As you might have noticed I typically have a period of adjustment when we switch locations. My back is wrenched from travel, the bed always seems to provide a challenge and I need to find a work around. I am cognizant of this and landed here in Tokyo fully expecting to break this cycle. We have sweet accommodations for the night with, I'm sure, a stellar bed. We head out at a respectable hour in the morning by bullet train which sounds very cool. I hear the Japanese give extreme attention to detail. I have high hopes.

We make our usual pit stop after de-planing and the kids come out of the pot with wide eyes. The toilet seats are heated and there are 4 buttons alongside the loo. One for the sound of water perhaps to romance your bladder into release. Another for a rinsing of the buttocks. My youngest reports it is a direct hit. A bidet button for tidying frontal avenues of evacuation. Lastly, a water pressure adjustment. After all, we all have different sense and sensibilities. You have total control of your toileting experience. I like total control. Things are looking good.

We go to the train office to collect our tickets and I turn on my powers of observation. The kids in forthright discussion asked my help to distinguish japanese versus chinese facial features and I found them difficult to describe. It's like telling a Canadian from an American. I hope this doesn't sound too stupid but realized I often rely on behavioural clues to make the call. I felt challenged to examine facial minutia and find words. I was dissecting faces like a sketch artist. We were also studying the characters to look for any similarities. The kids were focused on this while I gave myself license to stereotype for the purpose of this exercise. My radar was on. The first thing that stood out as I studied the train ticket office staff was that everyone looked unhealthy and pasty compared to the general population in Hong Kong. It is winter here. 6 degrees right now. Ugh. But there is something else....it's the hair. Comparatively speaking the hair is quite thin. Quite. Alarmingly so? I tell myself not to make the leap that chicken little is trying to sell. A little research may show this is a common trait. Just wait til you can do some research before you go there. There will be no mention of the F word that ends in imo....I am not going to succumb to that free range worrier that roams inside me and pops out with little freaky facts about how close I am at any minute to danger and death.
But who wouldn't wonder? There has to be an effect. I feel such sadness for these people if there is a connection. For now, I toss it aside. 10 days will not be a big enough dose for harmful exposure for us. I am cool. Relax Freddy.

We go up a level to catch our bus and my husband receives a call from work so the girls and I chill by the door. Suddenly a western woman shouts at us as she runs out the door "it's an earthquake, the cell phones have all gone off, get out and stand near a pole!"
Well it's just my 19th nervous breakdown.
From Tokyo....