This is Imaoka san ("Imachan"). Last night while I was puttering around cold and feeling lonely in front of the ferry terminal in Naha,there was a fellow traveller waiting for the ferry too. I had seen a man working on a motorcycle about 30 meters (90 feet) from me, in front of the terminal. I noticed he was hanging around for quite a while, but didn't think much of it. I figured he was just an employee of the ferry terminal that had finished work and was fiddling around with his beloved bike. It never crossed my mind that he too might be waiting overnight in front of the terminal for the same ferry as me. I had gotten off the phone with me ol'mate Jonny about an hour earlier, when I heard a voice come from just behind me. I turned around to face my guest. "Are you going to sleep here tonight waiting for the ferry?", the man asked. "Ii desuka?" ("Is that okay?"), I asked reluctant to here theverdict. Then the man went on to explain that he too would be making his home there for the night. I felt great relief and comfort in his unexpected response. Imaoka san asked if I like to drink beer and I responded with a cheerful "Yeah, sometimes!" Before I knew it, Imaoka san was gone and back again with a bag full of cold beer, ice, and various snacks. Over some beers we talked about everything from the worrysome state of the global environment, to religion and how we feel about it. Imaoka san in his broken but commendable Enlish, and I in my own rendition of Japanese. Our topics of conversation were deep, but I felt light and joyful to be sharing this night with such good company.This picture is from Marix ferry line's Coral Queen 8 docked briefly at Okinawa's northern port, Motobu. We are finally on our way to Kagoshima!






Forklifts fritter about carrying loads in, onto, off of, and around the ferry at Motobu port, Okinawa.













Motobu Port, Okinawa










Sir, yes Sir Captain!

This is the ferry I'm on now. Our last stop was at Amami Island, about an hour ago. Next and last stop is Kagoshima, Kyushu! Total time Naha, Okinawa to Kagoshima, Kyushu is 25 hours.

This ferry has a helicopter landing pad