Mandatory Training

On the third day of our meetings, we had the (wonderful) opportunity to observe the company's annual fire drill. If you ever find yourself in a Japanese building during an emergency, here's what you must do:

Step 1: Evacuate (like we did).

Step 1A: If you cannot evacuate, make yourself visible by unfurling a flag:


Step 2: Observe the observers.

^but don't go past those cones!

Step 3: Wait for the arrival of the fire brigade.


Step 3A: Wait for the arrival of a ladder truck.


Step 4: Get rescued.


Step 5: Celebrate your life with strangers.

^Actually, we had some time to kill (between our meetings and dinner), so we wandered into Tachikawa's tiniest bar.

This bar was chosen not because we knew about it, but because we were lost, and because it had a vintage Budweiser sign out front. The place had two tables, was smokey, and had the cutest lil bartender (on the left). Two 40's cost a few bucks, and the peanuts were free. Will go back!


Step 6: Catch the last train home.

Jammin' in Tokyo

So for this trip, I flew in early, so I had a full weekend before my meetings started. The timing worked out perfectly, because Mr. Packard-san's band had a gig on Saturday!

@ Shinjuku Jam


Presenting, Robert the Thief!


Packard-san


Nagato-san


Drummer-san




The main act was pure g three


カワノアヤコ


いただきます!!!

Window Seat

that wing...


this seat!


N'EX








ANA 777-300ER at NRT


EVA A330-200 Hello Kitty Speed Puff Jet at TPE


Descent into NRT


ANA 787-8 at NRT


The Olympics were looking sharp on the way home...


...and Rainier finished off the trip!

Duck and cover, right?

So I was reading in bed, and then I heard some noise.
I presumed that the folks upstairs were just stomping around... but then the noise got more frequent and things started to shake...

And the shaking got worse.

I've felt some swaying before but this was the first "big" quake I've experienced, where the hotel was definitely did some of this. So now, some numbers and figures!

• The quake had a magnitude of 5.5 earthquake.
• Tokyo felt this as a magnitude 3.0 quake.

^from the JMA


DID NOT LIKE... it was definitely unsettling...