Three Waygooks Embark on a Korean Tour of Japan

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So, Monday morning, Mom, Dad and I headed to the airport bright and early (normal person time for everyone else), because I had to go to immigration before we got our tickets and everything.  When working in a foreign country, one can't just come and go as one pleases...  So to immigration we went, and let me tell you, getting a re-entry permit was like the easiest thing ever!  It took a whole of 3 minutes.  I gave her the money, she looked at my Visa, stamped my book and my paper work, and we were done!  There wasn't even a line!  I was relieved, because I was stressing that a little.

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So, we went to the tour meeting place, and checked in.  We met our tour guide who thankfully spoke a little English.  Enough to tell us essentials.  She spoke a little more English than I spoke Korean.  We were also relieved to find on the trip a Korean-American family, who were rather helpful to us in providing details during the following days.

Now that I know I can do that, I'll definately do it again!

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We boarded the plane, and I promptly fell asleep, as I am not a 6:45am kind of a girl (the time we left the hotel).  We got off the plane in Sendai, and boarded a bus.  The bus seriously looked like it was 1970s meets Liberaci (sp?), and was rather hilarious, I must say.

So, then we went to a Shrine and a monument where this castle used to be.  It wasn't particularly spectacular, but it was the first thing that we saw, so it was kind of cool.  They had a neat tower, which I will post pictures of later.  Again, the picture deal is that I'm going to go one night soon and post all the pictures at once.  My life will be made a lot easier if I do all the written work before that.

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Anyways, we drove on for a long time through the mountains, which was quite beautiful, and we all slept on and off.  Finally, we arrived at our hotel, which was pretty nice, but in need of a reno.  The cool thing was that it was a traditional Japanese style hotel, but mom and dad managed to get twin beds, because of his bad back.  I, myself, slept on a comfy setup on the tatami matts.

That night we all got dressed up in our kimonos, which come in every room and you are expected to wear to the hotspring baths.  We went off to the baths, and then returned to change.  We were given tickets for a free beer at the Karaoke place down on the main floor of the hotel, so we decided to check it out.  We were surprised to realize that it wasn't single room Karaokes, like Korean Nore-Bong, but more Western style, with a full bar, and large room where different people take turns singing on stage.  The only thing was, we were the only three people in the place!

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Well, haha...  We decided to sing after Dad gave me a shortlived pool lesson.  We all had so much fun.  I must say though that Dad was the surprise ham of the show.  Actually, I wasn't that surprised.  Mom was surprised though about how much fun both Dad and I had on stage.  Now Dad says, now that I know I can do that, I'll definately do it again!  haha...

Stay tuned our next day was way more exciting than this day!

And the pictures are even better... hahaha...  if only you could see the pictures you're thinking.  Well, patience is a virtue, so just wait.