A Fare Sale?! - You Have Got To Be Joking!
I just got an email from one of my travel agents here about end-of-the-summer bargain fares, so I hopped on NWA's website. Sure enough...Asia Sale! CRAP. Well, I knew there would be a sale (based on the fact that there have been sales for the last 4 years during this time... and that is just the window in which I have been paying attention to airfare between Asia and the US). At first, I was pretty peeved that I stubbornly paid an atronomical amount for my ticket home next week... BUT, then I (stubbornly) checked availability and noticed the tickets for when I need to travel have gone UP another $400. Feeling a BIT better... but still... It's also good to remember that the travel industry is different - ok, crazy - in Japan. It really doesn't pay to wait until the last minute in so many cases. Taking vacation time is a big deal in itself here (so when people travel, they make the most of it), but it seems like Japanese people are willing to pay really high prices relative to what is normal in the US (driving them up for everyone) and, well, the Japanese do have a reputation for international travel. It's definately a different market/model than in American (esp with fewer low cost carriers and the Shinkansen domestically).
Anyways, there are a lot of deals, good through December for those of you lookin' to get out (just a little FYI): http://www.nwa.com/features/systemwidesale2007/
Things are going well otherwise, but I don't know what happned the weather this week. I know it was hot when I came this time last year, but the jump in temperature and humidity is insane this week. It has been over 95 degrees with 75% humidity for the last few days. One of my friends from home didn't believe me that it was hotter here (because Minnesota IS hot), but coupled with the humidity... this weather is an extreme that I didn't know existed! Everyone I know carries a small towel around with them (to wipe the sweat), I have a fan with me at all times, and I have pretty much given up about caring what my hair and make-up look like because they're going to be ruined by the dense air or my profuse sweating anyways. I wish I was kidding.
Despite the heat, however, I biked to school again today and think I'm going to do it tomorrow. It just feels good to be outside and moving around for at least a given almost two-hour rountrip ride. I just can't run as much with the humidity, either, so it's good to get a little exercise in. Most of the buildings here don't have insulation, so it's common for places to use fans instead of air-conditioning, but that is one area I won't comprise in... I live on the top floor of my building, and it's too hot to sleep without it (heat rises). I am crossing my fingers that things have cooled down by the time I get back from the states.
So the ride home yesterday went well, too, by the way. I figured out the best route for getting to/from work, but I didn't get home until after midnight. Don't worry... I didn't get lost. I stopped at Uniqlo (we're getting them in the US, but it's like the Japanese GAP) on my way back, and then met up with Brayden, who just moved here from Okiboji, Iowa (I used to go to Girlscout camp there...random!!). We basically rode around for a few hours, visiting the ancient village & history museum, video store and library, before deciding dinner was imperative. We called up some of the other new guys that just moved here and ended up going to an okonomiyaki place with a group of 5. It was a great time and I have a new favorite flavor of okonomiyaki (modonoyaki - with mochi topping melted in...yuuum). We were having a good time when dinner ended, so we decided to shuffle up the road on our bikes to the irish pub by the JR station (two people in our party were from ireland so it was fitting). After a while, I realized Tam and Clayton had returned from their vacation in Australia, so we made the 15 minute bike ride back to Harimacho, did a round of introductions and chatted with them for a while, before I decided it was time to get home and go to bed.
That's about all for me for now... exciting day of doing taxes tomorrow, though. Yay:-( (had to get an extension until I'd been abroad long enough to qualify for US tax exemption... feels more like procrastination to me...). Goodnight!
Anyways, there are a lot of deals, good through December for those of you lookin' to get out (just a little FYI): http://www.nwa.com/features/systemwidesale2007/
Things are going well otherwise, but I don't know what happned the weather this week. I know it was hot when I came this time last year, but the jump in temperature and humidity is insane this week. It has been over 95 degrees with 75% humidity for the last few days. One of my friends from home didn't believe me that it was hotter here (because Minnesota IS hot), but coupled with the humidity... this weather is an extreme that I didn't know existed! Everyone I know carries a small towel around with them (to wipe the sweat), I have a fan with me at all times, and I have pretty much given up about caring what my hair and make-up look like because they're going to be ruined by the dense air or my profuse sweating anyways. I wish I was kidding.
Despite the heat, however, I biked to school again today and think I'm going to do it tomorrow. It just feels good to be outside and moving around for at least a given almost two-hour rountrip ride. I just can't run as much with the humidity, either, so it's good to get a little exercise in. Most of the buildings here don't have insulation, so it's common for places to use fans instead of air-conditioning, but that is one area I won't comprise in... I live on the top floor of my building, and it's too hot to sleep without it (heat rises). I am crossing my fingers that things have cooled down by the time I get back from the states.
So the ride home yesterday went well, too, by the way. I figured out the best route for getting to/from work, but I didn't get home until after midnight. Don't worry... I didn't get lost. I stopped at Uniqlo (we're getting them in the US, but it's like the Japanese GAP) on my way back, and then met up with Brayden, who just moved here from Okiboji, Iowa (I used to go to Girlscout camp there...random!!). We basically rode around for a few hours, visiting the ancient village & history museum, video store and library, before deciding dinner was imperative. We called up some of the other new guys that just moved here and ended up going to an okonomiyaki place with a group of 5. It was a great time and I have a new favorite flavor of okonomiyaki (modonoyaki - with mochi topping melted in...yuuum). We were having a good time when dinner ended, so we decided to shuffle up the road on our bikes to the irish pub by the JR station (two people in our party were from ireland so it was fitting). After a while, I realized Tam and Clayton had returned from their vacation in Australia, so we made the 15 minute bike ride back to Harimacho, did a round of introductions and chatted with them for a while, before I decided it was time to get home and go to bed.
That's about all for me for now... exciting day of doing taxes tomorrow, though. Yay:-( (had to get an extension until I'd been abroad long enough to qualify for US tax exemption... feels more like procrastination to me...). Goodnight!
posted by Brenda Ann Elizabeth McKinney @ 2:10 AM
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