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A Matter of Trains

Now that all the really interesting school festivals and events and whatnot are over, I wonder if I'll have much of interest to post.
So I guess I'd like to talk about trains. In particular, trains as a second home, the same way our cars are often our second home. First of all, I have to say that I LOVE Japanese trains, even though they're usually packed (and really, in the scheme of things when you really need to go somewhere the train you want is always packed, so it makes no difference). The seats are super comfortable...they have actual, plush padding, and they have decent width so you're not constantly spilling over into someone else's personal bubble.  The most desirable seat, I've noticed, are the two end seats where there's a wall you can lean on. Because everyone, everyone (even standing people!) sleep on the trains. I'm always way to scared to do this, even in Chicago, because I have this paranoid fear I'll miss my stop. But the people here seem to have some internal sense of when they've arrived because they always wake up as soon as the conductor says "mamonaku (coming up) xyz, xyz desu") Just to illustrate how much people desire these seats, yesterday it was raining really hard so the floor of the train was pretty slick. This man--50s maybe--was rushing to get to the end seat before everyone else that he did a classic foot slip fly in the air and land on your back fall. But then got right up and got his seat. Yeah. Japanese intensity for you.

Japanese trains are a lot like what are cars can be to us: second homes. People sleep, watch stuff on their phones, talk with friends, relax, put on their makeup...the only thing they don't do, even though it's not expressly forbidden, is eat on the trains. Which is part of the reason they're so awesomely clean.

Haven't seen any perverts on the train yet, but I keep my eyes peeled and have my "spacial awareness" sensor on high at all times. But I still love those trains.

Comments

  1. heyy claire bear! its anikka, and im here checking out your blog and everything looks super cool! we miss you like crazy here, and i want you to come home to us <3 <3 i hope your having a great time and taking lots and lots of pictures for us!(: loveeyou! <3

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