Chooo-chooo

Alright, so let’s talk about the trains in Tokyo because my attempt to ride them makes for some funny stories.  One of the train stations is right next to my hotel, so finding that train station was no big deal.  So on Saturday, I got there easily, found the machines that you use to buy tickets and then I had to figure out how to use them.  I knew what train station I need to get to, but instead of buying a ticket from point X to point Y, you buy a ticket that costs some number of Yen.  And then you can take a train to any stop that costs the number of Yen you paid.  If you accidently pay too little, they have these machines called “fare adjustment machines” so that you don’t have to live in the train station or get arrested trying to leave without paying enough.  Of course, none of this is explained in English (I know, I know, I’m in JAPAN) so it took me a little while to figure it out.  Lucky for me, however, they do put the English names on the maps so I wasn’t completely lost, I just had to find the station I wanted and it had the number of Yen above it.  I bought a ticket, went through the ticket machine (where they put a hole in your ticket and I’m sure there is something else done so that they know where you got on, but really, all I saw was a hole in my ticket.)  Then I boarded the train.  Easy, right?  Ha.  The reason this was easy is because the train from Tsukuba station only goes one direction, towards Tokyo.  You can't get on the wrong train (unless you get on a rapid train instead of a local train, but more on that later.)  I got to my stop where I had to change trains and that is where things got really complicated.  I paid the right amount so they let me out of the train station (rock on!)  I had to leave one train station to walk next door to get to the other train station (different railways.)  I got there and this one had no English name translations.  So, not only did I have no clue how much to pay, I had no idea which train to take.  With the help of some convenient signs and the map that I had printed from the internet, I found where I needed to go.  I got about three stops into this train when everyone got off.  And then there was me on a train that was stopped.  So, I got off.  And got back on.  And then got off to look at the signs again.  And then back on.  I did this like 6 times, I’m not kidding.  All the while, I am looking across the track to the other side where there are like 1500000 people and thinking to myself “I wonder if I am supposed to be over there?”  Finally, after all those people boarded the train and the train left, I realized that yes, indeed, I needed to be over there.  No worries, trains come like every 15 minutes.  Got on my train and realized it was a “rapid” train which means that it doesn’t stop at every stop.  Oops.  Someone loves me though, because it stopped at the one I wanted.  Phew.  Once I had this figured out, the trains got a little bit easier for me.  Too bad Houston doesn't have trains for me to practice on...

I have a grand total of ONE picture from all of my train riding and it is just of a map....but....enjoy :)