Well, I'm here. The flight wasn't bad. I got an aisle seat by an emergency exit, so I had lots of leg room. Although I had to sit next to this big Latino kid who was oozing over into my seat. We had a dismal, boring stop in Anchorage for a couple of hours. Lots of taxidermied animals who'd been got at by moths staring at us and not much else. It is also the home of $7 12oz bottles of water. (I went thirsty on principle). An Ambien later, and the time machine had me arriving in Japan. AMC at Yokota has probably the worst-run customs operation I've come across. Happily, the Marines from Camp Fuji were there on time and we got here without mishap.
In an hour I have to go "have a beer" with the Base CO. He seems like a really good guy, but I'm really not in the mood. I warned him I might fall asleep with my face in the peanuts. Check-in has gone pretty well so far. Everyone seems motivated to help. One of the reasons why is that they managed to seriously F*&% up the CO's travel claim, etc, and so he's on the warpath. He told me I'm a test case... On the plus side, I pulled off a real coup today. I took the test and got my USFJ driving license! I just asked a random question about cars, and it turns out the Fujiites do their own licensing. Two hours later I was street legal. Muah HaHaHaaaah! I also am taking my wife's advice and staying longer here at Camp Fuji. I can't stand the thought of leaving the serenity of Fuji-san and galloping downhill to the bedlam of the city tomorrow. I'll go Friday. The weather's about 75 degrees here, but humid. Tomorrow, I want to go for a run through the pine trees. The place has changed quite a bit. There has been a lot of new construction. I kind of miss the older, less developed Camp with it's run-down charm. I told one of the Marines that I had first come here in August 1992. I might as well of told him I was one of the guys who rowed George Washington over the Delaware. 'Scuse me while I put my teeth in soak... Anyway, I had better dig my glad rags out...
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