Notes from Kyushu

I am in Kyushu.

I got here last night after what seemed like a duel with Tokyo about whether I'm "allowed" to go. My parents and I spent 2 days in Nikko and came back early afternoon -- they headed to the airport, while I went to train station to catch my 15:03 train to Fukuoka.

When I got to the train station, I saw a surprisingly large (by Tokyo standards; those who've been here will understand the scale of this gathering) group of people congregating by the entrance gates. I see some announcements in Japanese, but am of course clueless as to the reason for this confusion. I try my ticket through the gate but am refused entry. I try talking to the station guy in 3/4 English and 1/4 Japanese; he responds in 3/4 Japanese and 1/4 English. I understand that there's an accident and that the trains are running really late. Trains running late in Japan? I thought that impossible until yesterday. I try to ask the guy how much time he thinks I have (I needed to get a refund on my subway pass before heading out but thought that I didn't have time before the train); he chuckles and says "30 minutes; maybe 1 hour".

I decide to run the last Tokyo errand and get the refund. It's harder than it seems: every machine and every ticket office refuses me, sending me from one to the next. After about 15 minutes of seemingly incessant search, I reach my goal: I get the 3000 yen that was left on my subway card, and thinking that I still have at least 15 minutes before my "late" train, I head back to the Shinkansen (bullet train) gates.

Imagine my surprise when I find out that my train had just left. But I thought I had 30-60 minutes? No, it already left. All the other trains are still 30-60 minutes late. When is the next train? No one knows. Everything is running late. Really late. Hm. My backpack feels heavier by the second, and I feel completely lost in the crowd of Japanese travelers, also somewhat comfused by the lateness of the trains, but at least in the position to read the timetable and figure out when the next train comes. I continuously run back and forth between platforms, only to catch 2 (TWO!) trains, close their doors in front of my nose and head in the directions I need. At some point, I stop caring whetner I catch the train and start feeling the entire thing a game of how many trains I miss. I feel sweatier than I've ever been my entire life (topping Kyoto). I'm hungry and thirsty, but feel that I cannot escape the "run-to-the-platform-miss-the-train" game that I've been playing for almost an hour. Tokyo is clenching me and is not letting go.

I finally decided to just wait. I stand in line, surrounded by calmly-waiting Japanese. I decide that if they know what they are waiting for, I should wait with them. Sure enough, the next train comes in about 45 minutes, I take it and get to Fukuoka from that point on without a hitch. Only 2 hours late, which in the grand scheme of things is not that important. I finally got to eat a "bento" dinner on the train, and that made me happy.

I found the hostel, I checked in, and I slept. I feel great and am ready for new adventures. I will soon head south, to see Sakurajima (an active volcano; there's a "rain" of ash in the surrounding city, for which people there supposedly use umbrellas), and experience Japanese tropics. I don't know if I will have much internet past this point, but I'll try to post some udpates, but I will be back in the States in just a few days!