Commute Contrasts

Traveling to work the other day I started to think about my commute to work back in New York and chuckled at the vast differences between the two.

➔New York:
Catch the R at Union and 4th Ave. and ride it one stop to Atlantic Pacific
At Atlantic Pacific, either cross the platform and hop on the N to 14th St. Union Square
or
Take the R to de Kalb and once there, get the Q train to Union Sqare ( it is always an option as well to just stay on the R all the way to Union Sqaure, though I would likely be at least an hour late to work in this case)
or
At Atlantic Pacific walk through the station and get on the 4,5 to the upper East Side
If the N, Q route has been chosen on any particular day, then at 14th St. Union Square, run and push through the crowds of people, down the jam packed stairs and get on either the 4,5 or if need be, the 6 (local)
If the 4,5 route has been chosen, ride to 86th St. and Lexington
or
Get off at 42nd St. Times Square and cross the platform to catch the 6 train
From 42nd street, take the 6 train to 77th St. and Lexington
This last section of the commute can also be executed in a few different combos. which need not be all written here, but you get the point...many trains, many options, lots of people. And after all trains have been used, there is still the 4 avenue, walk East, which if it is there, can be done by bus. Whew.
Time: 45mins-1.5hrs

➔In Japan (to Wasa Elementary School):
Get on bike
Make a Left out of the office parking lot and follow the street (train tracks on the right)
Make a Right at the railroad crossing
Cross the tracks and make a Left ontothe narrow street that parallels the bigger street
Merge onto the bigger street and follow the wooden fence
Stay on this road until you cross over a bridge ( over the wading cranes)
After the bridge make a left and go straight
Before you reach the big pile of rocks, make a Right and ride through the path that separates the rice paddies
Cross over train tracks and ride through narrow alley between the houses
Make a Left and Wasa is on your Right
Sounds a bit more complicated than it is, but Japan's commmute has a lot less people, no ipods and I always get a seat
Time: 10-15mins.

Honestly, I am not sure which one I prefer. Wish I could alternate.