One of THOSE trips, part 2

Well, I finally got where I was supposed to be- That’s good. The bad- Only taxi left “said” he could get on base… $42 later, I’m hoofing it from the main gate to Billeting, dragging the bags… lovely…

So I get up in the morning to go get the rental car.- Good; the Bad- they lock the $&* keys IN the car, so I have to wait almost an hour for them to get a master out to unlock it… OBTW, there were about 6 other identical cars sitting there, but they couldn’t give me one of THEM, because they were for other customers… sigh…

The nice- I get this nicky-neat Nav system… The bad- see below…

I can’t read Kanji worth a darn…

It is Thanksgiving, so EVERYTHING is closed on bases, while off base it’s just another workday for the Japanese… tried to get a reservation at one of the clubs no joy… so we are going out in town… Looks like Mongolian BBQ for dinner… sigh…

WX sucks, typhoon condition 4, windy, rainy and mid-60’s; so off I go to try to find this little Mongolian BBQ place somewhere close to the main gate of another base, that I stumbled on two years ago, and I “think” I remember how to get there…

Hmmm. it’s either the first or second right after the main gate, then either the first or second street on the right, next to an open field and across the street from another open field…

Finally find it, after 45 minutes of basically driving is circles… I REALLY hope that was not a one way street… No wonder I can’t find it, the field now contains a 6 story apartment building! Now no place to park, so drive around and finally find a space; parallel parking on the ‘wrong’ side is fun…

One seat left, I grab it and go start filling a bowl or three! No turkey, but plenty of chicken. Papasan says- Hey, baby turkey… just hadn’t grown up yet 🙂

Two bowls of Genghis Khan’s best Mongolian BBQ, sweat is pouring off (went a ‘hair’ strong on the peppers that last bowl).

Back to Billeting and bed!

sigh…

Wide awake at 0400…

Comments

One of THOSE trips, part 2 — 8 Comments

  1. Makes my trip to Baghdad and Kuwait two weeks ago sound like a cakewalk.

    I’m still jealous of you for being in Japan.

  2. Wow… that was pretty ugly! (oohhh… I made an oxymoron!)
    Honestly, I am tired just from reading what you had to endure!

  3. Geesh.

    I would’ve lost it by now. That’s too many “little” things piling up…I’d start using non-Christian language real quick.

  4. Wonko- I get to do that one in Feb…

    FF- This is pretty much the norm 🙁

    RT- You get used to it… kinda, sorta

    Julie- Yep 🙂 with joys in quotes…

  5. so… kanji was out, but you may have fared better with katakana or hiragana?

    Fortunately for me, I’m an impeccable navigator. Those electronic things drive me to distraction, though.

  6. Phlegmmy- No and no…LOL I’m lucky I’ve been here before (many times) and I can usually stumble in the right direction…

    With your shoe fetish, I thought I’d give you a rundown of what I just saw on the train… From left to right
    Cowboy boots, indian moccasins, flats, flats, tennis shoes, clogs and some butt ugly bright purple Lizard pumps! All worn by Japanese women 🙂