I have been home a little over a week; however, in an attempt to get back into the daily swing of things and adjust to overwhelming jet lag, I feel like I’ve been back years. A warning to anyone traveling from the east coast to Japan, be prepared for more than a day’s adjustment. I am just now sleeping at my regular times and regular hours. I did not look into any remedies or advice for how to cope best with jet lag. If anyone has any advice from past experience or just general expertise, I am interested in if there are more efficient ways to re-adjust to the time difference?

As I think back to the amazing week I spent with my sister exploring the island of Okinawa, I am amazed at how much of the unique aspects of the local culture I was able to absorb in one week. There are unique characteristics that allow the island to provide a rich culture experience. For example, the roads are made of coral so when it rains, it becomes extremely slippery.

Another traditional part of Okinawa that you are sure to witness almost as soon as you step off the plane, is the above ground tombs. At first glance, they look like miniature houses, but anyone living on Okinawa will be quick to tell you the structures are above ground tombs. I spent all week seeing the tombs all over the island. Some are all alone and other are grouped together; the tombs may be right next door to a house or built into an ocean-side cliff. The location depends on where the family purchases the land.

The tombs are built with two structural differences. One structure has a rounded roof and traditionally was intended to represent the womb. The other structure resembled more of a traditional roof structure and housed the remains of royalty or extremely wealthy people. For anyone wanting to learn more about the traditions and history behind these above ground tombs, I suggest Okinawa Living’s archive articles.

Another predominate artifact around Okinawa are the “Shishas.” These are little lion-looking statues that said to protect and chase away bad spirits. There is an urban legend about a man and an ocean dragon and the shisha was said to chase the dragon away. There are two different statues that will sit at the entrance to a location. You can see in the pictures one has an open mouth and one has a closed mouth. Okinawa Living might be another great place to research this old tale.

All week, I enjoyed witnessing all the little cultural facts I encountered around Okinawa. On Friday, as I wrote about, we visited Shurijo Castle Park. This was a wealth of cultural information. It was fascinating to see how the king and his family lived and worked. The king living in this particular castle oversaw the royal duties in a building known as “Shoin.”

My experiences in Okinawa were priceless. Traveling is a hobby my mother taught me to enjoy and this trip rejuvenated my yearning to see the world. The tropical feel of Okinawa, along with the rich culture, and its proximity to other eastern countries, it is trip well worth taking.

Luckily the Period of Reflection ended early in my visit but there were still certain restrictions put on service members. One of these restrictions is service members not being allowed to consume alcohol off base. Have no fear, this did not stop an exciting Friday night from occurring. Many of the bases have bars and lounges for service members to relax and enjoy themselves.

Before we went out for the night though, my sister took me to her favorite sushi restaurant. It was an awesome experience to eat at a local place. At the restaurants in Okinawa, there is a button placed at the end of each table and when you are ready to order to press this button. It signals your server to come take your order. I found this method efficient. Instead of waiting around for your server or being interrupted while still trying to decide what to order, you simply press the button to signal your server. Tipping is also considered rude in local restaurants. As seen in the picture above, the best part of the this restaurant was the portions. This is one order for a California roll and needless to say was more than enough; however, we also ordered edemamae and shitake mushrooms. Everything was delicious and inexpensive.

Even on a Friday night out, I was witnessed one of the many traditions of the military, well at least the Marine Corps. When a promotion occurs within a company, it is tradition for that person to throw a “Wet Down.” This requires the marine getting a promotion to put down their pay raise on the bar. They invite whoever they want to come celebrate until the bar tab is tapped. In addition to get to participate in the celebration, I was able to meet a lot of the people my sister works with on a daily basis. After this, we went to a different base and went to the “O Club.” This is a lounge intended for officers only, which means no enlisted service members can go to this particular lounge.

Overall, it was an interesting night being exposed to the military social scene. It was refreshing to see all of the hard-working, dedicated service members out being able to enjoy themselves.

Things towards the end of the week got a little hectic, so I missed a few posts. However, those last few days were some of the most fun, so I didn’t want to leave them out. After Boot Camp Thursday, I thought I was near death, but I have to say it felt good to get in a few work outs during vacation.

There were no major plans for Friday because my sister had to go into work for the morning. To busy myself while she was at work, I decided to go for a jog around the base. She suggested a great trail that goes around the flight line of the base. It was a gorgeous day, so I put on my iPod and took off. Running around the base is a great way to become familiar with your surroundings and see the entire base. I will say, it is slightly intimidating with the uniformed military all around and huge airplanes and heliocopters flying around. For those of you that choose to run around any of the bases keep in mind that headphones are not allowed (something I was unaware of before my jog). They enforce this rule to prevent people from getting hit by cars. It is just one of the many rules and expectations of living on a base.

