I have to go back to Canada for a funeral. Getting all the documents together was a bit tough. Say what you want about United Airlines, but my husband got me a mileage flight with three days from departure. Let's see Air Canada try that!

Had to get my re-entry permit into Japan so I can come back though. Thank god I remembered because it would really suck to remember at the ticket gate and not be able to go.

I get to immigrationa and there and there are 92 people ahead of me. I pray for efficient bureacracy (and actually get it as I am out of there in about an hour) Nearly brained myself on the floor by slipping on a carpet covering a tile floor while trying to get my re-entry permit. Message number one from fate to slow down. Lesson ignored because I have to get to the UA ticket office by 5 pm or phone (or I lose the ticket), and I just realized my husband didn't write down the number to call and it is 4 pm

I get to Yuraku-cho in plenty of time to pick up my ticket. Go to the UA counter on the fifth floor of the Tei Koku Geki Jo building. I have 50 minutes. This place is decribed as being "near the station" so it should be no problem. Just find the Tei Koku Geki Jo building. I have no idea where I'm going and I don't want to waste time, so I ask someone. Lesson from fate number two: when near a corner and someone tells you to go straight, clarify which way is straight. Lesson forgotten until too late.

I find myself near Tokyo station and the realization that I have no clue where I am. I ask someone again. Tei Koku Geki Jo? Never heard of it. Lovely. I walk into a large business building and beg the three receptionists to tell be because I am lost, need help and have a deadline. These women actually know what is going on. The show me a map and that it is only three blocks over then a two block left turn. Great. I can find this.

Except the building three blocks down and two blocks over has Kokusai Building on it. I wander around trying to find this place. I have been wandering around for 30 minutes. I have only 20 minutes to get this ticket and I have no idea where it is. I ask someone else and I get a vague impression of go through the building and I will find it. But by this time, panic has set in and I can't understand Japanese very well. I might not have understood English well at that time either.

I go through the building and what do I see? Nothing! Nothing except the wall for the Imerial Palace. Tears flow and I think that I might have smacked my umbrella into the ground and I probably shouted out where is the Tei Koku Geki Jo? I turn around and go back into the building to figure out something else, when I see, like a Diagon Alley magically appearing (give me a little leeway here... this is actually what it felt like at the time), a United Airlines office on the ground floor! Not wanting to question fate too much, I go to the office thinking, they must know how to get to the 5th floor of the Tei Koku Geki Jo. I have 15 minutes left to get it all done. There is a glimmer of hope. Lesson from fate number three: don't freak out. Things will work out somehow. Lesson three humbly noted.

The glimmer of hope becomes blazing relief as they can process my ticket there! Yay! I am able to reign in my tears until I get my ticket. I shove everything into my bag and have a good, short cry on the street (in front of the Imperial Palace Wall) and in front of the UA window (Poor ticket guy... he must have been totally confused). No more running around Tokyo! I can go home.