So far my whirlwind tour involves a suitcase that is too heavy, not enough sleep and a very long plane ride.
The flight from PDX to SFO was relatively uneventful. I had a window and the center seat was empty so I was able to stretch out a little. Particularly nice knowing what I had to look forward on the next flight.
We were welcomed to PDX with a very long line at the United counter, but then when you are traveling with 50 of your closest friends, you really make your own long line. I knew my suitcase was going to be heavy, I guess I didn't know just how heavy. It is a good thing the International limit is 70 lbs as I was at 75. I removed a couple (five to be exact) of books and he let me slip by with 71. It was heart wrenching, but I cut my totalk number of books down from 8 regular and 9 travel to 6 regular and 8 travel. I sent the others home with Kevin. I had to have 2 travel books for each city, and so far I have used both that I brought for Japan. I am about to finish Anna Karenina so the 5 others will definately come in handy as I am not done with the long bouts of sitting in a seat for hours. Plus I loaned out a couple when people realized they had checked their books and had nothing to read for the flight to Tokyu.
The flight was 11 hours I think, including an hour on the runway at SFO. I slept a little while we waited on the tarmac. I asked for a window seat, which I got, but I was at the back of the plane so there was a space between the window and I, which meant I couldn't lean against it. I hate sleeping like that. They seated most of us together in one section in the back of the plane. I feel sorry for anyone who was not part of our group who was seated with us. The guy next to me was traveling home to Australia via Tokyu. Poor guy had to listen to everyone's talking and beer drinking. At one point it was utter chaos. People are wandering around, we are some where over the pacific and it looks like we are flying over a storm, the plane is bouncing around, someone is getting a bag down. I peek my head up and look around to see the flight attendent sitting in her jump seat waving her hand to have everyone sit down (due to turbulence) and very quietly saying "Sit Down". The guy who was helping someone get her bag down almost dropped it on someone else's head and several people were making laps with beers in hand. Utter chaos. I put my head back down and try to read more. I think I read about 400 pages. We were in a newer 747 so I had my own little tv screen with remote. I couldn't get the remote out of the arm and it didn't seem to work anyway. I couldn't turn the screen on or turn the light with it. No no movies for me. I read by the light coming in the window (after they dimmed the cabin lights in an attempt to get everyone to sleep. There was no personal adjustable vent either so I roasted the entire time.
Customs at Narita was a breeze. We hopped on two buses and headed to the hotel (1 hour 30 minutes). I was glad they got two buses (we probably could have squeezed on to one but we were all exhausted (it was about 3 am PST by the time we got to the hotel).
Several of us tagged along with Saori and Gabby (Saori is Japanese and Gabby is pretty much fluent) for dinner. We tried to go to a noodle place Saori remembered but it ended up being bankrupt and closed. So we went across the street to a "posh" bar for appetizers and a much needed beer.
More later.
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