Will be leaving Oklahoma soon. While I am here and have the skills of my brother Keith, trying to get many things done on the airstream. One issue is the closet. The main hall closet is the main storage inside. The doors, if youcall it that, are accordion pleated sliding lousy doors. The problem is when driving down the road, things fall out of the closet and tears the doors.
Had the idea to have wood doors that would stay closed.
Before
After
Before After
I’ve been terrified to make this trip. My worse fear is that I will have a flat tire, and creepy men stop and I’s alone.
Can’t think like that, I’ve gotta conquer my fears. Through my life, I’ve learned that I can do anything I really am determined to do.
Randy said, ” With Ann, you’ve either gotta lead, follow, or get out of the way.
Although I was scared, that morning as I left the RV park… all the men out messing with their RV, were kinda amazed that it was me solo, doing all the hook ups and unhooking. Guess I won some street cred.
Mike looked at the AS tires, seemed to have plenty of tred but the noticed some small cracks in the tire sidewall. My first stop was Discount Tires and $270.00 later, I was on my way. With it for peace of mind.
Off we go, Luna my faithful dog and I on that old lonesome highway
Off on another trip, not a big destination, Oklahoma. I have multi reasons to go but the most important is how I will get there. Being an RVer for many years, beginning with a motor home, Fifth Wheel and for the last 5 years an Airstream.
Since Randy my husband, died 3 yrs ago, I have hardly taken it out for many reasons. I am so intimidated to drive it and no camping buddy. I I love the Airstream (AS). It contains so many fond memories of traveling with Randy, especially the 8 month trip that we took before he died to the Pacific NW.
This year I am conquering my fear and learn to be proficient in Driving and hooking the AS up. All the years we had an RV, I never learned, yes partly my fault.
Another reason that I am going to do it, because I want to make a mobile recording studio for interviews for my radio show.
For example for the last several years, I’ve covered SXSW (South By Southwest) for KSYM radio. I go there, do interviews, go back to the station the next week and edit. But the time it gets to air, the excitement and momentum is gone. My plan is to go to a site, do the interview, edit right there and steam to the station. It won’t be in real time, but close.
I went to Oklahoma to get my brother, Keith to ‘help me”, but really I’m not much help except to keep him company while he works, entrain him and make him laugh.
The plan was to get the AS ready, leave home, but stay quite locally in New Braunfels ( NB) only 30 min from San Antonio. It gave me the opportunity to check things out.
Landa RV Park in NB is right on the Comal river. We’ve been going there for over 30 yrs. We affectionately called it Hippy Hollow (not to be confused with the nude beach in Austin) because it was owned by this hippy guy that ran around in golf cart with a big peace sign on it. On Saturday nights, his band played in a pavilion on top of the hill overlooking the river. Sounds of old rock and roll wafting through the RV park as we drank fine wine and some indulged in 420. It was later sold. Although the prices have gone up, its pretty much remainded the same, very rustic but beautiful to me.
I was in NB for 5 days, each day a different group of friends came out for the day. We cooked out and swam or toobed in the water.
Long time friends, Denise and Mike Friends from KSYM radio
Saturday we were packed, up early, and ready to go.
It was snowing. The hotel staff said that we should leave early because the train may be canceled. On the website, they flight was still a go.
We left the hotel at 9am. Had the stand on the corner and hope for a taxi to tokyo station and catch the Narita Express, the fast train to the airport.
Arrived at the airport at 11:00am. Our flight was not to leave till 6:30 pm.
Ate some lunch and waited.
The snow continued to fall. United Airlines Japanese staff, said the flight was still on schedule.
It was hopeful since ANA (All Nippon Airlines) was taking off and landing. I was worried because I could see our plane was not at the gate.
At 6:00 they said the flight was delayed till 8 pm, the airplane was routed to Nagoya and would be here in an hour. At 8:00, were told that the flight was delayed until 10:00. I was worried, but they said we were still going. Then at midnight we were informed that the flight was cancelled. The trains were not running, and we were informed that the hotels in the area were all full.
