After ten hours on the plane, and another two hours on a bus, I arrived at my hotel in Shinjuku. My 'real' hotel in Chiba wasn't available until Thursday.
I was pretty bummed out about the schlep until I saw the view from my window!
The bad news was no mini bar. Worse yet the lobby shop only had real Coke, no diet. I did purchase some Japanese snacks. I couldn't read what the hell they were, but they sure were tasty.
The next morning my sole task was to haul myself and all my crap from Shinjuku to Chiba without benefit of a Sherpa, translator, or sense of direction. Much pointing and sheepish smiling ensued. I accidentally caught the local instead of the express, but I did manage to spy some real Japanese schoolgirls (Japanese Schoolgirl Watch is my favorite thing in Wired).
From Chiba station I jumped in a taxi and thought my troubles were over. Unfortunately the driver did not speak English either. Who the hell told me everyone in Japan speaks English? It's bunk I tell you! This is the view from the back of the taxi. It kinda looks like a hamster village doesn't it?
I finally checked into my hotel in Chiba where I will spend the next four days. The room is so great I keep thinking someone will realize it's a mistake and kick me out. Maybe I have the Major Nelson suite!
The bathroom features a toilet with odd functions that basically spray your butt from different directions. There is also a 'pulse' function of said spray. Hmmmm.
Superbonus = there's a tiny TV in the bathroom! How cool is it to watch sumo wrestling from the bathtub?! I may never leave the room.
