Kobe, Japan

Tuesday, October 8, 1929

One damned thing after another—such is life. Today it came in news that the ship I was counting on would probably not come to Japan, and that the other one, if it came at all, would probably arrive on the 20th, sail 45 days to New Orleans, making short calls at only Honolulu and Panama. No sense in spending forty-five days and $125 to go via this route if there are only two ports of call and these only for a day.

The next best thing was to take a N.Y.K. ship to Honolulu—which I did—the new Amana Maru sailing from Yokohama on the 11th, and arriving in Honolulu the 19th or 20th. Fare third is Y125. I think this is her maiden voyage.

I can continue on to Frisco for about $12 more and save 40 or 50. Rather think I’ll do it. Only one day for Honolulu though.

Got a half dozen letters and 200 smackers. Also met a man at this Y that I saw in Yokohama. He used to be a phrenologist, etc., traveling around the fraternity houses of the eastern schools. Then he went to South America and is now lecturing here in Japan. Is giving one right now that I am supposed to be hearing, but I’m not especially interested. Showed me some opals that he bought at a bargain here and a comb that causes him to rave because of the workmanship of inlaying the colored shell. The work may be well done, but the comb is all out of date. When not lecturing he does a little missionary work, selling and giving away bibles in English and Japanese.

As for presents, I have had a time. The tourist party was in Kobe today and they were everywhere in rickshaws—mostly though, the means of transportation was parked outside expensive silk and antiques. Naturally prices were up, American flags were out, and even a Boston Bar had opened up in some obscure alleyway. There were a number of discussions in progress and from the looks on several of the husbands’ faces when emerging from a silk shop, I should say they waged a losing battle. I ran a large department store to the ground and hunted the town high and low for what I wanted. Finally wound up in the ritzy silk shop and told the proprietor to forget his tourist prices and give me rock-bottom prices. They weren’t rock-bottom, but they were 25% lower than the marked value.

New experience last night—used a knife and fork at the Y. First time in three weeks.

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