My first morning in the Calgary airport was spent panicking about possible rechargeable batteries in my luggage??? Have you seen Friends???? Because Chandler’s girlfriend JANICE was reincarnated into an Air Canada woman who I wanted to punch!! Picture me opening and closing 50-pound suitcases digging through items I packed weeks ago! When I couldn’t find my Amazon Echo, she told me (in that voice) that they wouldn’t load my luggage and I would have to find other arrangements if they called my name at the gate???!!! What now? As I scrambled to put the suitcases back together…. A Ziplock bag of jumbo panty liners opened and fell all over the floor… yes indeed!
In another moment of brilliance, I checked my carryon suitcase so I wouldn’t have to lug it around - HA! The personal item I had on top of said suitcase, weighed at LEAST 20 pounds! So - instead of leisurely rolling the luggage around the Vancouver and Tokyo airports - I huffed and puffed carrying a bag that did NOT have wheels!
Once in Tokyo at Narita Airport- I walked off the plane with confidence and proceeded to end up miles from the Covid test site. When someone who spoke English figured it out, she briskly (that means fast) escorted me (MILES) to the Covid testing area - here is where I cried a little behind my mask BUT - I kept my composure - spit forever into a tube. While I was waiting for my number to be called, I realized that there were no announcements in English, and I panicked! The woman who had escorted me to my waiting area (Chair A7) was having trouble helping me so I googled my number in Japanese and just kept saying it over and over in my mind. Next thing I know - they start doing the announcements in both Japanese AND English. AM I really that influential? Hmmm… Still - I DID recognize my number in Japanese! Tested Negative and went to grab my luggage.
Here I was, with 5 bags, a purse - weighing well over 200 pounds total - trying to navigate my way to the luggage courier desk (quite a sight). Before I handed over the big guys - I stuffed as much crap from my “personal item” (that I could do without for 3 days) into them. Once free of the big bags - I promptly put the ridiculously heavy personal item on those lovely carry-on luggage wheels and headed off to get my SIM card and a Japanese phone number!!
Nope. Because the testing process took too long and because the kiosk closed 2 hours early because of COVID - no Sim card… no Japanese phone number…
I arrived at Haneda airport after 24 plus hours of travel and found my lovely hotel. Not much English was spoken, and I had not eaten dinner - I called room service but it was a set menu - I asked for “white rice” Really? Yup. Once someone who spoke English came on the line - it was all arranged, and I gulped down a bowl of “white rice” and a glass of water before passing out in my bed. But wait!! I also tried to use the vending machine on my floor to get a Sapporo beer - I put my 1000 Yen in the change machine and nothing happened!? Of course, I don’t read Japanese, so I stood there for a moment and then simply walked back to my room… this is how I spent my first 10 bucks in Japan! Time to study up!
After sleep, a shower, and a lovely breakfast it was off to Asahikawa via Air Do. Terminal 2 is a regional terminal - translation: no English is spoken and no English signs. I knew my Gate was correct, so I crossed my fingers and toes and arrive safely in Asahikawa.
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