On this trip, one thing was on our mind all the way. That was about the coming huge typhoon. We all moved to Tokyo eastbound from the western part of Japan by bullet train or plane. To tell the truth, the typhoon was following us. We hoped that the typhoon would catch up with us and go far away while we were asleep in the hotel. However, there was no indication that there would be a storm that Saturday night. Today's weather was fine and far from gusty. On the returning bullet train for Tokyo, I knew that we might be meeting the typhoon in Tokyo. The Western region's public transportation system came to a standstill one after another. We parted at Tokyo station. One had a ticket for the last flight to Okayama and would drop in at his daughter's house. One would utilize the bullet train to the western end of Honshu after seeing the outside of the Tokyo station, which was newly renovated, and others, including me, headed straight for Haneda Airport. Only one would reach his house as scheduled. The bullet train was stranded for a few hours. A friend from Okayama and I had to stay overnight.
Why only two without three? I was taken to Seoul due to the storm at Narita International Airport when I came back from Vancouver in April. I was held up in Toronto in August by the storm again, and this was the third time this year. I hope that it will be the last time to be stranded associated with flights.
However, I'd like to add one thing. I rarely waste the opportunities. I called an old friend and saw him after an interval of a decade, and I met his wife for the first time. I have written about him in this blog several times. In the heavy rain and wind, we enjoyed nice dishes and wines. In spite of the typhoon, the restaurant was crowded. I'll post a picture for you to feel the happy atmosphere in the restaurant and the link to my friend's picture. Two years later, I'm sure that they will appear in my blog again with lots of pictures of Canada. They also love snow. We decided to get together and go skiing or snowboarding at Whistler.
http://kumo.typepad.jp/weblog/2008/11/seeing-after-se.html
(Vocabulary)
It never rains but it pours.〔【直訳】降れば必ず土砂降り。◆ことわざ〕 二度あることは三度ある。
Why only two without three? 二度あることは三度ある
indication (ある事の) しるし, 表れ, 兆候
gusty 〈風が〉 吹きすさぶ
Comments