how I almost missed my plane in Tokyo
I got on my plane from Tokyo to Shanghai drenched in sweat, dizzy from not eating, and with very sore legs.
Rupa and I stayed at the Tokyo International Youth Hostel. It is a very nice hotel-- clean and quiet, with more Japanese then foreigners. It is also very reasonably priced, at 3500 Yen per day (thats about $35)-- cheaper then London.
The way the hostel stays so quiet and orderly is that the residents have to obey a very strict set of rules. You can only shower during 6:30am-8am and you can only bathe from 6pm until 10pm or so. The front doors are locked from 10:30pm until 6:30am. Etc.
These rules were somewhat problematic for me because my flight to Tokyo was leaving at 9:45am. Instead of moving to another hotel, I decided to risk it and stay in the hostel.
I was out the front doors at 6:30 sharp and jumped on the subway next door. I took the JR to Tokyo station (20 minutes) where I bought a ticket for the Narita Express train (1 hour, standing room only). I arrived at Narita airport at 8am. Normally that would've been fine but I had left some luggage at terminal 1 and I was flying out of terminal 2.
The train dropped me off at terminal 2 where I hopped on a bus to terminal 1, picked up my luggage, and hopped on a bus to terminal 2. I then went inside and got into a very long, snaking line that would split here and there depending on whether you had a cart, where you were going, and someother random criteria. I put my check baggage through the x-ray and arrived at the counter. At this point it was 9am. I was getting nervous. The ANA clerks were getting nervous on my behalf as well. I checked my bags and paid a hefty fine because they were too damn heavy (I sure hope I get to use my climbing equipment here!!!) and then got into a long line for emigration.
When I cleared emigration, I started running for my gate which, of course, was at the very end of the terminal. An ANA clerk with a sign for my flight greeting me and we ran together down the terminal. I was wearing a ridiculously heavy backpack (containing Polchinski's String Theory volumes I and II and a large heavy hardcover novel that weighs more than Polichinki I and II combined). My thirty pound backpack bounced with every step. Did I mention that I had not yet eaten? And I was in a near sprint to keep up with the ANA clerk. (Anyone who has ever run with me will verify that I am a slow, untalented, lazy runner. This was quite difficult for me.)
Finally, we reached the gate and I ran down the ramp and was the last person to board the plane. I was drenched in sweat, some shade of purple, and dizzy and hungry. When the meal service came around, it was the best lunch I've ever had. (grilled salmon in light creamy sauce, lightly grilled green beans-- still crunchy; a piece of salmon sashimi served over ham and sweet egg salad with a few small pieces of vegetable-- carrots and onions, I think; noodle-- yellow and white, in a soy sauce; japanese trail mix that included wasabi peas)
Rupa and I stayed at the Tokyo International Youth Hostel. It is a very nice hotel-- clean and quiet, with more Japanese then foreigners. It is also very reasonably priced, at 3500 Yen per day (thats about $35)-- cheaper then London.
The way the hostel stays so quiet and orderly is that the residents have to obey a very strict set of rules. You can only shower during 6:30am-8am and you can only bathe from 6pm until 10pm or so. The front doors are locked from 10:30pm until 6:30am. Etc.
These rules were somewhat problematic for me because my flight to Tokyo was leaving at 9:45am. Instead of moving to another hotel, I decided to risk it and stay in the hostel.
I was out the front doors at 6:30 sharp and jumped on the subway next door. I took the JR to Tokyo station (20 minutes) where I bought a ticket for the Narita Express train (1 hour, standing room only). I arrived at Narita airport at 8am. Normally that would've been fine but I had left some luggage at terminal 1 and I was flying out of terminal 2.
The train dropped me off at terminal 2 where I hopped on a bus to terminal 1, picked up my luggage, and hopped on a bus to terminal 2. I then went inside and got into a very long, snaking line that would split here and there depending on whether you had a cart, where you were going, and someother random criteria. I put my check baggage through the x-ray and arrived at the counter. At this point it was 9am. I was getting nervous. The ANA clerks were getting nervous on my behalf as well. I checked my bags and paid a hefty fine because they were too damn heavy (I sure hope I get to use my climbing equipment here!!!) and then got into a long line for emigration.
When I cleared emigration, I started running for my gate which, of course, was at the very end of the terminal. An ANA clerk with a sign for my flight greeting me and we ran together down the terminal. I was wearing a ridiculously heavy backpack (containing Polchinski's String Theory volumes I and II and a large heavy hardcover novel that weighs more than Polichinki I and II combined). My thirty pound backpack bounced with every step. Did I mention that I had not yet eaten? And I was in a near sprint to keep up with the ANA clerk. (Anyone who has ever run with me will verify that I am a slow, untalented, lazy runner. This was quite difficult for me.)
Finally, we reached the gate and I ran down the ramp and was the last person to board the plane. I was drenched in sweat, some shade of purple, and dizzy and hungry. When the meal service came around, it was the best lunch I've ever had. (grilled salmon in light creamy sauce, lightly grilled green beans-- still crunchy; a piece of salmon sashimi served over ham and sweet egg salad with a few small pieces of vegetable-- carrots and onions, I think; noodle-- yellow and white, in a soy sauce; japanese trail mix that included wasabi peas)
posted by Michelle at 11:49 p.m.
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