Greeting from paradise!

Hello everyone! Janelle convinced me to write something on our blog to let you know what we're up to these days, so here goes. We are currently on day 2 of our Koh Samui, Thailand trip. However, I should mention that this was preceded by 6 days in Khao Lak, Thailand, which was awesome! Khao Lak is just to the north of Phuket, and we were able to get some amazing beach days in at our really nice hotel. Janelle and I both agreed it was the nicest place we've ever stayed. While we were there we were a;so able to take a couple of days doing things like elephant rides through the national park nearby, an afternoon canoe trip, diving and snorkeling at the Similan Islands (just off the coast, one of the top 10 dive sites in the world!), and in between each of those, like I said, we were sure to make some time for hanging out at the beach and taking it easy. Right now we're at our first hotel in Koh Samui. Janelle and I are lounging on our balcony getting ready to see if we can find the nearest tiger zoo. Tomorrow we leave for our second hotel which we're really excited about, it looks even nicer than our first. Janelle really did a great job putting all of this together. Who knew that she'd be so good at spending our money ?? (I might get in trouble for that one) We'll be sure to let everyone know how our next hotel goes, be sure to check our pictures out on Facebook, the ones of our elephant trip were pretty cool! See ya!

Nick

Chippy HO!!!

Don't think I need to write a lot here...but NICK IS HOME!!! We got word late last week that homecoming would be taking place within 72 hours or up to two weeks. We just didn't have a definite date or time set...but we got the info later on this weekend (Sunday afternoon) that our guys would fly home on Tuesday (today!). Sooooo needless to say, I spent all day yesterday running around like CRAZY trying to get everything (that I thought I would have one more week to do)...done. It all worked out...and I am THRILLED that he is home safe and sound...after his anti-skid brakes failed during his flight home and he had to catch a wire on the runway in order to stop...
Regardless...he's home, he's napping...and I'm one happpy Chippy!

Love to everyone!
Love,
Janelle

Chippy HOmecoming  <--------------pictures here

Back from the Mountains :)

Hey gang,

I just got back tonight from a weekend in Hakuba, Japan. It is about an hour away from Nagano where the Winter Olympics were held in 1998. Great relaxing weekend, no snow there yet, so we did some sight seeing and enjoyed the colorful changing leaves. The ski jump from the Nagano Olympics was actually in Hakuba and we went there on Saturday. There were a bunch of ski jumpers there for practice and it was super cool to see.
I should really be heading to bed now...turns out our guys are headed back a little earlier than expected...everyone should receive a phone call from our favorite Chippy really soon.

Here are some pictures from my weekend. I can't wait until I have pictures from the weekend and Nick is actually in some of them!
Miss you all!
Please remember that our phone number changed! 631-237-5754...(Rita!!!)
Love,
Janelle
Hakuba Girls Weekend Pictures  <------------------- click this link for pictures. :)

October!

Sorry I haven't posted in a few weeks! October showed up and I have been keeping pretty busy each week and they've been flying by. I hope the next few continue that way and that homecoming will be right around the corner!
The month started out w/ a HUGE weekend of festivities for those of us with deployed husbands. The airwing had an "over the hump" of cruise celebration. On Friday, October 1st we had "Bad Girl Games". They call it Bad Girl, because the name of their Strike Fighter Ball/Hornet Ball/Fighter Fling is called Bad Man Ball...so when it's just us girls...it becomes Bad Girl Ball. Friday's games were centered around our crazy lives in Japan. We had scooter races, mental challenges that included converting a shopping list from USD to yen, converting a recipe from ounces and pounds to grams and liters. It was challenging and made for a good laugh as I'm sure you can imagine. I competed in the "Walk of Shame"...you're proud...I know. I had to put on a pair of high heeled shoes, and walk from the fields where we were to the other side of base to the Child Care Center carrying a glass of red wine that had to be full and if it spilled too much, I would've been disqualified. Once arriving at the Child Care Center, I ditched the wine and the heels and tossed on my sneakers and picked up a baby doll that I had to then race back to the fields and cross the finish line. I came in 4th place....they gave out points for 1st-3rd place. Nice. Oh well. All in all, it was a great time. Tons of laughs. Saturday night was the Bad Girl Ball. Each squadron had chosen a theme for the night. Ours was super heros. It was hilarious. We all had a great time. Other squadron themes were Austin Powers, Ballywood, Grease, Slumber Party, Stepford Wives and Roller Derby. Everyone had a great time, it was an awesome way for us wives to celebrate being waaay more than 1/2 way over with the deployment. It's always fun to be with other people who know exactly what you're feeling...because we're all in the same boat...with our husbands literally on the same boat. :) You can see pictures of the games and ball on the underlined link below...don't judge. :)
 Bad Girl Ball  View pictures of the NAF Atsugi Bad Girl Ball - our "over the hump" celebration.

