Nature... Just Nature

This first part was typed whilst on a train.

Monday, August, 25, 2008; 3:15 PM

I'm currently on at train from 一ノ関 (Ichinoseki) to 大船渡 (Ofunato). I thought the view while on the 新幹線 (shinkansen... bullet train) was awesome... well, I'm basically at a loss of words now. I am taking pictures, but it nowhere does justice to seeing it live. I'm immersed and surrounded by green! Not Miami green, but real trees and vegetation green. There are rivers all over the place... and though they aren't anywhere near the color blue, they are natural. In fact, I think the brown color might be growing on me.

I missed taking a picture of some dam looking thing, but I just felt that writing what I saw was not just important, but necessary. I only wish everyone could see this.

Now for the mountains... that alone deserves it's own recognition. I believe I'm on one now... or at least, elevating towards them. I don't know if it's because we're so high, or if it's just relative to the mountains' size, but the clouds are really low. Well, I also thought this steam around them were clouds, but Rob (the dude travelling with me to my city) then told me it was actually steam coming from the mountains and was condensating upward to form clouds due to the surrounding cooler air. Man... visible condensation in action!

I also took a picture of my first "cliff." Wasn't sure if it was natural or man-made, but it was incredible. I mentioned it to Robert, who laughed and corrected me saying it was a quarry. "Cliff," quarry... whatever... it was my first whatever it was.

I'm so calm and serene. I'm writing quickly as I see things... so quickly my hand hurts. But, it is all very worth it! I don't even mind that it's been gloomy all day. Nothing can ruin this... this... this moment I guess. I can't quite think of a word to describe it. I can only hope to remember this for many years... and if I don't... well, I have this written don't I? Heh heh...

But enough writing. I wan to give my surroundings they're much deserved full attention. That and my hands are about to fall off... heh heh...

Can't wait to see what wonders the coast holds!

___________

Now!

Well... been in Ofunato for a little over an hour. And man... the mistakes Robert and I didn't make while on the trip... well, we more than made up for them once we got off the train. Actually... that's a lie. We started before we got off the train.

First off... following Robert... we tried to get off of a closed door. Well, after getting off several of several trains earlier... we figured it'd be the same ordeal of getting off at whatever door. When the door didn't open, Rob pressed a button that seemed like it would open the door. In fact, I think it actually had the Kanji for it... whatever that may be? But, yeah... needless to say it didn't open the door. Then a school girl pointed that we had to go to the front. Guess it was more like a bus where everybody piles out of the front door. Well, to the next cart we went and when we get to the conductor... that is when I notice they're taking tickets. Oh man... didn't remember where my ticket was so I pulled my big carry-on to the side to find it. Which, of course was knocked over. I looked through the folder I had.. but, only spotted one of our first tickets... not the one for the train we were currently trying to get off of. So, as I panic and begin thinking... "oh man... I'm going to delay the whole train system and we all know how punctual the trains are"... I ended finding it in my pocket... ::sigh::

So, I apologized profusely and got off. Robert and I made it to the end of the station to realize... yeah... the door is locked. We decide to go back and realize there was a door to go through... so, yeah... we go through it. We walk a bit a long and I spot our hotel around the corner. We cross the street and of course I slip and almost fall. Man... things were not going well. We then cross the street and I decide I should begin saying hi to anyone that passes by in order to get the town familiar with me. I say "konnichiwa" to an upcoming bicyclist... who responds, "hello."

Of course... as luck would have it... it was a foreigner... heh heh. Should've realized that before I said it... but, I was trying to shake off my previous mistakes. We make it into the hotel and check in without a problem... then comes the elevator incident.

Yup... got on okay. Got to our floor okay. However, as I followed Rob out of the elevator... the door closed before I go through. Tried pressing the OPEN button... but, more Kanji and I think I pressed the close one. Of course it didn't matter by then since I was already on my way to the 1st floor regardless of how many times I pressed the 5 button. Doors open and in walks a Japanese man who looks at me like a weirdo. Of course he wants to go the fifth floor too... so, nothing wrong with being even more ackward. As we approach the fifth floor, I get set to run off after the dude. Doors open and SAFE! Made it onto the fifth floor. Robert just laughed... which I don't blame him... heh heh.

We turn the corner and open our doors... where I had no problem... but, I don't think it was the same for Rob since his door might have already been open. So, I think he locked it only to open it again. And yeah... there goes all of our mistakes... ALL IN THE SPAN OF LIKE... 10 MINUTES!

And, he's in my room now and we're getting set to find dinner... that explains the quickened pace in my story... heh heh... in case you caught that.

So, later to all and hopefully we don't have anymore funny stories to share... at least... not until tomorrow... heh heh!