Foreword | Aquarium/Shopping Trip | Qualifying | Main Events and Awards | VIP Tour | Extras

With the Europeans already in Japan by the time the US racers woke up on Wednesday morning, it was up to the US guys to make it to their planes to make this a true "World" Finals! Dereck and Frank flew out of Los Angeles International Airport, while Timm and Tim flew from West Palm Beach, Florida to Chicago, meeting Michael on their next plane that flew into Tokyo. Todd flew alone from Newark, New Jersey to Tokyo and met Timm, Tim and Mike to fly from Tokyo to Nagoya airport, the closest major aiport to Hamamatsu and Shizuoka. By the time they landed, they'd been on their travels for 24 hours! Luckily, Frank and Dereck live in Southern California and thus had a 12-hour flight.

Waiting for the other racers, Dereck and Frank waited around the Nagoya airport and soaked in the new sites, sounds, smells and ambiance of a country they'd never visited before. Along with many businessmen, all in 3-piece suits, there were many families and individuals flying in from various locations and just a few foriegn travelers that could be seen. In the domestic terminal, a few shops were open, selling food gift packages, film and souvenirs, as well as a couple of cafes, one with the almost obligatory plastic food models to show you what you could expect to find on the menu. The prices seemed reasonable, with a plate of beef and rice going for 900 Yen, or about 8 US Dollars. Getting currency exchanged at the airport couldn't have been easier or with a better exchange rate, with nearly 120 Yen to the US Dollar and no exchange fee at the UFJ bank branch in the terminal. It was much better than at LAX, with a $4 fee and only 90 Yen to the dollar! Travel tip for future reference!

Adventures in Japanese business hotels...
Typical business hotel room size	Reverse angle on the room	Interesting amenities - note the long shoehorn
Western-style toilet is about the biggest thing in the bathroom	Micro desk!	The traditional after-bath robe
The view from the hotel window

When Timm, Tim, Todd and Mike did arrive, we had just enough time to make the bus into Nagoya and conquer our first hurdle: walk the busy streets with a full set of luggage and find the right hotel! After seeing signs for several "grand hotels" and getting contradicting directions, we simply followed the map provided by Tomoko-san of HPI Japan to get to the Nagoya Grand Hotel, a business hotel that features only one-bed rooms. Designed similar to steerage compartments on a cruise ship, each room featured a single twin bed (firm, with a very firm pillow), opening window, small bathtub (traditional Japanese bathtub size) with shower, small TV and desk. Cozy but livable, for a short time anyway. Since it's meant for business travelers, there's no need for a suite, right?

Thursday wrapped up with a quick, brisk walk around central Nagoya to find a place to eat. After walking around for 30 minutes, it was finally agreed that the nearby McDonald's would have to do. While not the first choice for my first-ever dinner in Japan, it would have to do. Besides, I found a new favorite drink (one of many I'd find during the trip) - Qoo! The funky logo (a one-eared squinting cat or something) was quirky enough, the name grabbed my attention as I was scanning the drink choices. Canada Dry at McDonald's just didn't seem right, and I knew what Coke tasted like already, so Qoo it was.

Next up - Friday's aquarium and shopping trip!

Foreword | Aquarium/Shopping Trip | Qualifying | Main Events and Awards | VIP Tour | Extras