Nagashima Spaland

Hey everyone!
What a week! I've seriously played hard! Here's what happened: Norihiro was scheduled to get out of the hospital Tuesday. He insisted that he wanted to go play as soon as he was free. The thing he wanted to do was see the colored leafs before they fall. So we planed to meet up and choose where to go on our way to the station. We ended up going to Kobe to see their big Illumination show they do every year. They have set this huge light show up every year since the big earthquake in 1995. It was really fun! The lights came on at 6 PM, all at the same time, with a big burst of music. It was really cool and made me finally feel like Christmas is here (There's no snow in Japan so it doesn't feel like December to me). We walked around and ate SO much food from all the stalls they had set up in the park. I'm used to getting looked at but poor Norihiro might get stared at even more then me when we're together. We speak English to each other, (his English is much better then my Japanese. But he teaches me and we use both.) so he REALLY stands out! It was a cold night but a lot of fun. It was so packed though that almost the whole night we were heel to toe in crowds. It's part of Japan, be warned for anyone who wants to come visit. If you like your space and feel uncomfortable in crowds, you won't like sight seeing in Japan.
Saturday I went to Arashiyama again, (the place with all the bamboo), because they are doing a light show there as well. They had the mountain lite up as well as lanterns on the streets. The bamboo forest had lights in it too and it was so beautiful. But freezing! It was a very cold night. Kyoto is colder then Ibaraki. On the train ride home I ended up so packed in I was pressed on everyone around me. it was really funny.
Sunday, yesterday, I went to Nagashima Spaland with Hiroki, Shyuu, and Norihiro. Norihiro and I are both punctual people and don't like to make others wait so we were on time. . . Hiroki and Shyuu were over half an hour late . . . but we can't complain since Hiroki drove. (Random fact: Norihiro is very traditional when it comes to respecting his elders. Hiroki and Shyuu are both his Senpai (upper classmen) so Norihiro makes it a point to never complain to them about their behavior and to always be patient and show gratitude. Poor guy takes a lot of beating from these two lol. Hiroki and Shyuu are so crazy sometimes.) Nagashima Spaland is a theme park with an Onsen/hotspring as well. In the day we went to the theme park. They have a rollercoster there called Steel Dragon 2000 that, when it was built, was the tallest and longest running rollercoster in the world. It's no longer the tallest but it's still the longest. It was intense! It's 318 feet with the first drop being 306 feet. It's 8,133 feet long and lasts 3 minuets and goes 95 MPH. It was VERY scary and seriously cold all the way up there. Shyuu doesn't really like rollercosters so afterwards he was so angry at us he yelled at us. I couldn't understand him, mostly, but when I asked him if it was fun he insisted it was scary and continued to chew me out, even though he knows I can't understand lol. Norihiro and I laughed because he was so mad.
Once the rides closed we went to the Spa. I ended up alone, of course, being the only girl. Hiroki and Shyuu both offered to be "lady boys" for me and join me on the girls side. I told them I would rather go alone lol. The previous onsen I went to was in Fukui, at the hotel, and it was really small. This one was HUGE! And, of course, I was the only foreigner in there. So, there I am, walking into the locker room and there are hundreds of naked Japanese women who all seem to turn a look at me with surprised eyes. But I didn't care. Once I was naked I was comfortable and took my shower, soaked in the hotspring, and got dressed. No worries :) We were supposed to meet at 8 o'clock on the main level to go home so I hurried because I figured I would be slower then the boys. I got out to the main floor 15 minutes before meeting time so I walked around a little. After a while I sat down, I was really tired and very warm, and waited. . . and waited. . . a n d w a i t e d . . . . . Finally, around 8:30, I text Norihiro. They were just getting out of the onsen! They finally came out at around 9. Hiroki and Shyuu both started apologizing right away (in over the top ways) and, in front of tons of people, dropped on their knees and touched their foreheads to the ground. Tons of people were looking at these two Japanese boys bowing to a white girl. I was so embarrassed! Shyuu even jokingly offered to commit seppuku (ritual suicide) for making me wait. Stupid jerks lol. By the time they got out, since I had waited for so long, I was cold, tired, hungry, and, obviously, annoyed from waiting. I think since I wasn't smiling a lot they were very scared of me. They kept apologizing and even bought me tea and soda as a present to apologize. Norihiro seemed very concerned and kept asking me if I was cold, if I was alright, etc. I wasn't smiling so he kept asking. When I would tell him "Daijoubu" (I'm fine) he would ask "Honto?" (Really) and wouldn't believe my answer. Poor guy. Caught between two Senpai and an annoyed American girl. I cooled down and once I had some food I was back to my normal self lol.
All that fun came with a price. You can't expect to be outside for three days in one week, at night, in December, and not have consequences. I woke up with a head cold! My right side has so much pressure I can't even blow my nose! So I'm officially missing my first day of school this semester to stay in bed and rest. My ears hurt a little but other then that I'm ok. I'm sure by Tomorrow I'll be perfect :)
Not much else to report. Hope things are well at home. Miss and love you guys!