Friday afternoon was one of my favorite afternoons. In Naha, the main city in the southern island, is Shurijo Castle Park. It was part of the Ryukyu Kingdom over 450 years ago. The castle that currently exists in Naha, is not the original because much of the original was destroyed in World War II, along with many other parts of the island. Even with much of the architecture and details being replicated it was still breathtaking.

One of my favorite things to do on vacations is to absorb as much of the local culture as possible and being able to witness this part of Okinawa’s history was a great experience. One unique aspect to touring this particular castle is having to take your shoes off upon entering the inside of the castle. An employee hands you plastic bag to put your shoes in and when you exit the castle at the end of the tour, you give the bag back and put your shoes on.

Walking through the castle, I was expecting not to be able to read any of the captions because of the language barriers. However, the majority of the explanations were also in English, as were several of the hand outs throughout the tour. I have not been to any other eastern countries, but I am curious if English is so greatly incorporated everywhere, or just on Okinawa because of the large English speaking population?

I enjoyed comparing Shurijo to other castles around the world I have seen. There is obviously going to be differences between an “eastern” castle and a “western” castle, but to see it in person is amazing. The differences in architecture and design are unique and beautiful in their own ways. Witnessing how royalty lived, whether in England or Japan is fascinating.

For anyone who appreciates the detail and beauty of art will find the decor of this castle pleasing. It is beyond elegant and is an expression of Ryukyuan architecture and artwork. The technique is evident all over the castle, in the woodwork, sculpture and stone. Many of the methods displayed originated in China and mainland Japan, but quickly became identifyable with Ryukyuan techniques. You can see some of these techniques in the pictures I was able to take during my tour of the castle.

It’s hard to believe my visit is almost over. For those of you that may come to the island to visit, I warn you it will fly by. The beautiful scenery and relaxing nature of the island makes the time pass you by. Yesterday, my sister and I drove back from Okuma. Instead of driving back on 58, we took the Okinawa Expressway. This is similar to a toll road in the States. While it is not as aesthetically pleasing, it is a good way to see a different part of the island.

Once we were back to the southern part of the island, we stopped at Kedema to get gas. As long as you are a service member or part of the family, always get gas on base. The price of gas is always equivalent to the national average in the States. Before coming back to my sister’s apartment, we stopped at American Village. This is like an outdoor shopping mall. I purchased some little gifts to bring back to friends, as well as a few treats for myself; however, I received my real treat a littler later in the afternoon. My sister and I went to get our nails done and let me tell you, it was amazing. I would highly recommend Cocos. There are two of them located near Kadema. The first one we went to was full, so we went to one a few minutes away and once we there I was glad.

This store was much larger and more open. For a mere 3990 yen, you will receive a fantastic foot massage, beautiful pedicure with design. They have large, cushy lazy boys that recline and give you a tasty, refreshing glass of tea that never less than half full. The employees are warm and welcoming to English speakers. The pedicure was a welcomed hour of relaxation, especially before I went and got my ass kicked in boot camp with my sister again. Waking up this morning, my arms feel like bowling balls. My sister had a few things to do at work today, so this morning I’m on my own.

For any of you that are visiting or living on the island with service members, entertaining yourselves will most likely be a regular occurance. Before my sister left, she pointed out a great running trail. We’ll see if I actually take adavntage of it or not. I am looking forward to tonight. We will be taking part in some of the Okinawa/on-base night life. The plan is to get sushi and then go to some of bars on base. While the Period of Reflection ended, service members still have a curfew and are not allowed to consume alcohol off base. I intrigued to hang out at a bar on base and see how different the environment is.

Before I forget, one little Okinawan piece of trivia. As you become more accustomed to the island and if you make the decision to drive your own vehicle versus public transportation, be aware of signs for certain types of drivers. They are decent size stickers that adhere to the back window of a vehicle. There are 2 types, one signfying a new driver (less than one year). This marker is in the shape of a medium sized book, and half yellow and half green. The other marker is in the shape of tear drop and colored in yellow and orange. This marks an older driver.

Anyways, back to the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium (Ocean Expo Park). Definitley worth the trip and 1800 yen admission. We spent several hours veiwing and learning about the Okinawan coastline. Fortunately many of the captions are also in English. There is a 20 minute movie free of charge, that also has English audio interpretator. Outside of the aquarium, there is a dolphin show narrated in Japanese but its still worth sitting through to see the dolphins. Overall, this would make a great family day trip up from Naha or if you are staying at Okuma it would be a great way to spend the afternoon.

