Well, It Ain't the Love Boat

Greetings from Sea!! I've unfortunently discovered that I AM addicted to the internet - as evidenced my the outragious price I am paying for the privilage of using the internet. Ah well.
So things are going well on the NWG Dream. As previously stated, it's not the Love Boat - but it's getting us around the Baltic. Dad is convinced they only serve 4 types of food on this boat and they just change the names of the dishes every few days to keep you wondering. Our stateroom is okay and I hate to admit it but I think my mattress in Japan is more comfortable then the pull out couch I am sleeping on - heehee. I am gonna break the trip down for you in very short snippets, so here goes:
Pre-departure: Thanks to Tropical Strom MaiTai (or Mai yu or something) my flight was delayed 5 hours at Kansai. This got me into Amsterdam late and I missed my connection. I ended up sharing a hotel room with a very nice Scottish grandma and her grandson. I got about 4 hours sleep. I was able to fly to London the next morning and hopped a bus just in time to meet the 'rents at Gatwick for our transfer to the ship. Mom brought me hot sauce and chips from the Matador and I was a very happy camper. Our reunion was not as emotional as one might expect from me after being apart for a year. Good thing for webcams I guess.
Germany: First stop. We decided not to spend an extra 200 bucks and 6 hours on a train to visit Berlin and stayed in the port of Warnmunde (sp). It was a cute harbor town that looked alot like Luddington or any small town on Lake Michigan. I tracked down 3 penny machines and added them to my collection. We visited the bigger town of Rostoke (sp) where I discovered I had fogotten the pin to my ATM card (having not used it in a year). Dad got some German beer and I got a much needed hair cut.
Finland: 8 hours in Helsinki. I got off the boat early and did a little exploring on my own before we took our tour. This was a good thing cause there was little time for shopping once we took that tour. I got my required magnet and xmas ornament. We got to see a famous monument to some composer I'd never heard of and a famous church (wouldn't be a tour without a church). Then it was back on the boat and off to Russia.
St. Petersburg, Russia: Spent two days in port here. Due to visa restrictions you couldn't get off the boat unless you booked a tour with the cruise ship. SOOO of course we booked a few tours. I went to visit Peterhof, the Versailles of Russia (and it looked pretty French), the three of us went on a city tour, I went to the Hermitage, and mom and dad toured the subways of the city and tasted vodka. Overall impression of Saint Petersburg - a very beat up and run down european city. Not what I pictured when I thought of Russia. Did visit one church (surprize there) that was pretty "Russian" and I liked that. Visit to the Hermitage was okay - not being a big fan of museums. I did see Rembrant, Money, Di Vinci, Rodin, Picasso - etc 3million pieces of art in 2 hours - can you say "Keep moving please". Of course the highlight of my visit to Russia was the chance to buy nesting dolls. And I sure did get my fill - I got dolls of various sizes, magnets, picture frames, ornaments and KEITAI charms for the folks back in Japan. Truth be told - I may have had my fill of stacking dolls for a bit.
Tallin, Estonia: Mom got sick and sat this port out. Dad and I hopped on the sightseeing bus and checked out the very well preserved old town. I was disgusted with the prices here and only made it out with the ornamant and magnet (which cost me $32 - AGGGHHHH). It was a very pretty city, but given the cost of things I am glad my trip in 2006 was cancelled!!! Oh, did get an awesome hat for the Toyama winters (if they really exist!) I'll have to post a photo in the future.
Stockholm, Sweden: Got to spend 6 hours with Joel, who I hadn't seen in six years. We hung out, went for a walk, ate lunch and just had a great time getting to know each other again. It was sad to say goodbye cause we live on opposite ends of the world and who knows if we'll meet again! But better to have 6 hours with a friend then none at all!
Copenhagen, Denmark: Went to Tivoli Gardens - the Disneyland or Ceder Point of Denmark. Dad had a huge beer and mom had a stale pretzel. We walked around the park and enjoyed all the lights.

And that is it. We have one more day at sea and then it's back to Dover where I'll say goodbye to Mom and Dad and then head off to a week in Edinburgh with Jessica. It's amazing how fast a trip that you waited for for such a long time to come can go. But I'll have lots of photos and lots of memories!

Game Over!!!

"Perfect" - that is the one word that ended 4+ weeks of unease, stress, emotional turmoil and a general dislike for my host country. Today was my second driving test. To prep for this one, I took 3 $60 lessons from the "state" run drivers training center (anyone smell a rat here??). To be fair, the lessons were extremely helpful in learning the "ways of driving" necessary to pass the test (not so necessary and probably quite dangerous in the real world). I was advised that I was a pretty decent driver and that I'd only need 2 MORE lessons and I'd be all set. I ingnored that advise and decided to take my chances.
Y-san and I waited around the required 2 hours before anything happened. I was the 3rd person to drive and I watched the two girls before me return in defeat. When it was my time to go, I did all my checks, got in the car and drove - I never once looked at the instructor. Throughout the entire course I mumble directions to myself in the hopes I could chant my way to victory. Looks like it worked!! Cause I pulled into the parking lane and parked the car and the guy looked at me and said "Perfect".
THANK YOU GOD!!!!!!!! I was a babbling bouncy ball of joy when I got out of the car! I felt bad for the lady who was on her 5th try - but hell - I was DONE!!!! Of course there was more waiting around to get the actual license - but WHO CARES - I WAS DONE. I was one of 2/10 that passed today. By 1pm Y-san and I parted ways and I drove out of there with a shiny new Japanese Driver's licence!! The dragon had been SLAYED.
In my joy (and because it's America's Birthday) I bought ice cream for all of my co-workers. The Principle and VP ooohhh and ahhh'd over my license and the office lady and I tried to work out just how many vacation hours I am in the hole. BUT - it's still over!
Japanese Driver's License = $200
Driving Lessons = $210
Time off from work = 3 days (one unpaid)
Look on my face for licence photo = priceless (I think it captures my mood!)

78% to Go!