From then on, all of our questions were answered with “we have no information”. We had to spend the night at Narita Airport.
It was carpeting and someone comfortable in the gate area, but they made us leave. We had to go back through customs and immigration, collect our bags, that we now had to tote around.
We were given a snack, bottle of water, and a thin blanket, and we were on our own.
So we spent the night on the cold hard floor of Narita airport, with the bright lights, and many loud gate announcements for non existent flights. It was so cold I slept in my coat.
Woke up at 6 am. Chris went to scope out the situation.
They were already lining up to get re booked on a flight to get home. We heard all the flights were filling up. The line was all the way down the airport. We waited in line, they told us that they would take care of the cancelled flight to Guam, then at 12:30 they would start on the US flights. By the time that 12:30
came, there was a great degree of frustration. At 12;30, the Japanese staff had to put all their decorations out, had a little meeting while the anger level was building.
When our time came around at close to 2:00, I said just get me to Houston or anywhere in the US, we would get home.
Got boarding passes to Houston and then to San Antonio.
Made it home, but our bags did not arrive until 11 pm.
Home Sweet Home.
As I have said, its fun to go, but great to get home.
There are some things that are interesting and funny:
Japanese men obsession of school girls with big boobs
They like their potties. When I first came to Japan in the late 80s,
the japanese toilets were a trough in the floor, especially difficult to use on the bullet train, the Shinkansen.
Now toilets have gone hi tech, they wash the front area for women.
It washes the backside and dries it.
it has music so no one can hear the tinkle.
Now its posted on the door the type of the toilet.
Even hospitals have thee hi tech toilets, but sometimes difficult to find a place to wash your hands.
The trains:
We are so spoiled, just walk to our garage, get in your car and go wherever you want. In Japan, there are not so many freeways, traffic is terrible, so to get around, you must ride the trains. climb mountain of steps, and rush hour is just plan scary.
The beer in vending machines:
The masks: The idea is that if you have an upper respiratory infection, and in close area like the train, you wear a mask to prevent transmitting the infection. However, that only works if the mask is dry, when it gets wet from respiration, it does not a barrier. The Japanese put them on, wear all day, even outside. There must be another reason?
Today, Friday is our last full day. We leave tomorrow. Don’t know if I will ever be back, but I am glad I came and made peace with Japan.
We plan to walk to Akihabara for last minute shopping and eat Ramen for lunch, out last chance.
Tonight we will go back to Shinjuku to Moo Moo Paradise. In the morning, we plan to go to the flea market and look around. Then to Narita Express the train to the airport, to begin the long trip back home.
I love the Japanese convenience stores, the “convenie”. My first visits to Japan, they fed me so much raw and alive stuff. I thought I would starve. Till I discovered the “Convenie”.
They bring in fresh food 3 times a day. It has so many drinks, not just the US version of Coke, Dr Pepper, Sprite, water, energy drinks, and orange juice.
In Japan, there are every kind of juice, like blueberry juice, teas, iced coffees, on and on. There are fresh cooked food, all kinds of desserts, from crepes to cream puffs, many types of baked goods.
All Japanese hotel rooms have a hot water maker. There are these individual drip coffee packages, with a little filter that fits over your cup.
Everything to eat as well as toiletries you may have forgotten and various office supplies.
The convenie was a huge discovery for me and my time in Japan.
Started this morning we started our day with the usual continential breakfast provided my the hotel, free. That a new service, was not provided in all the previous years staying here.
Chris took off on the train to sightsee. I stayed at the hotel and worked on my blog. We met at noon with plans to have Sukiyaki.
Sukiyaki is a dish our whole family grew fond of in the years going to Japan. Its paper thin sliced beef cooked with vegetables in a soy sauce type liquid. Now its difficult to find it unless its very expensive ($100. pp) with some rare special high fatty beef where the cattle live in a spa to give the meat lots of marbeling.
