One month into my stay in Okinawa, and I have moved from a
nice if hot and congested place in downtown Okinawa City to a really nice place
on the beach in a slightly more rural area.
The drive will take a little longer, but the change of scenery is well
worth it. It seems like I often write about driving as one of my memorable
experiences wherever I go and Okinawa is no different. First it was England with all the roundabouts
going the opposite direction, then Turkey with no discernible rules and a crash,
then Japan with the girls in high heels and miniskirts riding bikes while
chatting on their cell phones and holding an umbrella, then Netherlands with
more bikes than cars and none of them ridden by anyone with an awareness of
cars also sharing the road. Now it is
Okinawa’s turn to bear the brunt of my driving wit. There are the 2 lane roads on which drivers
can stop anytime or anywhere they like. 2 lane roads have no turn lane so
anyone going right (across traffic) backs up cars behind it. Of course most
cars squeeze around it to the left and the right turning car might actually be
generous and move into oncoming traffic so the cars behind can get around. Of course then the oncoming traffic has to
squeeze to the left to avoid running into the car that is turning. 4 lane roads
are a little better except that the left lane is also the parking lane, the bus
lane and the taxi lane and the right lane is also often the turning lane, so
traffic on a four lane is generally a snake-like thing with cars weaving in and
out of the parking or turning cars, each one trying to get ahead of the cars in
front and to 
either side. It is more
like an amoeba than a snake actually with the shape and speed constantly
morphing into another shape and speed.
There are some turn lanes on the 4 lane roads though and that is
generally a surprise and a welcome luxury.
Driving in Okinawa is like finding the Isla de Muerta; in order to
navigate it you have to already know where everything is. And I am learning. Oh yes…and a red light
means, get as many more cars through as possible before the green light people
come out and broadside you. They always
say here, “when the light turns green, count to three before you go, because
there are likely a couple more cars trying to get through.” And did I mention driving again on the left
side of the road. Yeah…and that! The
only road rage here is mine to own. I don’t mean to in any way disparage
Okinawa or Okinawan people. They have
been wonderful and generous. They seem
to appreciate me trying to speak Japanese and they try to speak English but I
think they have resisted it since the whole war thing and the US occupying
forces that dominated for about 60 years, and still 
maintain several large
bases on the island. Work is fine and
pretty standard stuff, really. I am surrounded by thousands of Marines so I
guess this may be one of the safest places on earth. I went to the library the other day on the
base and was a little disappointed when all I found were coloring books and
dot-to-dot books. I was a little
relieved to see the officers section actually had some word-find books, but
still it wasn’t enough for me and I figured I would be wasting my breath to try
and ask for something with actual sentences. I guess I have to finish War and
Peace now. The sunset picture here is from my new place and others are various
and mostly self explanatory. It’s good to be king, though…it always is.
either side. It is more
like an amoeba than a snake actually with the shape and speed constantly
morphing into another shape and speed.
There are some turn lanes on the 4 lane roads though and that is
generally a surprise and a welcome luxury.
Driving in Okinawa is like finding the Isla de Muerta; in order to
navigate it you have to already know where everything is. And I am learning. Oh yes…and a red light
means, get as many more cars through as possible before the green light people
come out and broadside you. They always
say here, “when the light turns green, count to three before you go, because
there are likely a couple more cars trying to get through.” And did I mention driving again on the left
side of the road. Yeah…and that! The
only road rage here is mine to own. I don’t mean to in any way disparage
Okinawa or Okinawan people. They have
been wonderful and generous. They seem
to appreciate me trying to speak Japanese and they try to speak English but I
think they have resisted it since the whole war thing and the US occupying
forces that dominated for about 60 years, and still 
maintain several large
bases on the island. Work is fine and
pretty standard stuff, really. I am surrounded by thousands of Marines so I
guess this may be one of the safest places on earth. I went to the library the other day on the
base and was a little disappointed when all I found were coloring books and
dot-to-dot books. I was a little
relieved to see the officers section actually had some word-find books, but
still it wasn’t enough for me and I figured I would be wasting my breath to try
and ask for something with actual sentences. I guess I have to finish War and
Peace now. The sunset picture here is from my new place and others are various
and mostly self explanatory. It’s good to be king, though…it always is.