On Tuesday, October 4th members of the AOSA (Atsugi Officers Spouses Association) were invited to Admiral Sato's house (Admiral Sato is the head of JMSDF - our joint Japanese part of NAF Atsugi). Mrs. Sato and her friends taught us how to make gyoza and sushi. Both were amazing! We had a great time and the women seem to love sharing their joy of cooking with us all. They love trying out their English and everyone always has a great time when we're together. Our next meeting is October 21st and we're teaching them how to make a Thanksgiving Day feast! I'm in charge of the corn bread pudding! You can see pictures of our cooking class luncheon on the underlined link below. :)

Cooking Club Pictures View pictures of my latest cooking club lesson - gyoza and sushi.

Last week on Thursday, I also went to my very first golf lesson. It was quiet an eye opener...I have to be honest...I thought golf was an "easy" sport that you just swing away and the ball magically flies into the air and lands somewhere on grass near the hole. Not so much. My hour lesson left me with a blister and a sore back...but it also left me interested in enough to go back again this Thursday for lesson number two! I'll keep you posted!

My latest adventure was yesterday when my friend Tracy and I went to Enoshima Island. A very small island (4km circumference) off the coast of Japan (very close...it's connected by a bridge that you can walk over). It was the most beautiful day. About 80 degrees and sunny. The island is full of history and therefore full of beautiful shrines and overlooks out onto the Pacific Ocean on one side and the bay on the other side. I will definitely be taking Nick back there, no question. We were able to just walk all over the island from one side around to the other side, up the hill in the center of the island, go in caves and walk to the marina afterwards. It was the greatest day! From our house in Zama, it's a super easy train ride away. There is a black sand beach (and it's the closest beach to us) I loved the smell of the salty air as soon as I walked off the train. Definitely a high point of being here in Japan so far and I can't wait to go again and take Nick. When the weather cools off and it's not so humid and hazy, you can see Mt. Fuji across the bay. I hope it's that kind of day when we get to go again. 

Enoshima Island  View pictures of my day trip to Enoshima Island.

I hope everyone back home is having an excellent month as well. I know there are a few celebrations this month. Chris and Dez's anniversary on the 8th and Dad Hampton's birthday on the 25th. I just got a surprise phone call from Nick about 30 minutes ago and he's doing really well. They're still flying a lot which keeps them busy and keeps him happy. He's ready to come home, but at least he's enjoying the flying! Shortly after he gets home, we're taking a trip to Thailand for 13 days! We're both really, really excited and are looking forward to a nice, well deserved vacation (for him)...my whole life is pretty much a vacation at this point. :) I'm not complaining!

And oh yeah BIG NEWS! WE'RE COMING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS!!!!!! We'll be headed back to the states sometime in December. Nick's squadron is sending them to Lemoore to start the transition....we're looking into how we're going to get me back to the states as well...haven't quite gotten there yet...BUT we do have tickets headed to Long Island on December 22nd! We'll do Christmas on the island and head up to see the Hampton's most likely on the 25th evening or 26th. Nick will have a descent break and we'll be able to see everyone for at least a few days. I'll be hanging around the NY area (with maybe a little trip down to VB if I can swing it) until early February! :) So so excited!

