Monday, April 13, 2009

A not so successful tour book day...

I figure I better tell my side of this story first before it turns into and unflattering tale by Adrienne :) Before I begin I'm sharing yet another of Adrienne's "gangsta" pictures...she seems to be going through some sort of phase...
Back to the tale....Saturday was a beautiful day to head south - we had Monkey bread thanks to the biscuits Kevin bought when he was here and then got in the car with the plan of going to Kokosai Street (tourist trap shopping) having lunch at Charlie's Tacos, going to the glass factory (most likely for the last time) and ending the day with an infamous historical walk which was to include a quick stop at a rice paddy before we went to some castle ruins...yea, sometimes the best laid plans go awry! We had a wonderful time wandering on Kokosai Street, had yummy tacos, and got a few more gifts at the glass factory and just when I had announced that I had everything I wanted my lamp called out to me...I had looked for a lamp and hadn't found one and was ok with that...but then we found each other and bonded instantly...went to pay for it and it was even on sale!! Sigh...yes, I have one entire suitcase devoted to glass I believe and I'm just fine with it! We set off for in search of our historical walk - with a small detour to the Peace Park...just the outside - who can pass up the view?????


Onward we go to the rice paddy! I'm carefully following the map - I read the instructions aloud and we're all looking for a sign or the landmarks given...we realize we're to far, turn around and see a sign!

We turn and then I'm looking for the white post - no white post....driving along and it says to veer left and then drive on a dirt road...perhaps it's this way!
NO - it is NOT this way and Adrienne had to do a million point turn to get out...I'm laughing hysterically and she is not mad...we're doing well so far :)
We turn around and go back out and turn into a parking lot and I decide to go ask some people if they know where I'm supposed to be going....OH MY....there is MUCH discussing, then there is some gesturing, and pointing, and then a phone call, another car arrives and the tour book is handed to this man in the car, more gesturing, and pointing, and then pointing at me, then him, then the car and a driving motion. So I went back to the car and said, I think we're supposed to follow him. SOOOOO we did...cause that makes sense....
I'm still amused, Adrienne at this point is not as amused...so we follow this man all the way back up and down a different road...and then to a dirt road, white sign post included...down and around we go and I notice another car is following also - random tour caravan? We finally arrive to a paved parking lot, why in the middle of nowhere is there a paved parking lot? We find the shrine and the monument that was also on the tour and NO rice paddy...the other people that were following went to worship the shrine which was rather uncomfortable as I'm reading the tour book and trying to figure the whole thing out...sorry I just took more ocean pictures and I STILL haven't seen a rice paddy - SAD! We ended up making another wrong turn after we left and decided against continuing tour book day...Adrienne was no longer interested in historical walks...better luck next time!


5 comments:

3 Bay B Chicks said...

Oh how I can relate. I lived in Osaka for two years teaching. Thankfully I did not have a car...I can only imagine the trouble I would have gotten into. :) Looks like Okinawa is a great place. I sadly, never got to visit.


kacey

Cheryl said...

How sad for the rice paddy! At least the first part of the day was good!

Cheryl said...

Oh, by the way...I like your new page design with the butterflies!

Lauren said...

Sounds like a day full of fun memories anyway! :) You'll be remembering that for a LONG time!

Anonymous said...

You look so cute! I like your short hair.
Kim :)

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