After we got back from the aquarium, we took advantage of the bike rentals at Okuma. For 12 dollars we rented a 2 person, buggy bike and rode around the facilities grounds. There are amazing views of the coastline, and this is a great way to spend some time outside. When we turned in the bike we took a small hike up a nature trail to panaramic views of the coast.

This island is breathtaking and I am beginning to believe impossible to describe. The views and ocean air is so relaxing. The environment makes it easy to forget about the stresses you leave behind whether a few hours south at the miliatary bases or back home in the States.

Tomorrow we will be heading back to Camp Foster. Because the Period of Reflection is over, we will be able to take advantage of the local flavor around town. My sister is looking forward to taking me to her favorite sushi resturant.

Before I tell you about today’s planned adventures, there were a few details about yesterday I thought might be helpful if you plan to visit the northern most point of the island. Unfortunately for us the weather was nice but not perfect. However, on a warmer, less windy day it would be a great place to pack a picnic and enjoy the breath-taking views of the water and surrounding cliffs.

There is also a tour a few minutes from the park we visited that will bus you to the top of the island, providing a more expansive view. This does require a fee but for those interested it might be worth looking into. I would give you more details, but we decided to head back to Okuma instead.

Today we are visiting the Churaumi, the aqaurium here on the island. I am looking forward to this because I am a huge fan of the ocean and all sea life. I have visited a few of the largest aquariums in the States and am interested to see how Okinawa’s compares.

I made a mistake yesterday in where we are staying. We are not at Kedena but at Okuma. This is a great recreation resort. In fact it was voted best recreation resort in the Pacific in 2007. There are all sorts of outdoor activities, both land and water. Unfortunately we are still off season and the cool weather and winds have deterred us from partaking in any of these activities.

Exciting news though…the “Period of Reflection” was lifted this morning. This means we were able to go off base today. And we sure did take advantage of this. This morning we went to the Pineapple Factory. It was quite entertaining and I would recommend this to anyone visiting or moving to the island. It is on the northern end of the island, approximately 20 minutes from Okuma. For the 500 yen (about 5 US dollars) admission fee, there is a short pineapple car ride, which provides the history to one of the top Okinawan exports (i.e. pineapple). After you get off the ride, you can view a small shell factory, full of beautiful and natural sea shells and coral. And then comes the best part, tasting all of the different pineapple foods they offer. There are several different pineapple wines and numerous pineapple treats to be tested.

After the pineapple factory, we drove to the northern most point of the island. It was phenomenal. It was an easy drive and very accessible. We got some amazing pictures, which I will post later. The weather wasn’t fantastic, still very windy causing it to be colder; however, well worth it.

Tomorrow we plan to check out the Okinawa Aquarium and hopefully partake in some of the activities the Okuma has to offer.

So yesterday was a bit of a get into the groove kinda day. For anyone traveling from the States, you will need this day for jet lag recovering. It really has not been as difficult as I thought it might. Yesterday I was dragging a little bit, but after a solid night’s sleep, I woke up this morning feeling fresh and ready to go. So fresh, as a matter of fact, that I went with my sister to her daily boot camp workout.

It is a personal training studio in town, that is mostly attended by the military and their families. This morning we went to the 9am class, which I preferred greatly over my 4am option. In the hour we were in class, I more than got a solid workout in. The name of the studio is 1 Moore Rep and for the $360, you get 12 weeks of intense training to get yourself in shape. Regardless of your reason for taking the class, this would be a great way for any family moving to Okinawa wanting to get involved and meet other families. And for any military, it provides an opportunity to improve personal training times and scores. Because of my visit, my sister is taking a week of leave to spend more time with me. She booked one of the on-base resorts, on one of the bases North of where we are, called Kadena.

I am looking forward to seeing more of the island and all it has to offer. As of now the base is still on lockdown, meaning we cannot do anything outside of any of the bases. There is some hope that the lockdown will be lifted today, but if not my sister and I plan to make the most out of what each base has to offer. Even driving from base to base, I have absorbed all types of culture and learned little facts about the island and its people. For example, the roads are made of coral, so when it rains the roads become extremely slippery.

And there are random tombs (yes, tombs) located all over the place that are a native’s burial site. I encourage anyone whether you are visiting someone stationed on the island, or moving here, or just here as a tourist to absorb as much of the culture as you can. It is great way to appreciate the experience and get the most out of your trip. I am looking forward to posting the beautiful scenery I have managed to capture with my digital camera. There is nothing more beautiful than the open sea and the warm breeze that comes with it.

After about 24 hours of traveling, from the time I arrived at Dulles until I found my sister in Okinawa. I have to stay, the entire journey wasn’t as bad as I originally anticipated. However, I will attribute some of that to my organization and preparation before hand (see my first blog for a few tips).