I miss you all and can't wait to be on the same time zone in just a few months! :) Oh yeah... our phone number changed. Magic Jack died on me...so we now have Vonage. Our home phone number is 631-237-5754 Call me any time!!!
Love,
Janelle

Our "Home" Away from Home

The weather has really started to cool off over the last week and we've had a few really nice days with blue skies and puffy white clouds. So on Sunday afternoon I decided to talk a stroll around our neighborhood to check it out. While the houses are ridiculously close together (I saw two neighbors talking to each other from their 2nd story windows and they could have literally passed something to each other because they were so close), there are some that are really beautiful. I've really started to figure my way around (driving and walking) and I'm enjoying exploring our new area.
Last night, while I was sleeping, I woke up because the house was shaking. It didn't take too long to realize it was an earthquake, and I actually said outloud "Oh, it's an earthquake" even though there isn't anyone hear to confirm it for me! I wasn't scared at all (I know, I know... you don't believe me) but it was 2:55am and by the time I woke up and realized what it was...it was over. I looked it up (you can too!) on the US Geological Association's website and it was a 4.9 magnitude about 30km outside of Tokyo. I was super impressed with myself for 1. not freaking out (I didn't even get out of bed) and 2. recognizing what it was. Though...it must not have been too impressive to anyone else...no one else here even noticed it. Everyone slept right through it!
I started teaching English tonight! It was my first class...and it was just like the first day of school. I was really prepared and organized...but of course, still nervous. All went well though...the class was actually 3 separate classes. My first class from 4-5pm is 3rd graders. Second class 5-6pm is 5th graders and the last class from 6-7pm is two 8th grade girls. I teach grammar (yikes) and conversational skills. There is another Japanese woman there (this is a business she runs out of our house) who speaks English and she co-teaches with me. I really enjoyed it. I made 12,000 yen for the class (with the exchange rate today it is about $142USD). Not too shabby for 3 hours of minimal work. I brought the kids Fruit Roll Ups from the commissary and the teachers asked if I had a few extra for them! They loved it. I think the Keebler M&M cookies I have for next week are going to blow their minds...
I've also been working into the wee hours of the night planning our next BIG trip. You know Nick and I usually take a long vacation once a year...in recent years we've gone to Europe and Hawaii...well...when in Asia...do as the Asian's do (or the ex-Pats living in Asia)...and head to Thailand! We're headed there for two weeks in November once Nick gets home from deployment. We will be headed to Khao lak a quiet beach area just south of Phuket (less touristy than Phuket) for one week. I was able to get us an amazing deal by getting us the military/govt. rate for a suite for the week!!! After that we head to Koh Samui for our 2nd week. There, we're staying at the Sandalwood Luxury Villas! I know...just the name makes me sound spoiled...just wait until you see pictures of this place... It was rated as the #1 hotel on TripAdvisor for Koh Samui...and we're reeeeally excited for that one.
I hope everyone is continuing to do well over there. I of course miss you all and hope to hear from you soon. Our MagicJack broke :( ...it still works through the computer...but I can't use the phone with it anymore for some reason...so I might look into a Vonage line...or try to figure out how to fix it (though I already tried once w/ MagicJack live help...no luck). I'll keep you posted though.

Miss you!
Love,
Janelle
Here are the pictures of my walk around our neighborhood. Zama City, Japan http://gallery.me.com/nickjanellehampton#100163

Yokohama - 2nd largest city in Japan and SO MUCH FUN!

One of the more unique things about being a military family is the influx of people at certain times and the sad times when friends leave for their next duty station when you aren't quite ready for them to go (or you're the ones leaving...and you aren't quite ready to go either). This past weekend eight of us went out to say "good bye" to our friend Tori. It was my first time in Yokohama (which as you can tell from the title, is the 2nd largest city in Japan). We started with a dinner and drinks boat cruise from 6-8pm. Then we headed to the amusement park nearby called the Wonder Amuse Zone (we called that Engrish) and rode the Vanishing Roller Coaster (it was 700 yen or about 10USD for about 30 seconds of riding). Fun though! Afterwards we headed to a bar area called Red Brick Warehouse and went to Beer Next. We had snacks and a few drinks and decided to head back on the train to Zama (it's about a 40 minute trip w/ a few transfers). When we got back to Zama, one of the girls had a "great" idea to head to a karaoke bar called All Bar for some late night karaoke. Here, in karaoke bars, you get a private room and you pay by the hour. 1000 yen (or about $14USD) and it's all you can drink for the time you are there...singing. We were there for two hours...and believe it or not...I didn't even drink. I was so tired! Thankfully, it is very much walking distance to our house. My friend Jen (who lives across the street from us) and I walked home. It was a great time and I got a "frequent singer card" at the karaoke place so I'll get 5% off every time I go! :) Very exciting! Here are some pictures from our night out! Click here ------> Yokohama Pictures for Tori's Farewell

We've hit the 6 week countdown!!!!!!!!! I'm beyond excited to show off our house to Nick. The last time he saw it, it had temporary furniture and nothing of our own. :) We're planning a BIG trip to Thailand for when he gets home. We're both really excited about that!

