*Beginnings*

This is going to be my diary for my next two years in Japan. It's going to be brutally honest... and I'm going to try to make it an unedited version of my experiences. I imagine there are going to be some times when the material's going to be rated "R", but hey... it's me... of course there's going to be "R"-rated material here!
I suppose it's only appropriate to begin my blog with my departure from New York.
So I left the city at 5:30pm to make my 9:30pm flight to Hong Kong. Think that's enough time?? I thought that was loads of time. It ended up taking 2 hours to get to JFK - a trip that usually takes me 30 mins. So I haul my stuff into the check-in hall, to see a HUGE line-up for check-in. As I was stepping in line, an airline staff comes up to me to tell me to go 'round to the first class check-in desk. I go to the First Class check-in desk and the guy at the counter engages me in friendly banter and UPGRADES me to business class and gives me a lounge pass so I could enjoy a massage, snacks, drinks, etc. at the lounge!
So yeah... It definitely pays to be a girl, and it definitely pays to dress nice and flirt a little. Needless to say, my overweight suitcase (only 2 kilos over this time!) had no problems going through baggage check... except when they did the mandatory inspection... when the guy found my "toy"... He went incredibly red and started laughing real hard...
The flight was so long. A word of warning: NEVER take Cathay Pacific from North America to Hong Kong. There were about 15 babies on board that flight, if not more. They were crying non-stop, 2 at a time, at any given time throughout the whole 18 hours we were in the air. All the mothers were mainlanders though... which makes me think that they all flew over to the states just to have their babies there.
The second leg of the flight after the Vancouver stop-over wasn't so bad for me. I knocked back a couple NyQuil caplets and knocked myself out for a good 8 hours and slept through the screaming babies. I love NyQuil. I think I may have found the one thing I can't live without...
So here I am, in sunny Hong Kong. It was actually quite a pleasant experience arriving this early into the city. There was a nice feeling of calm and serenity... like the city just came out of the wash.
I'm now comfortably ensconced in my room at my parents' place. I managed to get in without waking them up. They have no idea I'm back...
So in about 2 weeks, I leave for Japan. I'm not really feeling nervous or excited or anything right now about the move. It'll be a nice change, and I'm glad to be starting something new again. I left New York as an unattached, single girl... and I hope to leave Japan in the same state.
I'd better start unpacking... My hairspray exploded in my suitcase and my room smells like a hair salon now.
I'll keep y'all posted with my adventures. Ta for now!~