Subject: Re: Japanese Transliteration?
Hi Ziners,

I agree with Judy that Japan has a wonderful transportation system and an incredible country to visit. My daughter spent a year working there a few years ago and I was able to and spend about 10 days there.

On the days she was working I was able to easily get around Tokyo all on my own. I remember being terrified the first day but soon felt like I had lived there a long time. I also took a bullet train on my own up to the city of Sendai to visit a pen-pal there, the only problem was I got stuck in a smoking car fully of Japanese business men and did not realize that there was smoking and non smoking cars which are also well marked outside the trains at the stations.

Nevertheless it was an exciting ride for sure! My only problem was on my way to Narita airport I made the mistake of not getting on the Narita airport express but the one that stopped at every stop and ended up at the village of Narita station instead. By that time I was beginning to panic as the time of my flight was getting closer.

Some very kind people redirected me to the right train and I got to the airport but missed my flight! The airport staff were great as they sensed my distress and sent me to the nearby airport hotel were airline staff stay, they thought I was staff and I got a great rate in a deluxe hotel and thankfully was able to catch a flight the next evening.

However it was a long, long trip as I was supposed to be flying from Japan to Vancouver. B.C. but had to take a flight that flew direct to Toronto and then run like mad to catch my connection for another 5 hours back to Vancouver,

Happy travels... Gail in Surrey, B.C.