Arrived!

We arrived at the Haneda airport around 5 in the morning - Japan time. We were quite worried about this part of our trip.  Luckily Rachel's instructions were easy to follow.  After going through customs and laughing at the toilets, we were on our way.  First we took the monorail, then a train, then another train.  We were now at Tokyo station where we needed to get our bullet train passes.  We had to wait about an hour for the ticket exchange place to open.  We sat down in front of their office, just like the Amazing Race. We tried to steer another team from Alabama on the wrong track, but they didn't go for it.

Anyway, we were on the bullet train for about three hours.  If we drove, it would take us ten hours to get to their house.  Too bad there isn't a bullet train from our house to New Mexico!  Rachel, Marie and Mina met us at the train station!  Those girls are so cute!  They have grown up so much.  Marie still has the cutest Mickey Mouse voice.  She told us all about how her favorite color is pink and purple, her mom's favorite color is purple and her dad's favorite color is green.  I told her my favorite color is blue.  She said, "I only like light blue."  Marie knows how to spell her name.  Then she said, "My dad's name begins with a D.  It has two D's and an A."

While Maysen and I were entertaining Marie and Mina, Rachel and Mike were getting tickets to ride the bullet train to Tokyo on Sunday.  It was a good thing they did.  Most of the trains were already sold out. Rachel said that school ends this week, so people are probably starting their vacations.

Mike and Maysen on the bullet train

 Rachel driving on the wrong side of the road!

 Aaaaaaah!

We stopped and got some yakisoba and cheese rolls.  Yummy.  We were quite exhausted by the time we got to Brett & Rachel's house.  We got here around three and Mike and I decided to take a nap until Brett got home from work.  Maysen lasted a long time, but she ended up crashing while Rachel and I were picking up pizza.  I'm looking forward to tomorrow!  This is going to be fun!