BinaryBedlam: Okinawa, Japan Trip 1

I finally got an international assignment for work; and it's a place I've always wanted to go, Japan! Due to an inability for our company and the Marine base to reach an agreement on network design, they sent me in to negotiate a compromise. I went for 10 days and stayed in a small resort area called American Villiage between 2 bases in Chatan Mihamma Okinawa. Granted I only had evenings and no car to explore, I still tried to see as much as I could around my hotel. On my last night I got to stay in a hotel closer to the airport so I could take a cab the next morning. It was in the big city of Naha, and that's far enough away from the bases that no one speaks any english, so it was quite interesting. Too bad it rained hard that whole night, thats why most of the pics aren't that great. Everyone is soo nice and helpful, even if they can't understand, they really go out of their way to try to. I should also note, Google Translate is almost worthless, because it can't detect context very well, no one ever knows what it says. Also, it is very expensive here. The US dolar is very week, so like a soda is 500 Yen or $6.50. And it rains almost every day. But the fashion is my style, robots are prevailent, and video games are everywhere! All in all, I had a blast, can't wait to go back!

Some random notes:
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1) Taxi from Kokusai Dori Daiwu-Roynet hotel to Naha aiport was 1140 yen

2) Leaving from Naha Airport: on upper level, find ticket counter 9, check in with passport and itinerary, don't pick up bags at Narita, they transfer. Flew into narita terminal 2, proceeded to 1st level bus stop 18 and took bus to terminal 1, went to North Wing of international departure level 4 isle C, checked in with passport and itinerary, went through security check point, then imigration where they just ask how long you stayed and tear out the slip in your passport, then went to gate to board plane.

3) In US went stright to imigration, they stamp your entry papers and check passport, then went to customs to declare value of goods, then picked up checked bag from baggage return, then went to international ticket counter to get domestic boarding passes printed, then dropped checked bags right off again, then proceeded to flight gate.

4) Drinking limit in Japan is 0.03, just one drinkcould do you in, so if you're going out to drink, you deffinitely need a cab.

5) Police are almost never seen, they don't stake out trying to catch you like in the US, they only dispatch when needed.

6) When driving, to signal, Thanks, instead of waving, just blink your 4-ways. Also, if you are having issues and need a moment, also just blink your 4-ways, in fact, this will let you get away with anything. You could pull up on to the side walk perpandicularly, running over a mailbox to park, perhaps even hitting a small child, but as long as you turn on your 4-ways, no one will bother you.

7) Electric outlets are all American style, but they are 100v at 50Hz so make sure your device is with in tollerance. Also, many recepticles don't take a third neutral prong, so if you're bringing a device with a neutral pin, you will need one of those little 2-to-3 prong adaptors.

8) Since so many people have internet enabled smart phones, wi-fi isn't quite as prevalent in Okinawa as in the US. The hotel rooms have ethernet jacks but no wi-fi. So if you want to give several devices access, like a smart phone, then you should bring your own wireless router/access point.

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Pic 1 Atlanta, GA	Pic 2 Linux Based	Pic 3 Flying Over Alaska	Pic 4	Pic 5 Alaskan Mountains
Pic 6	Pic 7	Pic 8 Tokyo Rice Patties	Pic 9	Pic 10 Japanese Homes
Pic 11 Narita Tokyo Airport	Pic 12 International Terminal 1	Pic 13	Pic 14 Squatty Potties	Pic 15 Electronic Toilet
Pic 16 Amazing Toilet	Pic 17 American Villiage Mihamma Chatan	Pic 18 Hotel Desk Staff	Pic 19 phones	Pic 20 No Shoes
Pic 21 Portable WiFi - Soap	Pic 22 Room Thermostat	Pic 23 Climate Control	Pic 24 TV remote	Pic 25 Sliding Balcony Door
Pic 26 Access Panel	Pic 27 Shower Bottles	Pic 28 Powerful Faucet	Pic 29 Beautiful Caulking	Pic 30 Toilet Controls
Pic 31 Flusher	Pic 32 Beer Machines	Pic 33 Japanese Keyboard	Pic 34 Japanese Excel	Pic 35 North View
Pic 36 South View	Pic 37	Pic 38 Breakfast buffet	Pic 39 Goya Stir Fry	Pic 40 Wash Sink
Pic 41	Pic 42	Pic 43 Aeon Mall	Pic 44 Solar Panels	Pic 45 Dance Performance
Pic 46	Pic 47	Pic 48	Pic 49	Pic 50 Gambling ?
Pic 51	Pic 52	Pic 53	Pic 54 Traditional Dance	Pic 55
Pic 56 IR Camera	Pic 57	Pic 58 Kami Sushi	Pic 59 Engrish!	Pic 60 Club Sega Arcade
Pic 61 Food Gripper Game	Pic 62 Complex Game	Pic 63 Anime Gripper Game	Pic 64 Girly Photo Booths	Pic 65 Body Manipulation
Pic 66 Arcade Rules	Pic 67	Pic 68	Pic 69 Shi-sa Dog	Pic 70
Pic 71 Takushii	Pic 72	Pic 73	Pic 74	Pic 75 Double Decker
Pic 76 Drinks with Marines	Pic 77 Habu Sake	Pic 78 Absinthe	Pic 79	Pic 80 Me Playing
Pic 81 Utaka	Pic 82	Pic 83 Teppanyaki	Pic 84 Laughing Buddah	Pic 85
Pic 86 Frozen Yogert	Pic 87	Pic 88	Pic 89	Pic 90 Man Fishing
Pic 91 My Hotel Campana	Pic 92	Pic 93	Pic 94 Bar Tricks	Pic 95
Pic 96 Waiter Buzzer	Pic 97 Japanese Dash	Pic 98 Driver Curtains	Pic 99	Pic 100 Borg Ship