We are here!
Where today?, you ask.
Tokyo.
How/Why?
A few weeks ago I was feeling very antsy. We had been looking for an adventure/trip for a while, but costs to Europe were higher than we were willing to pay. In a fit of pique, I insisted that we search, find and settle on a new place to go that very weekend... and sitting on the floor of the den, I started flinging out names of places that were... more different... while Kirk sat at his computer.
"Tokyo", I ranted...
"Capetown"...
"Quito"....
And as I was mentally spinning a globe of non-European cities/countries, Kirk let out a shout, "TOKYO! Flights available. Fees $100." And the spinning came to an abrupt and happy stop.
We had, between us, amassed significant frequent flyer miles, and the goal was to use them for this trip. There had been European flights, but the taxes and fees amounted to $1,000/pp or more, and that seemed to defeat the purpose of a "free" flight. Taxes, fees and "expedited" bonus fee to go to Tokyo, came to a whopping $120/pp. Much more manageable.
A brief consultation with an AA agent, and we were booked to leave in 18 days, flying into Tokyo and out of Osaka a couple weeks later.
The flights, though first class, were not non-stop... but a couple could do worse than to have to spend a day in Hawaii on the way to ... anywhere, so I elected to make the most of it all. I packed my carry-on with a small extra bag of swimsuits, sun screen, and sarongs (which I believe to be the most versatile and endlessly useful travel accessory you can have) to use as towels, beach cover-up and sun shade.
We landed in Oahu at 11am local time, and for the sake of time (and a lack of American small change), had a taxi (instead of the city bus. $2.50/pp, but 90 minutes in) drive us to a restaurant in Waikiki we were sure would be beachfront, Duke's. By noon we were seated, with maitais in hand, watching surfers and sunners, and enjoying the balmy, tropical air. Korean tacos w/ slaw for me, and macadamia-crusted chicken and rice for Kirk.
I had hoped that our First Class flight status would give us access to Premium Lounge showers and the like, but due to the switch in carrier airlines, American wouldn't allow us Admirals Club access, and the Hawaiian Airlines lounge wasn't well equipped. I learned that the concept of "Left Luggage" has gone the way of 9/11. Neither lounge would allow us to leave our larger carry-ons with them, and there was no locker in the airport.
Plan B: I gave myself a quick lap of the options immediately surrounding Duke's and found poolside showers and bathrooms. They wouldn't do for a full clean-up, but would certainly be sufficient if I wanted to wade.
Suited up in the restaurant bathrooms, rented lounge chairs and umbrellas for a couple of hours ($16) and we were all set. Beat the hell out of sitting in the generic airport lounge for the day.
We returned to the airport at 4:30 for 5:15 boarding (the airport is very easy to get through and into and we were certain it wouldn't require the time of say, LAX), stopped for 8-minute chair massages ($2/pp) and fed, tanned, and relaxed, strolled into the waiting area at 4:50.
The Hawaiian Airlines plane was much nicer than I remember the fleet being and the class didn't disappoint. A couple of guava-champagne cocktails later and we were in the air. 8 1/2 more hours.
******
Because it is cherry-blossom season here in Japan, we had some trouble securing rooms. We settled on Hotel Nikko for our first night, and then have to switch to another hotel in a different area.
No problem really. Hotel Nikko is very close to the Haneda Airport and right off the Tokyo monorail. We were given a beautiful room and upgraded to an ocean view. In this case, "ocean view" was more sights and skyline than ocean, but that suits me just fine (the alternative was "park view" ).
We were immediately next to and in sight of some sites which are a bit surreal. There's the wee Lady Liberty... a smaller version of our own Statue of Liberty. And the Tokyo Tower.... if it weren't painted orange and white, and you found it in Paris... you might call it the... Eiffel Tower. Yes. Really. Here it is a radio tower, recently replaced functionally by the world's tallest, Sky Tower. And finally, a suspension bridge ... familiar, but not orange... that they call, Rainbow Bridge. Made for magnificent views and the room was lovely, elegant and modern in Scandinavian light-woods scheme.
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| Tokyo Tower next to Prince Park Hotel |
I think that arriving in the evening is that way to go with travel like this. We stayed awake most of the 2nd flight, and so when we arrived in Tokyo at 9:30pm, we were ready to go to bed. We have gotten into a pretty normal rhythm here in spite of the 16-hour time difference.
Day end. April 12th local time. Fade-out
*******
You're waiting for the bloopers reel?
You'll have to wait for the next installment. But it's coming.
(The food photo is my meal on the plane. I opted for the Japanese menu. Aside from the broccoli, the tamago (omelette) and the seaweed salad, the rest was a mystery. Tasty, but unidentifiable. Let the games begin!)
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