Leaving Japan

The next morning we were up early but had some time to kill before we had to be at the airport.  We stopped in at a little cafe for breakfast, the kind where they have the one menu choice set outside for you to see.  We went in and the waiter didn't even wait for us to speak Japanese, he started speaking to us in English (although he wasn't fluent).  He asked us if we wanted coffee or tea.  When I said water, he very firmly said, "no!"  I was taken aback at the tone and abruptness, although Emily and I had a good laugh about it later.
 I got my water (along with tea), so Emily and I think that coffee/tea is included in the price of the meal, but he didn't have the English vocabulary to explain it to us.

The food was really good, but there was a guy smoking not too far from us, and by the time we left the cafe, I had a headache and reeked of smoke.  

We made it to the Narita airport and as we were waiting to get through customs, there was a sister missionary in front of us in line.  She was on her way home (going solo--not sure where her companion was) to the United States.  We chatted with her for a few minutes before going on our way.

Once through customs, Emily and I headed to our gate, only to discover that our flight to Amsterdam was delayed--indefinitely!  What?  There was some mechanical error that seemed to take forever for them to fix.  We were given updates in 30 minute increments, and we never knew exactly when we were going to board our plane, so we stayed close to our terminal. 

We went on a hunt for a treat that grandma really likes (only found in Japan) but we couldn't find it.  Other than that, we passed the time chatting and writing.

My sojourn in Japan was a whirlwind adventure.  I was able to do and see so much in such a short time, but I barely even scratched the surface of that beautiful country.  I would very much love to go back and be able to see more.  I definitely fell in love (well, even more so--I have always had a soft spot for Japan) with the country and her people.  I would also like to visit where Emily spent the last couple of years.  Due to distance and time constraints, we didn't go that far north, but it just gives me a reason to go back!