Well, the title may be a slight exaggeration, but I figured it might attract people… and it really does hold some truth to it!
After a horrendously long and sleepless, yet incredibly short 11 hours in air, my classmate, with whom I flew, and I got through all the formalities of getting our passports and visa checked, and then finally arrived on the other side – out in the real world.
My classmate was fortunate enough to have someone pick him up at the airport, and was soon dragged along, and thus I was left very much alone. Now I no longer had anyone to ask “Hey, what do you think…?”
Now, I’m not seeking sympathy or anything, I’m just telling you. The only thing there is to do in such situation is to suck it up and go. Somewhere. I still wasn’t really sure.
Okay, first things first! Pack your gear so you can walk around with it. Doing that, having just thrown my big backpack over my shoulder, I was approached by three men, one with a camera, one with a microphone and one just for show (not quite).
Japanese dude with mic: “Ohaidere! We’re from Japanese television!”
Actually, I don’t know what happened to me. I guess I’m too polite to turn people down, so I just smiled (I think?) and said… oh, wait, I don’t even remember what I said, but it was probably something like “oh, right” or “oh, okay”. What was my jetlagged, sleep-deprived brain to do?!
He then asked which would be better, English or Japanese?
I think I said English… and he started asking in Japanese – turns out the dude initially just for show, was in fact an interpreter, so the English followed shortly.
For some reason, however, I must have instinctively answered the Japanese question, cos I don’t at all remember answering in English. Soon, it was just mic-dude and I talking. Why was I in Japan? If it was my first trip to Japan? Where was I going now? What was I to do there? How did I get interested in Japan?
- “Uh, studies. No. Probably Kyushu. Visit people. Uhm, Naruto?”
Okay, to be fair to myself, I actually spoke in full sentences, though I probably made a complete idiot of myself with my answers. I’m pretty sure I had a tendency to say “gaigaku” instead of “daigaku” (university). But honestly, what nasty dude names a university “Gaigo Daigaku” anyways?!
Seriously, I don’t think I thought at all. I was too focused on listening, understanding and answering to even be nervous. HOW THE HECK IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE?!
I hadn’t even had a chance to see myself in a mirror before being shot by a video camera. I probably looked just as I felt. Pooped. The face of a zombie, red eyes filled with nasty gunk, fugly hair and my makeup probably looked shitty, too.
Ohwell, thought it was probably just for some little local channel. No-one would watch it anyways.
Anyways, after a chat of quite significant length – they were quite chatty and quite nice – they thanked, I thanked, and I walked down the stair to catch a train. But then I thought… no, I actually do want to know when and where it’ll be aired. So I walked up the stairs again. Dudes still there. I approached them, they smiled (i.e. probably thought “lol, noob!), but I asked them which channel it would be aired on.
“TV Tokyo – it’ll air every week from 7:00PM , beginning in April.”
TV Tokyo is a pretty big channel, as far as I understand. It’s actually the channel where Naruto is aired. Naruto is a very popular show. Pretty sure TV Tokyo is a national channel.
Well, I got on a train eventually. Headed for Fukuoka which took a few train changes etc., but after five looooooong hours of riding a train, again without sleeping more than a couple of hours, I got there arund 8pm, Japanese time. I’ll make a separate post about how I feel. Maybe I’ll even do a video, as there’s just too much to write, and you’ll get bored and not wanna read. Also, my brain is not functioning. I’ve now been up for almost 30 hours straight, of which 20 or so have been spent on transport. Holy friggin jeebuz! Actually, I feel best when I stand, as everything is wobbly and swaying when I sit.
There was quite a bit of wind in Japan when we landed, and the turbulence made it feel like I was on a sickasF roller coaster. As a child, I would get carsick enough from a 10 minute drive that I would barf all over the place. One thing that could stop any argument between my family members while driving, was: “I’m gonna throw up…”
HOLY CATS, have my family ever worked together as a team, throwing a plastic bag my way!
Let’s just say that the landing just couldn’t come soon enough. I just wanted the damn thing to stand STILL! I had to sit very still before even as much as trying to move. I couldn’t even open my eyes. The water in my mouth started trickling, and I was pretty close to panicking at the thought that I was this sick, but didn’t have a bag or anything at hand. I got a hold of it though. Thank friggin’ goodness!
Well, feeling sick didn’t end here. The train ride to Fukuoka had me getting even closer to my limit. Though not feeling very good since the air plane ride, just when it was announced that we would soon stop at Hakata station (Fukuoka), the road made a turn, and I felt my stomach almost doing the same. I managed to pack my things together, get up and to the door. Had the train stopped just half a minute later, I don’t think I could have avoided showing everyone what I’d had to eat. I stumbled outside, walked just about 5 meters to the nearest bench, sat down, and it was the same thing all over again; only even more dangerous, this time. I almost panicked at the thought of anyone as much as getting near me. I was constantly sinking, fighting against my body with all my might – I COULDN’T throw up. Sinking, sinking, sinking, fighting the urge to just letting go, a few minutes… SAFE!
- But I haven’t been so sick in veeeeery long. I’d forgotten how horrible it feels.
I’m not quite over it yet, and the smell of the coffee next to me, of which I’ve taken two small sips, makes it even worse. I may have to go outside again pretty soon. I don’t know how to spend the next 8-9 hours. Maybe I’ll find a bench and crash on.
I’m sorry. This has gotten pretty darn long, and I’m too tired and sick to do add any pictures. Once I get a shower and some SLEEP, I’ll make a video. My stomach is stressed from all the close-to-barfing, my head hurts, the world spins, but I’m in Japan, and I’m having a blast. This is simply how I travel.
But I really would like a shower, soon…
I’m currently located at a Starbucks… it’s 11pm here, and, uhm… let’s just say I’ve ended up in a position I’m not quite unfamiliar with. I don’t have a place to stay for the night… I found the hostel I stayed at, the last time I was in Fukuoka, those 2½ years ago, but would you believe I was 12 minutes(!) late for checking in?!?!
It’s going to be a looooong night. Here at Starbucks, I even made the mistake of ordering actual coffee, which more than anything else makes me want to barf. I hate plain coffee.
”Well, then why dafudge did you order it?!” you may ask…
- Well, I’m not very coffee-savvy at all, and thought an Americano was something… tasty, something with chocolate; something less coffee-like than actual plain, black coffee! I so regret not having ordered a Frappucino or something instead. Coffee also doesn’t usually help ease headaches, which I’ve been suffering from the past few days.
/digressing
I’ve got everything under control, though. Yeah. I do. Really. And it’s not cold. And I have a sleeping bag. And I can easily stay up another 12 hours without losing my mind! Sure I can!
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