It is SO HOT here - sometimes with the temperature and humidity it feels like it is in the 100's.
And with all the walking you do, you are generally feeling like a hot mess. The Japanese however
seem used to the heat for the most part, and they are always dressed to the hilt. Even with the walking
we do, most women are in high heels. Many are still wearing long pants/ & shirts... I don't know how they
do it. Also, most women carry umbrellas, even though I have not seen rain since we have been here.
I believe it is to protect their skin from the sun.
Being on an island, it is the ideal weather here that you would want say in Hawaii, however, it is minus the resort pool, beach and ocean. Once I can figure out the vacation lifestyle here, I think I will be able to manage the heat much more gracefully!!
The grocery stores are a big adventure also. We have an international market in the neighborhood, which makes it a little more user friendly for the engligh speaking folks, however we are not the only target market....there are people living close by from all over the world, so we are still only finding some labels we are familiar with I would say maybe 15-20% of the time..... And the prices are enough to make you choke. Some examples : cake mix for about $8, a hand soap dispenser, Method brand that you would find at Target back home, here is was $9.... produce is crazy! Meat is very expensive. A large back of tortilla chips, like you would find at Costco, was $13. Yikes. So we have found a more local Japanese market where the prices are a bit better, but then if it is in packaging you are not sure what you are buying. You come home, and have a major taste testing adventure!
There is a Costco here, YIPPIE, in a neighboring city. I think it is only like 15 miles away, but in Tokyo traffic, I heard could take almost an hour to get there..... so we are planning a trip there this weekend in the car.... (another post!) We also hope to hit IKEA as they are both in the same place.
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