Hiroshi's home stay in London -1st Day-

>>JR Narita Express at Shinagawa Station, Tokyo 10 Oct. 0728 JST	Now I leave home! After few minutes, I noticed I don't have my handy phone. Then I back to home. I can't use it out of Japan as phone, but it works an alarm clock and a sub digital camera for me. I went to Shinagawa station by taxi. After that I ride on Yamanote Line. At Tokyo station, I change to Narita Express (NEX). It is JR's express train to Narita Airport. "JR" is abbreviation for "Japan Railway".
Arrived at "Airport Terminal 2" station. This terminal use for Japanese air and some foreign air companies. This time I use Virgin Atlantic Airline. So I ride off final stop "Narita Airport".	>>on the train
>>Information board on the train	I arrived final stop. It takes about one hour.
On the platform, I feel "Time has come".	>>on the platform
>>on the platform and train NEX	Today is Friday. Moreover it is early morning. Then there were only few people. Outside of ticket gate, I passed security check. It is little early, so I bought a cup of coffee at Starbucks.
If there is a lounge for VISA card costumers, I can drink some drinks. But at Narita Airport there is not available. It is only at Terminal 2. There is so far from here. At a ticket counter, I received tickets of Virgin Atlantic Airline. And I put my suitcase. Now I have time about an hour.	>>Boarding Pass and Return Ticket
>>my suitcase	Before leaving the counter, I take a photo of my suitcase. This is useful for baggage claim.
On a departures information board, there are no sign of Delay and Cancel. Today is clear, then all air traffic is on time.	>>Departures information
>>Entrance for Observation Deck	I go to an observation deck.
That is an aeroplane which I ride in, maybe. It is time for boarding... I go to a gate. I through a luggage check. But my luggage was stopped. In my luggage, some electronic products included. Then I take out those things, and check again. This time, I passed.	>>Virgin Atlantic aeroplane
>> in-flight meal; Vegetable	An immigration officer stamped my passport. I get into the aeroplane. My seat is window side but there is no window. The aeroplane with me aboard flew straight to London Heathrow. Each seats have a monitor and a controller. I can watching movies, music, news and other programmes by on demand system. The flight time is 12 hours 20 minutes. The clues are 15. 8 clues are Japanese. Left photo is a first meal. It is vegetable one.
This is a second meal. This time I choiced chicken. I ate some things besides these meals. Snack, Drinks, Sandwich and Muffin. A woman, on the next seat, was homestay trip to London too. She use same travel agency, same period of trip and same age! But she is no English lesson, home stay only.	>> in-flight meal; Chicken
>>Black cab in front of a host family's house	On 10 Oct. 1530 (BST), I arrived at Heathrow airport. It was 10 Oct. 2330 (JST), and it was summer time in England. There is 8 hours difference between Tokyo and London. Japan doesn't have a summer time system. This travel plan include the travel agency provides taxi transportation from the airport to a host family's home. The taxi driver already knows the address of the home. Then I arrived the home smoothly. There is near of a subway station, only 2 minutes by walk. The taxi driver said this area is good location and living many Japanese. I feel there is a quiet and good residential area.
The host mother welcomed me. It is not necessary to take off shoes in the door. It differs from a custom of Japan. It was my first experience. She says this is only grand floor. If you go upstairs, you take off shoes. For a while we are talking and have an English tea. Mother's name is Lucia. She is Italian. I found Lucia like cooking. I looked many spices in the kitchen. It is very good for me.	>>a view from my room (centre)
>>a view from my room (left)	She said to me, my English pronunciation is good. I'm so happy to hear that.
Host father, David told me, kitchen's water is safe to drink. Other water is stored water, then sometimes not clean. In Japan, almost all water is safe to drink. But City's water isn't nice. So many people buy a mineral water to drink.	>>a view from my room (right)
>>1st day's dinner	Today's dinner is fish. There are cod with white source, potato, vegetables and white wine. Lucia's cook is very good. There are all delicious. They told me about this area. This area is convenient for Japanese. Because some Japanese shops and schools are available. Then about 15% residents are Japanese. Maybe I have jet rag. I take a shower and go to bed early. I'm looking forward to tommorow.