Good bye Europe... hello Japan!

Tokyo. Day 1.
I will be short and summarize the last hours in order to update you.

Saturday: 13th June

- I went to bed very late. An "accident" with the computer and had to restore everything. It was 4:00 a.m.... does not matter, I will catch up on the planes!
Up at 6:00. Last things to double check and organize. At 9:00 to the airport. Warm day again in Vitoria.
- Vitoria - Bilbao. Mum, dad and sister with me to the airport. I am getting very nervous. Special moment. Very emotional. I won´t see them until Christmas!
- Check in: Hard moment, life in 20 Kg. I only take the necessary and still had to get rid of a few kilos! No compassion. I had to leave some of my most precious things. This is unfair, the same luggage for a trip when you go for a weekend 1000 Km away or for a removal 10000 :-(
- One police woman at the security check in the airport thought that it was my first time flying ;-)... and I used it in my advantage... but almost lost the flight because of the long goodbye!
- Bilbao - Munich in a couple of hours. By coincidence my neighbour on the plane is an elegant Japanese lady that lives in Santander. I put into practice a bit of Japanese
- In Munich, phoned home announcing that I am ok. Bad news, a good friend of the family (and somebody I adored) that became sick could not overcome the intensive care and died. I am shocked and sad. I remembered again the hard moments 5 years ago... with my own family... the moment that I realized how important is health. The breakthrough moment in which I told myself that while health is there you should enjoy life, your moment and fight for your dreams. Happiness is not everywhere at the same time...
-While on my way to the terminal where the flight to Tokyo is departing, I met Silvia, she has just arrived from Sofia. From now we will spend a few days together until we get installed in Tokyo.
Not possible to fly together but both so tired that slept the whole way only up for food and a bit of the movies.
The plane was full of Japanese people. I recognized some faces in the sense that they reminded me to actors or singers that I know but with the "Japanese eyes" ;-)
I ask my neighbour the proper way to eat what we were served for dinner
- Landed in Tokyo after almost 12 hours of flight. The immigration procedure and everything, very fast. I got and SMS from Robbie while he was in Europe. His flight delayed and we waited for him 1 hour. The perfect time to check the airport, buy and is delayed. He was the one that was supposed to arrived early and wait for us but this time is the other way around. We check with the officers, around 1 hour waiting. It is not too long and worth to enjoy this amazing experience with somebody I have been sharing this dream for long. In the meanwhile, we organize the luggage, get acquainted with the aiport, use and get surprised by some of the vendor machines, eat something, get excited about the whole situation that we have longed and worked hard the last months and... Robbie est là :-)!!
- Fantastic to be in a group of 3. We bought the discounted ticket to to Tokyo and had to wait for our train a bit while drinking something and chatting.
- About 1 hour long train ride to Ikebukuro, where our hotel is located. Then a bit of confusion due to the huge size of the station and the exit we had to take (remember that we are packed with heavy luggage among the Tokyo crowd).
- Arrived to hostel. Straightforward check in. Installation in the room (great, Internet connection, television, private bathroom... and very economical).
- Tour around the hotel and "immersion" in their culture. Let´s go to eat to the Japanese style! Cheap, very cheap :-)
- More walking around and started raining. Back to hotel for a drink before going early to bed (it was 20:30 in Tokyo)
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Good morning!!!
- I had a nice sleep. I got up at 5 in the morning. Completely daylight but greyish sky.
We are meeting for breakfast at 8:00. I take the time and patience to check Internet, to update the blog and to download some of the computer programmes lost with the last minute "formatting" back at home.
- The plan for today: Main purpose, get registered in the city (that will give us the right permit to live here) and buying a cell phone. In the afternoon, meeting the other colleagues and discover with them more of this amazing city.
Have a good day yourselves!