On our last visit to Japan we found thing ‘all you can eat Sukiyaki” place called Moo Moo Paradise. Its reasonable price and there is a big disclaimer sign out front that they apologize but they are using American beef. Heck we don’t care.
In years past, when we had lots of Japanese guests to our company, we would tell them that when they come to SA, we will have a Sukiyaki party at out house, with them bring the main chef. We would buy the meat, boneless rib eye, get it sliced as thin as we could get it. Take the Japanese guest to HEB Central Market to buy some of the ingredients. Then we would all cook at my house. I learned that each has their own family recipe with some variations. Fun times, my kids loved it.
So today we took the train to Shinjuku station, and walked to Moo Moo Paradise, only to find it closed. We were hungry and popped into a chinese chain restaurant. It was tasty and cheap, 1300 Y for 2 ( about $13.00)
Boy, the dollar is really weak on this visit.
Walked around and back to the hotel.
That evening we are going to Isakaia restaurant for dinner with Saako and Masumi. Isakaia is like tapas, you drink and have many little dishes. Typically it is really good. We went to this very local place, where everyone turns their head and looks when a gaijeen ( foreigner) walks in. Had our “Kanpai” toast with a beer. the atmosphere is interesting, but the food left something to be desired.
Akihabara is the famous electronics district. It is a few blocks from our hotel and one of Chris’s favorite places in Japan. Today, I am going shopping for some souvenirs for friends, a little momento of Japan. Chris wants to go to an area of japan that has old board games. We split up and I walk to Akihabara, visiting the shops. Most things are more expensive than the US, but I noticed a influx of some cheap Chinese goods, but that goes for wherever you go in the world.
My mission was for the cute and unusual. Found some things and headed back for lunch to meet Chris. He spent his time exploring around. He enjoys the freedom of taking the train. Sadly, I admit that of all my years of traveling to Japan, I never really learned the train system, except for the necessary places I needed to go. Chris is very good at it, some stations are in English, but for most you have to memorize the kanji.
For lunch we ate ramen, its so good on a cold day. There are 2 ramen shops right near our hotel. Upon entering the shop, you have to make your selection from a vending machine that dispenses a ticket, you give the ticket to the lady behind the counter that makes the ramen. It seems like a good idea, the cooks do not have to handle the money….good for me.
In the afternoon we walked around to see how the neighborhood had changed, if any. The hood is fine, few changes except for the restaurants. The 2 ramen places are new. Across the street from the hotel, one of my favorite Korean Bar Be Que, japanese interpetation, Yaki Niku, places closed. They had charcoal cookers and the most delicious sea weed salad. Now, it is a restaurant called “Chicken and Wine”, ???
Tonight we are meeting Masako, my first Japanese staff in San Antonio from 1992-1997 and her husband for the above mentioned Yaki Niku, japanese version fo Korean Bar Be Que. We met them at Shinjuku station and walked to the restaurant. Seated in front of a charcoal/gas grill in the middle of the table. Uncooked meat is brought out, lettuce leaves, raw vegetables, salad with sesame dressing, tasty, kimchi and other pickles, and that bowl of rice, “gohan”.
Had the traditional beer toast “Kanpai”, break your chopsticks “Ohashi”.
You cook your meat on the grill, wrap it in lettuce, like a taco, dip in sauce and enjoy. Its fun and social as well as tasty. Had lots of laughs and talk of old times with Masako and her husband.
The last plan of the evening was to video film the Tokyo night lights, Shinjuku is a great area, the buildings are lit up with neon, glowing with illumination. Walked behind Shinjuku station… ready to be dazzled by the lights….but who turned the lights out???? There were few…it seems that since the earthquake in Fukushima, and the nuclear breech and accident, there is a move away from atomic energy to importing foreign oil this caused the lights to dim in Tokyo to conserve energy.
TRAVELS OF ANN 