Finally, some family is coming to Japan

It only took nine years, but finally two family members are coming to visit Japan.  My brother and his daughter will be here in July.  They have a jam-packed itinerary that includes time in Tokyo, a visit to Disney, taking in a baseball game, spending a little time with my wife and me and a trip to the mountains.  We're very excited and happy they're coming, but at the same time it's making the two of us a little travel-hungry ourselves.

I worry a little about how my brother and niece will get around in Tokyo.  I'm pretty used to it by now, but the train stations are crowded and confusing, the trains are even more crowded and July is a miserably hot and humid time here.  You can't always choose the optimum time for international travel-- a lot depends on work and school schedules-- but my recommendation is to come to Japan in May or October, not in winter or summer.  Well, winter if you like skiing or snowboarding, because there are plenty of places to have that kind of fun.

I've made a few trips to Tokyo in August because at my jobs we have fixed holidays, some at New Year's, some during Golden Week and again in August.  Each time I've sworn never to do it again, but some time off approaches and I get antsy to hit the big city.  I should have explored other parts of Japan by now, but I have a thing for Tokyo.  Probably because I'm from a small town and I've always felt kind of hemmed in by small town life.  It reminds me of those computer adventure games from the early days of computing, when 64k of memory seemed like more than you could ever use.

YOU ARE IN YOUR BEDROOM.  YOU SEE A BOOK ON THE TABLE.  THERE IS A DOOR TO THE NORTH.

>GET BOOK.

YOU CAN'T GET THE BOOK.

>G N

I DON'T UNDERSTAND "G N!"

>GO NORTH

YOU CAN'T GO NORTH.

>WALK NORTH

YOU WALK NORTH.  YOU ARE IN THE HALLWAY.  THERE IS  A DOOR TO THE SOUTH AND A DOOR TO THE NORTH.

>WALK NORTH

YOU ARE IN YOUR KITCHEN.  YOU SEE A BOOK OF MATCHES ON THE TABLE.  THERE IS A DOOR TO THE EAST.

>GET MATCHES.

YOU CAN'T GET THE MATCHES.

>TAKE MATCHES.

YOU TAKE THE MATCHES.

>L

I DON'T UNDERSTAND "L!"

>LOOK

LOOK AT WHAT?

>LOOK AT KITCHEN.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND "KITCHEN!"

>QUIT

DO YOU REALLY WANT TO QUIT?

>Y

I DON'T UNDERSTAND "Y!"