Driving to work

Driving on the wrong side of the road in a country where you can’t read street signs is NOT what I’d call relaxing. In general, I’m doing ok (haven’t hit anything yet). But the Redhead gasps in horror every time I get just a little too close to the curb. My feeling is that I’d rather scrub the curb (or even the guard rail) than the oncoming semi-truck (did I mention that the roads are rather narrow?), but apparently the person sitting in the passenger seat doesn’t see it that way.

The real issue now is that the Redhead is leaving (the company actually requires a presence here for 4 months, so the Redhead and I are switching on and off) and he’s the one who can read the street signs. So I have to memorize the way to work and back. It goes something like this:

* Take a left out of the parking lot, remembering to look RIGHT for oncoming traffic

* Stay right at the next intersection and take the upper deck (no idea where the lower deck goes – I was lost the one time I was on it)

* Inside lane on the way out of town takes you through the tunnel (outside on the way in)

* Take a left at the second light after the cantilevered suspension bridge

* Go ~2 km (no idea what’s on this road because it’s really narrow and I’m always too busy watching the guard rail on the left and the on coming trucks on the right)

* Take a right turn at the corner with the Pachinko Parlor and the McDonald’s

* Follow this for about 25 km, past:
...6 Pachinko Parlors (is this the national past time?)
...13 convenience stores (I can’t even imagine what keeps that many in business! It’s worse than starbucks at home)
...Uncountable rice paddies
...20 foot high mustard brown sign that literate people tell me is upside down
...1 story high stack of tires sitting in someone’s front yard (rednecks apparently transcend cultures)
...A store called “Just One” (one day I’ll stop in to see just one what)
...The “Toyota Toyopet” sign
...Wonder Goo (apparently a book store – how mundane after such a name!)
...Hard Off (don’t even want to know)

* This trip is sponsored by the letter “K” – find the 20 foot high neon one and take a left

* Follow for about 5 km, past:
...2 more Pachinko Parlors, one with a LARGE pink sign that lights up neon at night
...3 more convenience stores
...The cement truck hotel (it’s really cute – they have about 15 lined up in 3 different sizes)

* Turn left at the next light

* Go down the hill, past the REALLY long slide (it’s made of rollers since it’s not steep enough for friction alone. I highly recommend a cafeteria tray)

* Left at the next light

* Immediate right into the company driveway and speak to the very nice, but very insane guard who acts like a Japanese television show host

Reverse the directions for the way home. And add a note to watch out for the gaggles of brightly colored children coming home from school (the elementary school uniform seems to be a sweatsuit - the kids in Omiya wear bright aqua, but I’ve seen other colors now too. My favorite is the navy blue with the bright yellow rain hats).