 
participant who would not shut the heck up for the first full three hours of 
the flight. I had to concentrate on watching "The Last Samurai" about four 
times in a row, and then feign sleep, so he would stop talking to me. (Even 
when he turned to his own 5" monitor for entertainment, he would often talk 
- loudly - to the screen, and make jarring motions as he was caught up in 
the action of.. whatever the crap he was watching. I tried not to turn my 
head his direction if I could help it.) I don't mind a little friendly chatter, 
but I have my limits. At least he kept LLL awake for a good part of the trip, 
as well. She and LS both indicated that they had noticed my pain, and expressed 
sympathy. I'm staying close to them and LEY and J, so I don't have to talk 
anymore for a while. LS and LLL think I'm way too nice. They said they would 
have quashed the conversation after half an hour. :P

The wait at the airport was long. We slowly filed through baggage claim, 
then slowly filed through immigration, then slowly filed through the money 
exchange, then waited around for a good long time to file onto the bus. We're 
1/3 of our way through the 90 minute trip to the hotel, where we'll slowly 
check in and make our way upstairs and crash. Chasing the sun till 11 pm or so 
(LA time) kept me awake and alert, if tired, but at this point I'm wiped out - 
and local time is only 8:50. Cattle call is at 6:30 am, breakfast is at 7, 
and we hit the road at 8.

There are wire cup holders and closeable ashtrays on the back of every doily-
covered seat on this bus. I find this amusing. During introductions, I was 
elected spokesman to introduce myself, the rest of the Chicks, and J, and yes, 
I sounded like an idiot. At least it woke me up for another five full minutes. 
(Well, 3 and a half.) Driving on the left side of the road isn't as nerve 
wracking as I had thought it would be - but maybe I'm just not paying enough 
attention. It's dark, and it's raining, and my light is on to write, so it's 
hard to see much beyond the windows.

I'm rooming with Carolyn, who knows Anki from a web-community. We met at the 
airport when she asked if I was me, and I replied that I was. (Anki told her 
to look for the chick with the long braid.) She's already been adopted into 
the other chicks yaoi tribe - but she's traveling with (and seems very close 
to) her boyfriend, who should have a single room (he seemed to think it 
important), so honestly, I don't really know if I have a roommate or not.

Notes: Place names are in romaji as well as kanji on all the big road signs. 
For instructions, speed limits and exits, you're on your own.

There was MAJOR turbulence over Alaska in the middle of the flight. People 
got nervous. There were exclamations. I like turbulence, but that was a little 
much, even for me. Side to side is different than several sudden drops. As soon 
as I prayed about it, it smoothed right out and remained calm for the rest of 
the flight. I'm grateful for the big blessings, but I'm also grateful for the 
little ones that just make me a little more comfortable, too.

I'm just trying to to keel over as I stare out the wondow into the rainy night 
and see what I can see of Tokyo. [Ed note: I actually ended up almost-sleeping 
for a bit. The Chicks were worried about my neck funcionality at the angle I 
was resting. :o ]