Anyways, we spent the night at one of my sister’s friend’s house, off base last night. And I will tell you this, one of the most beautiful views ever. Her rooftop overlooks the East China Sea. Last night it was beautiful to see all the lights and the water, but this morning with the clear, blue sky, warm breeze and sparkling water, I knew I made the right choice for a Spring Break destination.

There is a good chance that the “lock down” may be over tomorrow, which will be awesome because then we will get to experience much more of the island. However, regardless I am determined to make the most of my week here and enjoy being with my sister. For those of you who have never been a visitor on a military base, it is essential to always have a picture ID (mainly a driver’s license) with you. When on a foreign base, you must have your passport and itinerary with you to obtain a visitor’s pass. I received a day pass today because of the weekend, but tomorrow I will get a week long pass. As I said before, it is absolutely gorgeous today. Much better than 20 degree frost I left just a few days ago. It’s funny though, we went to church this morning and everyone had on what I would consider to be winter attire (heavy coats, boots and scarfs) and I was in flip flops and capris. I am ecstatic that its a mere 60 degrees and for natives this is the dead of winter. Regardless of when you’re coming, always check the weather beforehand to ensure you will pack appropriately. Nothing worse than being in a foreign country and being dressed inappropriately and uncomfortably. Ok, well breakfast is served. So I am going to eat and take on today’s adventures.

I have been traveling my entire life. My rode my first plane before I can remember and took my first plane ride alone when I was 10. Most of my travels have been within the United States; however, I have traveled to Mexico, Europe and Australia. The 14 hour flight from Los Angeles to Australia is the longest non-stop flight I have experienced, well until Friday that is.

On Friday I will embark upon the longest non-stop flight I have ever taken, and perhaps ever will take. I am going to Okinawa, Japan to visit my sister for my Spring Break. My journey will start at Dulles International Airport with a short flight to Newark International. It is from Newark to Narita, Japan that I will be in the air for over 20 hours. Let me tell you, the mental preparation for this non-stop flight has been no small task. Perhaps if I were flying with a companion it would not be so daunting but preparing to entertain myself for such a long period of time took organization and creativity.

As soon as my generous, older sister (the one I am visiting) booked my ticket, I researched various ideas for long flight entertainment. I literally searched several search engines, like Google and Amazon, for tips on long flights. Sadly, I did find anything overly helpful other than expensive gadgets that my Graduate Assistant salary cannot afford. So, it was time to be creative.

I spoke with my mom, who visited Okinawa for Thanksgiving. Her one piece of advice was to purchase a “neck pillow.” My first reaction to this was I am not an 80 year old woman, but my mom swore by this little, piece of heaven. I did actually break down this evening during my “vacation errands” and bought a black, fuzzy neck pillow. I will let you know my review of the pillow after I arrive in Okinawa after 21 hours in the air. I am curious if anyone else is as big of a fan of the neck pillow as my mom is?

Packing My Carry-On
The neck pillow was not the only thing on my list this afternoon. For those who may not be experience travelers, I thought I would include the list to give some ideas. Most of the list entailed items for my carry-on. I will be taking my laptop with my to watch DVD’s, however, I don’t anticipate the battery lasting more than one movie (if I’m lucky). So, my book list for the trip is rather extensive. Being a graduate student, I don’t find much time for leisure reading. While I am traveling with a few schools books, the majority of my reading is catch-up leisure reading of books and magazines.

A change of clothes is also in my bag. I am a big fan of staying comfortable and clean feeling, which can be difficult on long flights with so many lovely strangers surrounding you. Along with a change of clothes, I purchased travel size items including

• toothbrush and toothpaste
• face wash
• lotion
• ear plugs (block out the noisy child behind you kicking your seat)
• deodorant
• pain relievers
• tissues

Going along with the wanting to feel clean feeling, I decided to sacrifice space in my carry on to pack my own blanket. I plan on sleeping for as long as I can and I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m never quite comfortable in the, who-knows-the-last-time-this-was-washed airplane blankets? I would never do this for a domestic flight but with such a long flight ahead of me, I figure it can’t hurt.

I think the most important items in my carry on are my snacks. I am a woman who loves to eat, especially snack. To ensure I would no go hungry, I carefully planned my snack selection. It ranges from salty (100 calorie pack crackers) to sweet (chocolate and cookies) to an apple (gotta be at least a little healthy).

Staring My Journey
My journey will begin tomorrow afternoon. After my last class for the week, I will head to D.C. where I will spend the night with a friend before heading to the airport very early Friday morning. It’s strange to think I will leave the United States Friday morning and arrive in Japan on Sunday morning (Japan time). If anyone has tips on quick jet lag recovery, I am always open to advice.

Another strange thought…my next post will be from Japan.