Tokyo!

Well just as I suspected it is hard to leave Tokyo airport when your luggage is already in the system, not only would immigration have to agree, I am told I have to get it in writing from the airline too… (like what the heck?) - Anyway that is fine. I am now the foremost English speaking expert on Terminal 1 at Narita. I have been in every single Star Alliance lounge (that isn't exclusive to suite passengers) and I can give a few tips to anyone that cares to listen. There are are only 2 Star airlines with lounges here, United has an enormous club lounge, and ANA has a half dozen. Of those, only the windowless one by gate 47 has Lindt chocolate miniatures - and the large windowed one at the 50s gates has an awesome take off view of passing planes. I also had a shower at the 47 gate one and these are awesome facilities, because we're in Japan even the toilet seats are heated :) What a wonderful country this is… they have thought of everything anyone needs!

A damp arrival in much colder Tokyo:

As my plane taxied in at sunrise, you could see lines of parked 787s on the tarmac - so I guess that debacle isn't over - and I was the first one here in the lounge this morning when it opened! WEEEEEEE! All mine. And time to relax after a rather bumpy flight - I tell you something the size of an A380 shouldn't be bumping around so much and the tell tale ground speeds on departing Japan were over 1250KM/h (?) !! We're going faster than the speed of sound?

Actually it's due to the massive tail wind, the 'groundspeed' calculation is a little misleading, the plane is still cruising under 1000 KM/h, it's just that the air around it is already travelling at nearly 400 KM/h... From the ground we would appear to be going faster than sound, but the reality of it is that the plane itself is not... 

That said I am now a captive, partially against my own will, and I really can't bore you all to death with 15 pictures of FaSoLa duty free shops and the good food at the ANA lounges. I have shown you all pictures of Japan's toilet seat scene in years gone by… so enough to say I stuffed my face, slept a while and updated the blog on the internet all at All Nippon Airway's expense. I did have some cornflakes and a coffee at the United lounge but the place is worn out, full of North Americans (this afternoon, was deathly quiet earlier)  and distinctly lacks class - like heated loo seats. They both have beer on tap, but the sake selection is better on the Nipponese side. The shops have some neat gadgetry too :)

OK, I am rambling… so believe it or not that's it for Tokyo. No earthquakes felt, the Tokai did not come today, I didn't run into town for a few hours like I had hoped to, just to have lunch and shout "I love Tokyo" from the rooftops, but this is what you got instead. I did get myself a rather fine tee shirt though - which is awesome.

I have promised myself a quick trip to Japan later in the year to make up for this botch-job, so if anyone wanted anything from here, later in the year it can happen. Oh and, Christine, no Lemon and Coca-Cola Kit-Kats here this time, they have blueberry cheesecake, sakura, green tea and strawberry ones. Not sure if any will remain by the time I get home.

Sayonara from Tokyo, next stop LAX! Remember I go back in time tonight flying over the dateline, so when I arrive in Los Angeles it will be a few hours before I took off. So two posts on one day! Time travel is great fun, hopefully some wrinkles will vanish with it.

Hard to believe it's all coming to an end… and I have to leave Japan… in one of my previous lives I was an Emperor here, no doubt about it… sigh… VIVA NIHON!  And all the little sushi eating Nihongans too! E VIVA NIHONGO!