Moving on Up

We have found an apartment and are beginning to move in this weekend. It is exciting to have our own place, but now the reality of having to move is setting in. Do not ever take having a car for granted. It is amazing how hard it is to purchase two 21"x21" end tables when you have to transport them over an hour back to your house by train! Probably not the best idea, and even worse to try at rush hour, but we made it and leaned an important lesson of what to never do again. Funny that my first trip to Ikea was in Tokyo. Apparently cheap Scandinavian furniture appeals to everyone. We went to look for a bed, but after spending $20 to get there and back we had to buy something. I am very excited about my "Fixa" tool kit. It has a hammer, screw driver, wrench, and wire cutter. I think that makes me a professional repair man in Tokyo. As you can see our place is pretty small, but it is a great deal. We got it through a friend of Aya's dad so we are paying about 60% of fair market rent. Add to that the fact that we do not have to pay him any deposit, any "gift" for the right to rent his apartment, and no real estate agent fees, and we are also saving over 7K before we ever step foot into the apartment. It is located in Minamikugahara (south Kugahara) in the Ota ward of Tokyo. It will be about a 15 minute train ride to work which is a very short ride by Tokyo standards. We are happy to be moving but will miss the hospitality (and home cooking) of the Miyakoda's. I am pretty sure they are planning a party though. They will finally have enough food to eat, and Aya's dads beer will stop disappearing so quickly.

Based on the move this will likley be the last post for a few weeks. Our telephone and internet service will not be set up until towards the end of February. We will still have access to internet at work, so we will not be awol. Hopefully, the time off will give me some time to think of good posts, and gather pictures. I will gladly take some requests in the comments section for when I get "back to work."

See you soon.