24 Hours of Travel

The Route

The accomodations

We started our journey off with a nice visit to the AA Flagship lounge, and enjoyed some food, libations, and some alignment on what the next steps were.  We boarded our American Airlines (airline #1) plane (a 777-200, aircraft type #1) for our longest flight of the trip (13 hours, Business Class).  The seats were nice, the furniture around them were good with decent storage, and it was a nice way to spend an absurd number of hours on a plane!

Theresa's Japanese meal

We started a movie (Bread Winner, which was really funny!) and had dinner.  Theresa tried the “Japanese” meal, which included a selection of small various items plated like a bento box.  There was pork belly, octopus, and such.  She enjoyed it (except the salmon which she won’t eat…Bill thought it was fine).  Bill got the beef, because…well, it’s beef!  We then started another movie, and Theresa took a bit of a nap, while Bill booted up his work computer to do some light work.  The rest of the trip was a mix of nap, snack, movie, repeat.

Arriving in Tokyo (well, Narita), we got though the checkpoints pretty quickly.  Due to Bill’s status (Platinum Pro on AA), we were able to get into the JAL First Class lounge.  It was… not impressive.  To be fair, we’ve been spoiled with the Cathay FC lounge in Heathrow, but this was beneath the Cathay Business Class lounge in LHR.  Not to complain, but it just wasn’t that grand.  Also, the chairs were sort of sized for elementary school.  But we only really had an hour or so, then off to our gate.  Of course, we were at the furthest side of the terminal possible (only matters because of the wobbly wheels on Bill’s suitcase, and the slight friction which makes pushing the handle on the top, along with the friction on the bottom impart a “moment” making the bag want to fall the whole way). 

Why is there a lake under our plane?  It wasn't raining!!

Our boarding was delayed for assorted reasons (not given to us), but finally, we headed down the hall, where it split by seat locations.  Bill, in 3G, went one way to the L1 door to board, go through the front galley to the far aisle, and Theresa, in 3D, went another way to the L2 door and straight up the first aisle.  No one else seemed to get the rules as people were going every which way.

The only time we would see each other in the flight!

The seats…let’s just say we’re glad this was the 6 hour flight not the 13.  The furniture was very narrow, and long.  There was almost NO storage space, so putting things “away” was not possible.  And we later learned the arm rest was integrated into the seat recline, so if you were sitting bolt upright (taxi take off and landing—TTL) position, you had an armrest.  If you reclined a bit…no armrest.  ☹  This is not to complain, but it does show the differences airlines choose in their premium seats.  But Theresa liked it as she said it was the best set up to sleep on her side.  You can tell what she did!

My view for most of the flight.

Narita is not close to Tokyo!

For the dinner, I got the Japan meal (although the beef on the “international” meal sounded better).  I am usually more adventurous with new foods, but for whatever reason, this wasn’t happening.  You know how when something doesn’t sit right, nothing tastes good?  It was like that.  First, I tried the “Japanese Whiskey”, and it…just wasn’t good.  It tasted like mineral spirits, with a bit of methyl.  Although I tried one bite of almost everything on the appetizer plate, each one took me further from an appetite.  So, I didn’t finish it and told her not to bring the main course plate.  They did have noodles, so I tried that.  I was a little amused to see how it was presented, but honestly, it was just right.  Theresa enjoyed her meal though - which was rainbow trout off of the international menu!

The Route

Since we were so late getting out, and there was weather much of the way, we arrived late.  Then held for a bit for ramp traffic, and finally got to the gate about 10:15PM (a bit behind our 9:45 schedule).  We deplaned and joined the frenzy that is Immigration.  Hoards of people, with terrible lines poorly managed.  You know how most airports have the tapes to zig zag people back and forth, and then discharge them to the next agent in order?  Well, it’s like they heard about that, but set it up 40 feet from the agents, so people zig zagged 4 times, then got in any of the 4 lines of over 40-50 people queued up for a given agent.  It was a MESS!!  Then another agent would open, and people would RUN from their line to this next line.  We saw that like 3-4 times.  But 45 minutes later, we were through and looking for our prearranged driver to the hotel.

Having the bed overlooking the bathtub is a...curious design feature!

The ride was surreal.  Theresa and the Uber driver had a conversation on Google Translate.  The driver would speak into his phone, then play it back in English.  Theresa would speak into hers, and play it back in Vietnamese.  This went on for 15 minutes or more.  We finally arrived at our hotel at 11:35PM, a full 25 hours after our journey started.

At last!!  Goodnight!!