Friday's Adventures

Kolla and I had our last class on Friday together. It starts at 4:40pm, and we watched a movie that day. The movie was really interesting. It's called "Go" and is about 3rd and 4th generation Koreans being born and living in Japan. The perfect movie to start off our weekend of K-pop in Tokyo! The movie went over normal class time, so we didn't get out until about 6:45.

Next we decided to walk to Hirakata-shi station instead of spending money on a bus ride. We regretted that decision pretty soon, as we were almost run over by several buses! But we made it and caught our first train of the weekend to take us into Osaka. We got off at Kyodobashi station and switched to the JR line and took a train out to Sannomiya (Kobe area) where we would board our night bus. We thought we had to get off at Amagasaki station and switch trains again, but we quickly figured out that we could actually take the same train all the way to Sannomiya! We rode in a women's only car, which was a first for both of us. It was a very quiet car, and I don't know if that's because it was women only, or if it was because it was later in the evening.

We arrived in Sannomiya station with an hour to kill. We located the exit for the bus terminal, then grabbed some McDonald's for a quick and cheap meal, also because it was the closest resturant to the station and we didn't want to wander too far off. We got to the bus terminal at 9:40pm, ten minutes early for boarding, and 20 mins. before the bus left. However, we didn't see our destination listed on the board. We asked a woman working a snack counter and she said we were at the wrong bus terminal. She pointed us down the street.

We took of running, because by this time we should have been boarding the bus! We got to a corner and couldn't go straight anymore, because of some constrution. What to do now? Kolla asked a woman standing on the corner with us if she knew where we needed to go. Not only did she know where we needed to go, she ran with us to show us the way! We had a zigzag course across several crosswalks and maybe 4 or 5 city blocks. We got to the bus barely on time, and as we turned around from checking in, to thank this wonderful stranger, she was gone! I wish to say here what I couldn't say to her: You are a wonderful person, and I'm so thankful you were willing to not only tell us where to go, but run there with us. You didn't have to help us, we were complete strangers, but you did anyway, and it saved our weekend. Thank you so much!

So, thanks to our mystery woman, we made it on the bus about 2 mintues before it pulled out at 10pm. We had quite a lot of leg room, and seats that reclined, and curtains over the windows to block out any light. We talked for a bit and then traded off sleeping, trying to sleep, listening to music, and talking for the next eight hours. The bus made three rest stops on the way, one at midnight, one at 2:40am, and another at 5:30. I got off each time and used the restroom, even if I didn't really need to. My various travels have taught me to never pass up the chance at a restroom! I also appreciated the chances to walk around stretch my legs.

And that ends Friday.