November 26, 2010 - Hello Tokyo!

12 long flight hours later and we've arrived in Tokyo!  Flight was uneventful and I actually go to watch two movies - Salt (don't judge me, I like Angelina Jolie) and The Kids are Alright with Annette Benning and Julianne Moore.  I actually didn't hate either although would only truly recommend The Kids are Alright.  I digress.

We land and 8 suitcases and 3 carry ons later, we are loaded into 2 awaiting corporate cars by drivers wearing white gloves and speaking no English and driven to our new apartment in Hiroo.  Upon arrival we are greeted by our relocation guru - Katayama-san who has helped us find the apartment, and has arranged for "survival kit" furniture and utensils for us prior to our air and sea shipments arriving.  He has also arranged for the security system tech, the cable tv and internet tech and assorted others to visit us on and off throughout Friday afternoon and Saturday morning.  Through my jetlagged haze, I semi comprehend how to work the security system, intercom, television and lighting systems in our apartment.  In reality, I just start flipping switches on and off to see what works and hope I don't set off an alarm.

This apartment is huge - approx. 2700 square feet.  4 bedrooms, family room and a maids room.  I must post a photo as this maids room is in reality a closet with it's own bathroom.  How anyone can be expected to live in there is beyond me.  Our air shipment (mostly clothes) will arrive in 7-10 days and our sea shipment will take 6 weeks.  In the interim, we have: 1 couch, 1 coffee table, 1 tv, 2 beds, 3 nightstands, a desk, a chair, a dining room table and 4 chairs and serving ware/cutlery for 4.  Oh and an iron/ironing board.  This is our "survival kit". It's much like camping.  G is obsessed with the dishwasher and parking his matchbox cars in various cupboards and/or appliances.  I know this will come back to bite me in the a** eventually, but it keeps him occupied for now.

Oh what a glamorous life I lead.  (very tongue in cheek)