Day 15

Day 15

1.)    In Japan, the train station workers have these lights they shine at the conductors to give the all-clear. People get stuck in doors a lot.

2.)    They also have an awesome coordinating system for the handicapped. If you need assistance, come to bloody Japan. They’ll get you to where you need to go.

3.)    People are so stupid sometimes – I watched a documentary on the 2004 tsunami in Indonesia and so many people died because they thought the water disappearing was fascinating. Like moths attracted to the bug lamp…

4.)    You can make cake with a rice cooker, pancake mix and chocolate. I guess I’m going to save for a rice cooker.

5.)    I have no idea what Dan is going to get me for Christmas. Every time I suggest something to him, it either gets more expensive because he doesn’t buy it in a timely manner, or something happens. I’m still sore about the Samsung Galaxy player, which would’ve let me use an electronic dictionary while at school. My laptop doesn’t connect to the internet there due to poorly configured wi-fi.

6.)    The 2004 Indonesian Tsunami flung a large boat 3 kilometers inland (roughly 2 miles) and that boat has now become a tourist attraction. The locals don’t have the infrastructure to move it back to the water.

7.)    I watched an interesting video showing the concept for foreshocks and aftershocks in earthquakes. It gave a variety of visuals and had an audio segment as well, where loudness was intensity (so if you don’t like loud noises, stop it before March 11^th, 2011).

8.)    Land can liquefy during a large earthquake. The land that is especially at risk is man-made land. Chiba, Japan is mostly made of reclaimed land, so during the Tohoku quake, a lot of water surged up out of the ground.

9.)    To get to Narita Airport, it would be cheapest if I use my commuter pass to get to Takadanobaba station via the Tozai line, transfer to the Yamanote line (160 yen), get off at Nippori and transfer to the Keisei Limited Express (1000 yen). In total, 1160 yen and about 100 minutes including transfer times. That’s not too bad for a relatively simple route. I plan on leaving my apartment no later than 10:15 am to guarantee I’ll arrive at the airport by 1:00 pm.

10.) When celebrating the New Year in Japan, keep your wallet close. Apparently, there is a problem with thieves, since it is so crowded.