I love you and miss you all very much.
Love,
Janelle

Cooking My Way Though Japan!

As part of the AOSA (Atsugi Officer's Spouse Association) I have the opportunity to join in once a month in a cooking club with local Japanese women. They rotate every other month (one month we cook for them and teach them how to make an "American style" meal and the following month they cook for us and teach us a Japanese style meal). This month, it was their turn. So we learned how to make Bento Boxes, which are basically their "lunch box" that they send with their children to school. They were VERY involved and a lot of it was based around the art and how "cute" they could make it. It was an awesome experience and I'm really looking forward to next month when we get to teach them how to make a Thanksgiving feast! (We're doing it in October because November will be their turn. :))
Here are some pictures from the day.
Cooking Club at the Zama Community Center Pictures     <----------click here

Manila and Tokyo...but more Tokyo than Manila...

Sooooo if you ever come across someone who says that Manila, Philippines is a nice place...1. they're lying to you... or 2. they work for the board of tourism for the Philippines. Actually...they're most likely a liar, because there isn't a board or tourism for Manila. So there you go.
I was in Manila for a few days when Nick's ship pulled in. We basically stayed around the hotel area because the surrounding areas weren't so nice. We spent some time in a mall that was close by...and went to dinner in a few places but the taxi ride to get to the restaurants in the other part of the city (while only $1USD) weren't for the faint of heart. So we only did that twice.
It was of course so great to see Nick. We went to the pool, hung out with his fellow squadron members and just enjoying being together. Unfortunately, the internet at the hotel wasn't great. It took forever for pages to load and neither Skype or MagicJack worked while we were there, so we didn't get to call anyone. :( Sorry about that one. Hopefully his next port will be better and he'll be able to call home.
The boat pulled out the night before I left so I had to take a taxi to the airport on Wednesday morning...it was interesting...and to make a long story short...I was sweating it big time. Mind you, the first time I took a taxi by myself in my life...was in Singapore three weeks ago. I'm a scaredy cat and you all know it...so this was no different. Other than, I had no choice, I needed to get to the airport on time so I had to get over it. To make a long story short (which I am not good doing...ever) I was told by our hotel front desk that in addition to the 300 pesos cab fare, there would also be an additional "international terminal tax" of 750 pesos to get to the international terminal. I had 500 pesos on me. So, I walked to the ATM (scary) before getting in the cab and heading to the airport. When we got to the airport it was CHAOS. There were lines and lines of people wrapped around the building, people shouting. I expected to see random chickens and roosters roaming the parking lot. Security was everywhere. Mr. Filipino Cabby asks me "How much you pay?" I asked him "How much on the meter?" No meter. Of course not. He started asking over and over, "How much you pay? How much you pay?" Security came to the window telling him he had to leave and he could not be parked there any longer. So I panic. I calculate in my head "Ok, 300 pesos + 750 pesos for international terminal..." and I toss the guy 1,060 pesos because I didn't have a 10 I only had it in 20's. He looks at me like I'm crazy and I panic again. I toss him my last 20 pesos because I think he's about to flip out on me for not tipping him. I grab my bag and haul it to the chaotic "line" that is outside the building. A security officer must have seen my face because he ushered me to a shorter "line" that led me inside to the airline counters. I checked in with Japan Airlines, checked my bag and was off to go through customs and immigration. Before that, I turn the corner...and walk straight towards the sign that reads  "INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL TAX GATE 750 PESOS OR $16.00USD"....and I think to myself....ARE YOU KIDDING ME?????? NO WONDER WHY THAT CABBY JUST LOOKED AT ME LIKE I WAS CRAZY! I just paid him almost $30 for a $3 cab ride. Not only that...but I'd just spent my last pesos on it. So I went to the ATM, my card is rejected...in all three ATM's in the terminal. Soooooooo I empty my wallet...$4USD and plenty of Yen. THANK GOD! I went to the currency exchange counter and while I get screwed with the exchange rate, I get enough to pay the darn international terminal tax...for real this time. I felt like a complete moron, but I made it on the flight and "home" to Zama w/out any other issues. Will I ever go back to Manila if the boat pulls in there again? Not likely. Oh well. We live (and travel) and learn. :)
