Clockwork Green

(Pictures in reverse order)

Rebecca and I spent the past two days perfecting our route to practice so precisely that we now have it broken down to the second. I can assure you that this was not a simple task but one that excited two math dorks like us. It was our goal to figure out the fastest, most efficient way to practice and we think we finally have it down like clockwork .... we have become well oiled machines.

The Tokyo train system is intricate, intense, involved, and extremely punctual. I guess with a population of 12 million things have to run smoothly. The system consists of 17 different lines that weave, criss cross, and overlap. They have various labels and colors going to multiple destinations at different speeds. The stations are hard to pronounce as are the names of the lines. One false step and it could cost you big time. Add to this hundreds of people knowing exactly where they are going and why, getting off and on quickly, and vying for the prime seats. DC Metro eat your heart out ..... You gotta love the drama.

This provides a sufficient backdrop (there will be more to add) to the importance of what we have composed below. A step by step process of how we get to practice down to the second. Note: All times in parenthesis are PM.

1. Walk to the elevator (3:39)

2. Take the elevator for 33 floors to B1 (3:39:30)

3. Walk to the Tsukishima metro entrance (3:40)

4. Take 1 escalator down (3:40:15) and follow signs to the Oedo Line.

5. Walk in an L Shape to swipe metro card for Oedo Line (3:40:45)

6. Take 1 escalator down to train (3:41)

7. Get on train to the right headed towards Daimon / Roppongi (3:42)

8. Take the train 11 stops to Shinjuku Station (4:10)

9. Exit train and walk left (4:10:15)

10. Take 1 escalator up and walk left following signs for platform 4 (4:10:30)

11. Take sharp right to go up escalator 2 (4:10:45)

12. Take 2 sharp lefts (4:11)

13. Go down escalator (4:11:10)

14. Walk diagonally and take steps down to platform 4 (4:11:42)

15. Enter Express Green train on left heading towards Hashimoto * (4:12)

16. Take train 7 stops exiting at Keio Inadazutsumi (4:42)

17. Get off train and go to the right following signs for South Exit (4:43)

18. Go down stairs and take sharp right (4:43:15)

19. Go down another stairs (4:43:40)

20. Pass metro card to exit (4:44)

21. Take a sharp right down the alley (4:44:23)

22. Hang left coming out of the alley (4:45)

23. Cross street when permitted by walk signs (4:45:45)

24. Walk to bus station across from 7-11 (note: do not stand at the stop at 7-11 ... that's a different bus) (4:46 - 4:52)

25. Get on bus using metro card (4:52)

26. Ride bus until the last stop (4:52 - 4:57)

27. Exit bus and cross street (4:57:23)

28. Go up steps (4:58)

29. Take first left after steps (4:58:17)

30. Take first right (4:49)

31. Walk up hill (5:00)

32. Take next left into soccer complex entrance. Welcome to Verdy, Nippon Beleza (5:03)

33. Fields are on right, walk to your left to enter club house (5:03:30)

34. Ditch shoes at the door and say Konnichiwa to teammates (5:04:07)

* Step 15 - this is where things can get tricky. If there is any mishap in steps 1-14 causing one to miss the 4:12 Express Green train in Shinjuku that is headed towards Hashimoto a new plan has to be devised. This can be one of many things. There are 5 lines that go in the direction of Hashimoto all with differing speeds.

Trains in order of speed (slowest / most stops to the fastest / least stops):

1. Local train - Grey

2. Semi Express Train - Blue

3. Express Train - Green

4. Super Express Train - Yellow

5. Super Duper Express Train - Red

The green train is the train we have found to be the most convenient and the most efficient. It allows us to stay on the same train without transferring. To give an example of how confusing it can get, if this green train is missed one may have to board the grey local train that stops much more frequently. You would then exit at Sasazuka and wait for a faster train. Or, you could take it to Medamaie and hope that you catch a super express train ... but this super express train would still only make it to Chofu, two stops away from your final destination, therefore causing you to switch trains yet again (and we can't seem to find any schedule for the yellow and pink trains .... they are so mysterious ).

After it is all said and done we have a total trip of:

1 elevator

1 bus

2 trains

4 sets of stairs

5 escalators

and 18 train stops

consisting of a 1 hour, 25 minute, and 7 second journey .... and that is only one way =)

....... Wait until you hear about the ride back (still in the perfecting process).

And this is all done before our two hour practices in another language, in a foreign country, with the best players we have ever seen .... I need my mommy =)