My was today a long day. I think by this point it is technically two, but I am going to write it as one. It all started yesterday when I began packing for my trip at just after one in the morning. Because of the fact that I did not plan, and remember without a plan everything is just guesswork, I missed a couple of fairly important items, but nothing that cannot be replaced. Packing finished at just after two am. I was ready to go with my three suitcases which are actually two, or two suitcases which are actually three.
In the morning, on just a few hours of sleep, I grabbed a couple of forgotten items, but not all the forgotten items, and started loading the car. Small stuff first, luggage next and then finally the cat, because cat could not stay home for two weeks, so she is getting her own vacation with my parents. She will be spoiled by the time I get back and will likely refuse to want to get back into the car with me ever again.
So with a packed car, a very vocal and upset cat, and barely enough gas to get there I head to see my mom and make the first stop. After leaving her with a relieved black fluff ball and some instructions, I head to the bank to transfer money for the trip and take out cash, gas station to fill the tank and finally to my parking location where I meet with my amazing airport ride and girlfriend Liz.
I promise there will be pictures, but nothing was done up to this point because my brain was still in bed. Once she dropped me off at the airport, with a very nice goodbye, I made my way to the kiosk to collect my printed paperwork. And found out that sleepy Alex made a big mistake, because passport Alexander and sleepy Alex do not have the same name so I had to redo all the check-in stuff with a real person anyway. Also I went to the US check in gate to do all the paperwork only to be sent to the proper check-in gate after to drop my luggage. I really feel bad for holding up other people because I was too tired to read instructions.
Bag dropped, papers in hand and over two hours early thanks to a lack of traffic I made my way to the gate to sit and wait. And get food like stuff from Timmies. I filled my two hours with chatting and saying bye electronically to family, and listening to some wise words on my laptop.
My first flight boarded on time and I chatted with a lovely woman who does nursing work in the territories. Her flight challenges were dreadful but she was heading home to be with her parents in a difficult time and I was happy that she was nearly finished. She started in Yellowknife, traveled to another location in the territories that the name escapes me, then to Calgary, Toronto and finally Ottawa. The first day. When I chatted with her she was on day two which was Ottawa, back to Toronto, to Montreal and finally a town outside of Val-d’Or. We laughed over the ridiculousness of it. And the fact that she could drive to Montreal faster than those two flights.
Once we were all seated and the checks were done our beautiful warm and sunny morning flight was delayed by bad weather. A thunderstorm rolled through Toronto and we were left in our seats for nearly an hour while we waited it out. The gentleman beside me and I chatted timing of flights, he was heading to Austin, Texas for work, and we both had very close connections if the delay was extended.
Luckily the delay lasted only as long as scheduled. Forty five minute delay on a forty five minute flight, and I landed in Toronto with three minutes to spare before the boarding call of my flight to Tokyo. I hightailed it through the airport, walking faster on the ground than those who were walking on the automatic walkways. My calves are surprisingly not in pain considering the amount of near jogging I did all day. I will wait for morning for final judgement though. Through secured gates for reasons that elude me, and directly into the line waiting for my flight. Yay, I made it. I even had time to swing back fifty feet and buy a Canadian souvenir for my host family a a kiosk right by the line up.
Boarding was good, and I buckled in, then got up for things, then buckled in again about four times before I felt ready for thirteen hours in the air. And then we were delayed. Seems I was not the only one on a mad dash and a family of five, including twin babies of indeterminate age between two and eight months were also trying to catch the flight. And the airline was nice enough to delay even longer to ensure the matching luggage was secured. I felt certain my luggage would be a day or two because of the mad dash.
Finally the doors closed, the flight taxied out and we were in the air. I spent an hour or so sleeping, then I tried to read, then I slept a little more. Then I saw forms. Forms that were needed at customs time and that was the first of the oops items I suddenly remembered. A pen. Also around the same time item number two came to mind. A sweater because airplanes are cold.
All of that was forgotten when food arrived. It was food, nothing extra special in any way. I was fed a total of three times over the flight, as well as being overly hydrated. It felt like every twenty minutes someone was offering me water. At one point I had two empty cups, two empty small bottles and a flight attendant offered to fill all of them at once for me. I declined, accepting the filling of a single bottle and asking her to clear the rest away.
Between meals I did more reading, listening to some music and at one point I finally convinced a person to get me a pen so I could start filling out my forms. Hey look forgotten item number three, the address of the place I am staying at. Right I definitely need that. Well I guess I will pay for the in-flight internet option and download the files I need. So once I did that I was also able to fill my time with chatting online while in the air. That made my trip so much better. There were some wonderful conversations that Liz and I had that would not have happened if I had not forgotten to download the address, so that was a blessing.
I completed my forms, chatted with Liz, started this blog and did some music listening and fiction book reading for most of the flight. The best part was that no one had booked the two seat beside me so I had the whole row. I made very good use of that space, using all three trays at one point. It was almost like having a first class ticket without the fees. I had such a nice relaxing space that I almost missed breakfast, served at two pm local time. The ideas of meal types and spacing on the flight was interesting.
Look at all the melon. I luckily woke up seeing the people around me starting to eat and being able to catch someone as they were moving back through the plane. Not giving up a free meal when I am not sure where I am eating next.
Not long after that I started to shut everything down and pack up. We were about an hour out of Tokyo and I wanted to clear customs as quickly as possible. I took a photo in a no photo zone accidentally and waited for the luggage I was certain would never show up at the belt. I was so happy when my bag showed up, I grabbed it, walked through security and headed into the first real test of my travel. Sim card, money exchange, and subway ticket. The airport exchange rate was a bit harsh, but expected, the sim card was necessary for travelling around with my phone and the subway ticket was very reasonable.
I made my way to the subway, no idea what I was doing and just got on. Figured out what my transfer station was between emailed instructions, map app on my phone and help from the ticket counter agent I got off the right subway and onto the next right subway. Then I proceeded to get off at the right station and walk the wrong way. For an hour. With heavy luggage. In 38C humid weather. Drenched would be a good description of my state of being.
Also I got lost. Because my mapping app does not know Tokyo addresses and decided that the building name I provided was a city centre location and sent me there. And then I went the wrong way to get there. I walked about five kilometers of the Tokyo neighborhood I am staying at with two suitcases at 6pm or so. It was a struggle but I enjoyed a lot of it. I saw groups of people lining up for bus stops. I heard a young child sign Happy Birthday in English at very high volume. I saw mothers and father biking with two kids on the bike all over. And once I connected with Chie, the host I am staying with, I got the right directions and made my final trek to her apartment.
I have now completed my two day travel day story. I napped after finally being where I am supposed to be and am ready for a full night of sleep before my first full day of adventure comes.
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