This past weekend I went into Tokyo for the first time. I went with 5 other girls (four of which live in Zama within walking distance of our place). We went to the New Sanno Hotel http://www.thenewsanno.com/. It's a hotel that is designed (and caters to) military personnel and their families. We had a blast. Saturday night there was an End of Summer Celebration Escoffier Dinner it was an 8 course wine pairing dinner.  We really had a great time. Afterwards we went to a rooftop bar called Two Rooms. One room outside, one inside. We hung out outside. I met a bunch of people who work at the Apple Store in Shibuya (in Tokyo). It was a really fun night. We came home yesterday (Sunday) afternoon and I took a two hour nap....all in all, a great weekend! 
Today I went to class with a friend of mine because I'll be taking over this class in two weeks to start teaching English! My friend is headed back to the states because their tour here is over, so I'm picking up where she left off. The pay is 12,000 yen so about $130 USD give or take. I really liked it a lot. It is one small group of 4 3rd graders during the first hour, one group of 5 5th graders in the 2nd hour and the last class is 2 8th grade girls. All of them know a lot of English already and their Japanese teacher is there with them and she speaks English very well, so it's a great set up. I'm also taking over a conversational English student starting next week. She is a 20 year old fashion student at a college in Tokyo. She just wants to keep up with her English conversational skills and you all know I LOVE to talk...so it should be a match made in heaven. PS...we're meeting in Starbucks...ummm....how perfect is that?!? That one pays 4,000 yen, so about $45 USD or so based on the yen rate for the day. Regardless, I'm PUMPED to get to teach again and super excited to get out there and meet people! (Not to mention having some spending money!). :) 
Nick is getting back into the swing of things on the boat (or so he says). I'm still working on getting the house all set up - I only have to put things up on the walls and then it's DONE! I'll post pictures as soon as I am completely done. 
I hope all is well and everyone is having a great week so far back home. We do miss you all very, very much. Keep the e-mails (and mail) coming! We received a really sweet card from Patrick and Emma Walsh - LOVE IT! It's on our fridge. :) I love getting mail! I've gotten packages from my mom and my sister too! It makes being away from home (and Target and Trader Joe's) a little easier. :) 
Write soon and call often! I love you all! I'm attaching a link to a couple of pictures from Tokyo. (We only took one picture in Manila, in our hotel and I look tired...so it's a non-postable picture. Sorry! )
Love,
Janelle              First Tokyo Trip Pictures- The New Sanno September 11, 2010   <-------- (click here)

Moving in...and driving!!!

Hey everyone. :) I moved the rest of my stuff into our place this weekend. I slept at our Zama house and started making a dent in the unpacking. It's a small dent, but every little bit helps! I looooooved sleeping in our bed again! You don't know how much you miss your bed until you're not sleeping in it for months. It is great to see our stuff in our house. I'm still working on getting the pieces we need in order to make our lack of storage a non-issue. It's a work in progress. :)

It looks like chaos now...but you just wait...give me a few weeks. 

I'm getting our car tomorrow...I can't buy it just yet, but the girl I'm buying it from is letting me borrow it until we can make the purchase. Soooo I'll be driving off base tomorrow. I promise to be safe...but wish me luck! :)
I love you and miss you all!

Great weekend - Mt. Fuji and other fun tidbits...

Hey everyone! I figured enough has gone on for me to update the masses on life on the other side of the world.

Last week I took the mandatory driving class here on base for all new arrivals. It was an informative class where they went over road signs and driving rules. We spent the day learning all about driving in Japan...without actually ever having driven. 

