Sunday, 12 February, 2006
Getting ready to leave
I'm getting ready to pack up and leave. I've been going through my pictures and making notes, trying to decide how much of my notes to post here. Last year I let a lot of experiences fade before I tried to write them down, and as a result I've forgotten some things. I'm trying to do a better job of it this time.
Last year I was fascinated by the way the Japanese had adapted by making smaller versions of things that we take for granted at home. I posted a few pictures last year in my May 11 entry.
Here's a little collage of a few little things I snapped pictures of. All three of the trucks are about the same size--comparable to a Chevy Suburban. The electric car, a Nissan Hypermini, is about as long as a big motorcycle--say a Honda Aspencade. Maybe a bit longer. The motorcycle is quite practical for Tokyo, but not so much in the U.S. At least, not in Austin. 110 cc engines in the U.S. are reserved for scooters and child's toys. Which is too bad. This little bike could probably do 50 MPH with a college student carrying his books in a backpack. But instead we go for huge cars and 1,000 cc motorbikes.
Click on any picture for a larger view.
It's a 9 hour trip across the Pacific to San Francisco. I leave at 5:00 PM on Sunday and arrive at 9:00 AM on Sunday. This time change stuff really messes with my head. We have a meeting scheduled with the other programmer in Oakland on Monday. Depending on my schedule and how badly the jet lag hits me, it might be a couple of days before I post again. I'll be back at home on Tuesday.