I have walked into another world and I love it.

The plane was late from Seoul to Osaka but customs waved me through with a brief glance at my passport and the cab driver was fast and I was in bed by 11:30 Monday evening. The cab was the first of many surprises. I walked from hot humidity into a meticulously clean vehicle with white matelaise seat cover and white crisply starched lace across the seat back. The air was cool with a refreshing but not identifiable scent.

Cities look like they are laid out on a grid on the map but they are not. We drove through curved narrow streets and what seemed like back alleys, on the left side, with bicycles everywhere even though it was 11 pm. Today I saw someone riding a bike, talking on a cell phone, and smoking a cigarette!

My room came with a wonderful free breakfast and given that the Tokyo Inn chain is sort of like a Motel 6, I was impressed by the flowers in the hotel lobby that doubled as the breakfast space. I took a picture but cannot figure out how to send it since all the computer instructions are in Japanese. Waling to the train station this morning (actually getting lost looking for the train station this morning), I saw large rocks and small pine trees squeezed in between houses and vegetable/flower gardens in pots infront of apartments and once I got to Okayama, a lady trimming her large potted rose bush stopped to chat and escort me to my new hotel with tatami floors and a maze of a floor plan and a delightful owners.

My Japanese seems to have left me and I forgot to bring my Japanese book but so far the charm and helpfulness of these people has overcome my ineptitude. In one store, the clerk typed what she wanted to say into her computer and had it translate and then had me respond in kind.

Thanks to all who have helped to make this happen. It is hard to believe one week ago I was helping amuse 7th graders wating for their last-day swim! I plan to be here exploring Okayama, staying at the Saiwaso Inn, until Thursday afternoon.