On Thursday....OUR STUFF WAS DELIVERED!!!! Everything from furniture to plates and pots and pans! I was there for 12 hours 7-7 and I was able to do a ton of unpacking. Not even close to being done at all...but it's a start! I'm not living there yet because I don't have my car or my driver's license...details, details. 

I'm currently in a week long class called AOB/ICR.  AOB stands for something about procedures "On Base"...the ICR (which starts tomorrow) is Intercultural Relations and it's 4 days of getting used to living in Japan. We'll learn a few words to help us get around, maps of the surrounding area and the train system. We have a "fieldtrip" at the end of the week where we take a train as a class, and we have to find our way around without help. I plan on cheating... :) 

Anywho...last Friday was also my "Hail" which is a dinner with the other squadron wives. We went to a place called Hama Fu-Fu which is a Shabu Shabu restaurant where you cook your own food. It was all you can eat and AMAZINGLY good. I LOVED IT! I can't wait to take Nick there when he gets back...totally right up his alley. 

I had also gotten a call on Friday afternoon that there was one spot open for the Mt. Fuji climb on Saturday morning. I had been #9 on the waiting list so I thought my chances were slim, but I totally lucked out! It was AWESOME. Soooooo ridiculously hard, but such a great experience. There is an old saying "He who climbs Mt. Fuji once is a brave soul. He who climbs Mt. Fuji twice is a fool." Needless to say...once is enough for me. The climb to the summit was 12, 395ft and 6 hours. The descent was 3.5 hours and WAY more painful than the climb up. It. was. torture. There is a rumor here that says if you don't climb Mt. Fuji while you're stationed here...you are destined to return...so you better believe I got that check in the block! :) 

I'm attaching the link to the album which will show you all of our Mt. Fuji pictures. I climbed w/ my friend Ashley who I'm staying with. Her husband was also in 213 (the Blacklions) when Nick was in it as well. Overall, a great day and an amazing experience. I hope you enjoy the pictures! 

I of course, still miss everyone SO much! I'm having a great time so far learning my way around and trying different foods. 

I love you all very much!

Love,

Janelle

Mt. Fuji Climb Pictures - http://gallery.me.com/nickjanellehampton#100131

Back to reality...or at least the Atsugi version of it...

 So here I am back in Atsugi after spending five great days with Nick in Singapore. The boat has since pulled out and they're headed to do whatever it is they do out there. We had a great time! Attached is a link to the Mobile Me album I made of our trip.

Coming up this week is the delivery of the rest of our household goods to our new house in Zama! Our furniture and all of our boxes will be delivered (and unpacked) on Thursday from 8:00am-5:00pm! I have my driving class on Wednesday and I'll hopefully pass the test in the afternoon to earn my driver's license, which I don't think I actually get until I complete the other mandatory classes next Friday. 

Hope all is well with everyone back home! We miss you guys!

Love,

Janelle (and Nick too)

Singapore

I headed to Singapore on Tuesday night in order to meet Nick the ship pulled in yesterday. After four and a half months of being apart we had a great reunion and a great day of shopping and going to lunch and dinner. 

We slept late this morning (well....Nick slept late, I was wide awake at 7:00am) and headed to a beach park about 20 minutes away. We rented bikes and headed to Ski 360 this pretty neat cable-pulled wakeboarding park. I was a lot more confident in my wakeboarding skills before I actually tried it. Totally different than being pulled behind a boat. It was more of a "yanked out of the water" type start, rather than the gradual pull we were used to. All in all, great day and tons of fun. 

All is well here. We're having a great time! I'll try to post more either later this week or when I return to Atsugi. :) 

Love,

Right when Nick got to the hotel.

Us at our hotel pool.

View of East Coast Beach from our bike ride. There were TONS of ships in the water.

Us at Ski 360 :)

Chippy Ho!

Here is a picture of Nick's squadron on cruise. I just got this tonight. :) Enjoy! Can you find him?!

I'll give you a hint...front row...third flight suit from the left! 

Both Hamptons are on the same time zone!

So I figured that since not everyone on Facebook might not want to see every single picture of every single thing we do over here...I should start a blog. That way...those of you who ARE interested in every single thing we do over here, can read all about it! So here goes!

