Miss/Won't Miss #2

Things I'll Miss About Japan #2: TRAINS

Not a real train but geez Google it.

Oh, do I ever love these Japanese trains. They take you everywhere in relative comfort and speed. And since the vast majority of your fellow passengers are Japanese, everyone is quite polite and keeps to themselves. Even the teenagers manage to behave. There are the weirdos and people who fall asleep on you, but most of the time my train rides are uneventful and rather peaceful. Of course, I am a fairly stealthy, short, female, non-intimidating gaijin so I haven't faced a lot of the microaggressions other gaijin have experienced on the train.

And of course I'll miss Suica/Pasmo. I've held onto my old card from my days at Sophia for the nostalgic value and I got my parents the Monorail version when they came to Japan. Load your card up with cash and you're ready to conquer any train, train-like vehicle, bus, vending machine, or convenience store at the station.

I'm sad that I'll have to go back to catching TheBus and driving myself everywhere. Bums, frequent stops, people yelling in pidgin, paying in cash or flashing a bus pass... yeah I don't miss any of that.

Things I Won't Miss About Japan #2: PUKE AT THE TRAIN STATION AND BEYOND

I don't think I've gone more than two weeks without seeing some disgusting splattering of semi-digested stomach contents SOMEWHERE around a train station. On the platforms, in the concourse, in the bathrooms, outside the station. Even my small one-train-line town gets its fair share of vomit all over the place.

You have to understand, I HATE VOMIT. I haven't watched any of the Jackass movies in full because I KNOW at some point someone voms and it's gross. I don't like throwing up, it's nasty and aslkm aslkdm ;awor as EW EW EW EW EW.

If you can't handle your freaking alcohol, don't drink it! Or go make yourself sick in a freaking TOILET before you get sick where people have to walk! There have been so many times I've been just lucky enough to notice it before stepping in it. I'm always wary of groups of people slouched near doorways or behind pillars, because they're most likely drunk or taking care of someone who's drunk and not able to keep everything down.


Marissa wasn't so lucky one weekend before she left. I swear someone had a big puke-fest (seriously, it was EVERYWHERE) in the park area outside Shinjuku station's east exit. I was tip-toeing and jumping around like a lunatic trying to avoid it, but Marissa stepped in it. NIGHTMARE FUEL.

But let's not end on an icky note. Have a funny picture!