Good evening from Itabashi-ku! I am resting at home after a most challenging day on the Shinkansen and an unexpected stop in Ebisu! After checking out of the Hyatt Regency Kyoto, we were driven to Kyoto Station. An extremely kind employee of the hotel assisted us all of the way to the platform!

We discovered at the station that there were no more reserved seats available in the non-smoking cars from Kyoto to Tokyo all day due to the busy holiday travel season. However, there were still a few seats available in the smoking “Green” cars. Still recovering from what I believe to be food poisoning and not feeling well we decided to take our chances with the open seating.

When we arrived at the platform we got in line and waited for the next train to Tokyo.  A few people managed to push their way into the next train that arrived at 2:26pm with standing room only.  We moved up near the front of the line and waited for the following train, which arrived at 2:32pm. With the assistance of the hotel employee who carried my heavy bag aboard we squeezed our way onto the overcrowded train into the standing only space. It was so crowded that the hotel employee was barely able to get of the train before it departed

I did my best to make myself comfortable and prepare myself mentally for the 2½-hour journey by Nozomi (Shinkansen) from Kyoto Station to Shinagawa Station in Tokyo. I focused on thinking positive thoughts and I hoped that someone would get off the train at our first and only stop in Nagoya and I would be able to take a seat. We reached Nagoya and only a few people got off the train and there were still no seat available for me. I knew that I would have to make myself as comfortable as possible for the next two hours and decided sit on my suitcase.  

 About one hour away from the station I could feel that I was going to pass out.  Fortunately, I was sitting on the edge of my suitcase and fell against another passenger when I collapsed and passed out on the Shinkansen.