i got a call from twiddle thumbs. her sisters have purchased tickets too. they will be on the same planes as we are flying. damn, i better tell my family to pick us up in a hummer! "excuse me, we need to use all lanes, american tourists!" it's hard enough for when relatives pick up 2 or 3 of us. now there will be 4! we're probably better off just getting a taxi. shit, i wonder how much a taxi will be. well, we do have 4 of us on the same flights so if we all fit then splitting the bill won't be so bad. (pray that we fit!) i'll have to tell the sisters every week until we go to pack light and lose weight. i'm sorry but that's the way japan works! everything is small. we definitely don't fit in 1 japanese hotel room so we'll have to get 2 rooms or convince the sisters that beds do not exist in japan at all and we'll get traditional rooms that will allow 5 people to sleep on the floor. i've never travelled overseas with so many people. i've never travelled with so many people period. this will be so strange. and such a big responsibility! i am in charge of making sure everyone is safe, healthy, and well fed since none of them can speak japanese. at least when we are in okinawa they will be able to take care of themselves for the most part with all the émigrés from latin america that will be there.