Japan and Typhoons

Since we are on the subject of Japan and my life here, I might as well talk about the weather.

It's actually a bit late for the rainy season, but this year it's staying around a bit long. A few weeks ago we had a really large Typhoon, and I just found out that another one is due to hit tonight around 3am.

It's been pouring rain all day.

As I mentioned before, Japan trains are exactly always on time. That is unless you have a storm. Trains normally start slowing down or change to local service only, or stop completely during Heavy winds, Typhoon or Earthquakes. I take it that's a good thing, but it's annoying when 90% of the people use mass transit here.

When it rains the other 10% pile in. :)

Just tonight I decided to use the bus to get home from the station since it is raining so hard. They crammed over 100 people (literally) on this bus! I was twisted up in a knot while holding an umbrella, a 50 pound bag of work stuff and my iPhone (hey you gotta have entertainment while you travel!).

I felt a bit like I had been playing twister while the bus driver was say "Only 10 more people, please move to the back more." *PACKING DOWN GOOD* "Only 8 more people..." 3 mins of grumbling and groaning from others... Bus driver again: "3 more people have joined the line.. move back please 11 people need to get on.." WHAT!

Definitely felt like that Seinfeld episode where Julia freaks out on the Subway after it had stopped for an hour and just as the panic sets in, the lights go off! :D

Mass transit has it's brilliance and I truly love it, but during a storm it can become your nightmare. Once my friends called me to come pick them up in the car after an earthquake stopped their train for 4 hours. Imagine being locked in one of those sardine cans or 4 hours? :) Ya you got the picture. Except instead of the lights going off at the time of the panic, the air conditioner shuts off :)

Anyways.. back to the action. Tonight there will be a Typhoon.. thankfully though, this one looks to be more of just a heavy storm. Only 50kph winds *pffft* A normal Texas thunderstorm would eat this thing for breakfast.

Still, during the rainy season here it just seems to keep coming down heavy for a long time, in sheets for days, weeks, and then the panic sets in and the lights and a/c cut off :)