I arrived safe and sound after a 29 hour trip last week, besides the length (and completely missing August 3rd, 2010) it was uneventful and really, not too bad. I left from LGA on Monday afternoon (August 2nd) after a nice American breakfast at Maureen's with Dad, Gerilynn and Mom. Then off to the airport! My flight for O'hare left LGA 15 minutes early (may have had something to do with that fact that Christopher was working that morning) :) which meant that I had plenty of time to get to my short connection to Seattle. I made it with plenty of time! The O'hare to Seattle flight was fine. In Seattle I had to go to baggage, get my two suitcases (which btw weighed a combined weight of 105lbs - which I found out when I checked for my MAC flight) and wait in line to check in for the AMC (or MAC) flight to the far east. I arrived at 5:30pm and the check-in process didn't start until 7:30pm (mind you...this is 8:30pm east coast time...and I was STARVING). The check-in opened and I was all set. I really wanted to go with the window seat, but I was afraid that the fact that I usually have to use the bathroom a million times during a car ride...a 14 hour plane ride would be no different...so the aisle seat was the way to go for me. I was able to get something to eat once I checked my bags and got through security. We boarded at 12:45am. We flew on an Iceland Air jet, though on the little bibs on each seat it was called "North American Airlines". The flight crew and flight attendants were all civilian. The plane was FREEZING and I was very happy that at the last minute I sprung for the $15 fleece blanket that just looked so soft in the Hudson News stand before I boarded. One of the best purchases I've ever made. I slept for about 30 minutes and woke up to eat the free turkey and cheese lunchbox that came w/ turkey and cheese sandwich, cheese and crackers, an orange, a Snickers bar AND a cookie! I've learned to never pass up a free meal! Our first leg was to Anchorage, Alaska where we would stop to refuel. Everyone had to get off of the plane and we sat in an old part of the airport (it was 5:00am in the morning). I parked it near an outlet and they had free wifi, so I was set. I was actually able to Skype with my mom and e-mail back and forth with my sister as she got ready for work. We were there for 3 hours (were only supposed to be there for 1.5) due to some weather over the Pacific Ocean on our route. Once we boarded they announced "Next stop, Yokota Air Station, Japan 7hours 29 minutes" and I was STOKED! I curled up, put in my ear plugs and my eye mask (that reads "sweet dreams" :) ) and passed out for about 6 hours... Actually, that's in correct, I went to sleep...but about two hours later, they came around w/ drinks and a snack of pretzels and trail mix. (You know I woke up for that too...). Then I slept again...Wouldn't you know it...2 hours later they woke us up for breakfast...yup, french toast, a croissant w/ jelly, yogurt and an apple (seriously, they know how to feed their customers). I went back to sleep after that knowing that we only had about 1.5 hours left...only...an hour later...they were handing out hot towels and another turkey and cheese lunch box! Need you ask if I ate it? I only ate the sandwich though...I still have the Snickers bar and I had to turn in the cookie and the apple to customs when I arrived. No incoming food that wasn't prepackaged. So all in all, the flight (29 hours from the time I left my family in LGA to the time I was in my friend Ashley's car at Yokota and I missed Tuesday since I left Monday afternoon and arrived Wednesday morning) wasn't too awful....and here I am.
I'm attaching the pictures of my trip to Atsugi after Ashley picked me up. Some of you have seen them on Facebook.
No promises on how often I'll make posts (I have friends (who will remain nameless) living overseas who promise to update weekly...and here I am waiting...for the updated posts months later!!!) but I'll do my best. It would be great to get Nick on board and post every so often...but as you can see from the lack of his mass e-mails (which I often have to beg him to send to update everyone) that may and will most likely never happen. So you're stuck with me!
I miss you all...and Target very much. With love from the land of the rising sun (which btw....rises at 4:30am EVERY MORNING)...

- Janelle

Naval Air Facility Atsugi  - it is a join base for both Japanese and American squadrons. 

Japanese police cars look like taxis to me...this may cause a problem in the future.

Hmmmm....I wonder what fast food chain this is...

On the drive from Yokota to Atsugi

Japanese treats from the fellow Chippy wives. I had the iced coffee...it's no Starbucks, but it'll get the job done.