Happiness is planning a trip

...and I am planning two! I found out earlier this month that I don't have any classes at the community center for Tuesday thru Friday the last week of September. I still have my three night classes on Tues, Wed and Thurs, which doesn't exactly leave me a bunch of time to go meandering all over Japan. But I don't care and I've got a plan. I will leave Saturday night, the 24th and take the 7pm Shinkansen (High Speed Train) to Kyoto. I should arrive around 8:45. I have booked myself in at a place within walking distance from the station. They call themselves "Tour Club". It is something between a youth-hostel and an inn. I decided to do the "Dormitory Style Room". I don't really need a room to myself, I can sleep through almost anything. And it is only 2400 Yen per night. I could get a room to myself for 5000, but I decided to go the cheap route. I'll stay in Kyoto Sat, Sun and Mon nights and return to Hamamatsu on Tuesday in time to go to my Sony Class at 7:00. One of the reasons for going so cheap on the accomodations is that the Shinkansen ain't cheap - 8000 yen each way. The other reason is that I also have a week of Community Center duty again the last week in October. And I have to only work 2 night classes. I am going to Nagano for 5 days then. Yippee. I hinted at (in other words outright asked for) an invitation from Tomone and Yuwen. I met then last year when we visited Japan. Tomone (male) was one of the professors that Mark worked with on a project. Yuwen is actually Chinese, and she and Tomone met when they both attended UGA. What this all boils down to is that I have 2 trips planned in the next 2 months and I'm so giddy I can barely stand it. I go singing down the halls, and skipping along sidewalks and smiling and saying "konichiwa" to everyone I pass. I am really starting to frighten the Japanese. Oh well, I don't care...I'm going on a trip, I'm going on a trip!!