I currently sit blurry eyed on an eight-hour flight from Cairns, Australia, to Tokyo, Japan, where I'm meeting my friend Dave and kicking off my big lost-in-translation adventure. I'm blurry eyed because, for some strange reason on this afternoon flight, the flight crew dimmed the lights in the main cabin, shut the windows, and served us with blankets like we're on a red eye; and, much to my surprise, most people seem to have taken the cue and fallen asleep! I refused on principle and watched the Ides of March instead, which is much better than expected. And did you know that Ryan Gosling is Canadian?
Our immediate plan upon arriving in Tokyo remains unclear; Dave claims to have "lizard blood" -- apparently meaning he doesn't need to sleep -- but I suspect he'll be a little jet lagged coming all the way from Canada. As for me, I've got big ideas to get lost on the Tokyo subway system, stroll aimlessly through the neon lights, get spun around by the masses at Shibuya Crossing, and conclude the evening with lighting up the karaoke stage in some dive bar with the locals. Either that or I'll just get an early night too.
Here I come Japan!
(Update: 4:33 p.m. They turned on the lights. A mass awakening!)
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