AC Remote and getting to Narita

Hey there! So, I'm going to do this blog for people coming to Japan, so if you're just my friends/fam keeping up with me on here, this will be dull as dirt, but I have some links I want to delete from favorites, so I'm going to put all the info up on here real quick.

Ok, one of the many battles I've fought since coming here, was trying to figure out how to switch my AC to a heater once the cold weather finally hit. Before, all I had to do was hit the yellow button to turn the AC on or off, but the heater, being the same machine, was a bit more tricky to figure out, so I got on the Internet and found these things, which correspond to the buttons on my remote. I'm just going to go ahead and post them here.
エアコン（eakon） = air conditioner
運転モード(unten mo-do) = operation mode
暖房(danbou) = heating
冷房(reibou) = cooling
送風(soufuu) = air blasting
風向(kazamuki) = wind direction
風量(kazeryou) = air volume
午前(gogo) = a.m.
午後(gozen) = p.m.
おやすみ(oyasumi) = [good] night
運転(unten) = on, operation
停止(teishi) = off, stop
切換(kirikae) = switching, change
設定(settei) = configuration, setting
取消(torikeshi) = cancel
自動(jidou) = automatic
予約(yoyaku) = reservation
タイマー(taima-) = timer
温度(ondo) = temperature
時計(tokei) = clock
入(iri) = on, in
切(kiri) = off
もどる(modoru) = [go] back
すすむ(susumu) = [go] ahead
微(bi) = faint, very weak
弱(jaku) = weak
強(kyou) = strong
パワフル(pawafuru) = powerful

As far as getting to Narita airport, there are various different ways you can go. Most people, I think, use the NEX (the Narita Express), which is a train, though despite the name, it goes to other stops and beyond Narita airport, and I've been told that getting on the wrong one can be tricky. You can reserve tickets at Midoriguchi, found in select stations, and can get on some stations, though Shinjuku is your best bet. The NEX website has timetables. I find this route too confusing, so I would suggest not using it. Another option is using the Limo Bus. There are various areas it picks up and drops off (Cerulean Tower and Marks City in Shibuya), but these aren't always regular. The two above mentioned run every half hour. The best way to get there, I've found, is by using the TCAT station. On the Hanzomon line (the purple line), ride the train to Suitengumae (水天宮前）. Once you get off, go all the way to the left exit and the signs will show you the way from there to the TCAT station (the signs have a plane on them). One you get to the 3rd floor, you'll see the counter and say 'Narita ma de' or probably just 'Narita' would work. From there it costs $29, which is the same as the NEX, and they have 3 stops: Terminal 2, Terminal 1 South and Terminal 1 North. If you're flying to America, you'll be in one of the Terminal 1 stops, but they are airline specific, so see whether it's north or south at Narita's website. Buses run every 10 min. at the TCAT station, starting at 6 am I think, and ending late. You give them your bags at the bus, and they give you a ticket, which you give back when you get off to get your stuff back. And that's it. Coming from the airport, you find a limo bus booth out of Immigration's exit and say where you want to get to and the ticket is $30 and you line up at your bus stop and get on. Anyway, hope that was helpful!

PS. Got the AC info from: http://onilx.wordpress.com/
This one's also good: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081204051933AAGh4Hy

Arrived!

Hello everyone! So, I made it! After an excruciatingly long flight, I made it! I’m going to cut out the blow-by-blow for you and just touch on the important bits of my journey. First of all, when you’re on the plane over, you need to grab the two sheets that the stewardesses are handing out. One is a customs form and one is an immigration form. When you head to baggage claim, you’ll turn one into the man at immigration (where you’ll give your index fingers’ print and a picture), and then once you get you luggage, you’ll turn in the other one to the customs lady.

I would suggest taking the limousine bus from the airport, as we did, because you do in fact, get to see all of Tokyo on the drive. We took the one to Shibuya and I got to see Tokyo Disney, the great Ferris Wheel, Tokyo Tower, Rainbow Bridge, Roppongi Hills, everything. You buy a ticket for this as soon as you come out of baggage claim, where Car Rental places are in American airports. It dropped us off at the Cerulean Hotel, and from there I believe you can walk to the Shibuya station, though we took a cab to the apartment. My family has given me my own separate apartment/room with a kitchen, washer and bath, and separately feeds me and hangs out with my in their house, which is the entire second floor of this apartment building. I got to see my host father’s shrine, where he works, and it was the most beautiful thing I’ve seen so far. I’ll be sure to get a pic soon. Also, the view from my balcony is breathtaking. You can see Tokyo Tower from my apartment. I met all but one of my host family, the younger son who was still at work at 10 when I came up to go to bed. The elder son is an English teacher and bears a strange resemblance to Nino from Arashi. I’d like to give you all instructions on how to do a collect call from here, but unfortunately, it took me, the son and the mother to figure it out, and I really was the least helpful of the bunch, so on that account, I’m sorry.

Day Two: Well it is midday on day two of my adventure. I had my older brother here help me out with the internet, another long and involved process that had him breaking out the packet of instructions, poor thing. At this point, I owe him my life. Also, my host mother showed me to the Supermarket, which was bustling with all manner of people. You had to dodge them, there were so many. My host mother made yakisoba for me for lunch, which I thought was awfully nice seeing as they aren’t obliged to feed me. I also had breakfast, which consisted of squid, onigiri (rice balls), coffee, a pastry with fresh cream and red beans inside, and a sort of corn chowder. It was all quite good, though I passed on the squid. That’s when I met the other son. He was young and smartly dressed and out of the door by 7:30. Other than that, I did meet with my homestay advisor today, from JTB. She was a very nice lady and we talked for about an hour, in Japanese, about this and that. We had coffee at this tiny, tiny, tiny place were most of the chairs were bean bags, the entrance door was just over half my height, and you had to walk down a flight of steep stairs. Kind of like a cave. I have pics. Anyway, so after that I came back and figured out (sort of), how to use the shower. Of course, you don’t bathe in the tub, you shower first and then soak, but I’m too tired to sit and bathe, so I opted for a shower and a lie down. Tomorrow I suppose I’ll brave the supermarket again, on my own this time. I have a few cup ramen and some tea, but I’ll need a little more I think. It looks quite cloudy today, and I’m thankful I brought an umbrella. Also, good to know, on bigger sidewalks, there is a yellow line running down the middle and you always want to walk on the left side of it, or else get run over by a biker. Now, I’d talk more, but I don’t want to gnaw your ear off. All my pictures are at my photobucket account, under the file 'First Few Days' : www.photobucket.com/celebgil05 .More tomorrow…