Wednesday, August 01, 2007

This is Yokohama

It's fun being here in Japan. It was in 8.30 I arrived in Narita Airport. After a lenghy process of document checking (in comparison to Nepal, it was not so irritating. I remember, the "Nepali" official at TIA was not ready to leave me because I did not cash the usual 1500 dollars). And my press card helped me to save from being sent back!

After travelling from Kathmandu to Bangkok. I had to wait around three hours at Bangkok Airport. The market there was wonderful. And I had no intention to buy anything. And, to my surprise, Anil recognised me in the crowd. We used to study in American Language Centre, may by by 1995! He was going to Sydny for his banking training. it was a nice meeting.

And the flight to Narita was intolerable. I hardly slept for half an hour and all the night I spent moving from right to left.

In the morning today, it was fresh. I entered to security and presented my passport. The girl asked me if it was my first visit, I said yes. And she called another person who led me to a new room and did a small interview kind of thing. She copied all my documents and then let me in!!

Outside, I saw Hirokaz Doi kaj Cxieko Doi, who had invited me. They were nice to wait for me for over an hour. I was scheduled to be 7.30. After driving for around one an a half hour, the took me to Yokohama, were the world congress of Esperanto would take place. Then we moved to meet some other local Esperantists before we finally went to their home.

Then I had a chance to visit their work-room and then to the amazing Esperanto-library they have - there were over 500 Esperanto book there! Of course, hte Esperanto-movement in Japan has been over 100 years. They themselves have published over a hundred books. We Nepalis should learn something from them - not only to take advantage of it, but also to contribute for the international language.