Wednesday, June 20, 2001

Japan Trip 15: Homeward Bound (6/20/2001)

Wednesday, June 20, 2001
A rainy night.  This was the start of the summer rainy season.  We had been very fortunate with the weather.
We woke up at 7:30 am.
Breakfast of rice with dried seaweed, processed crab, white bait tsukudani, pickled eggplant and carrots, teas, and juices. 
We were all packed and ready for the company driver, who had just driven Yukitosho to work.  It was his wife Teri’s wish that the driver take us to the airport!
Yuriko accompanied Kent, Tamiko, and Brynne on the two-hour ride to the Narita.  In daylight, we could see the landmarks we passed.  We saw the Tokyo Dome, home of the Tokyo Giants baseball team.  We had a higher level view of the Imperial Palace grounds, but could see nothing except green trees.  We drove over the Rainbow Bridge, passed two Ferris wheels, Tokyo Disney, and a Costco with its own parking garage.
Narita appeared to be in the middle of nowhere.  We had to pass a checkpoint with guards who looked at our tickets and passports, and in the trunk of the car.
The driver helped us to unload, and we bowed our thanks.  There is no tipping in Japan, especially not to an employee of the family!

Narita Airport
We joined the long check-in line for Northwest Airlines, and this time checked our bags.  Then with Yuriko we went souvenir shopping.  Had a quick lunch of gyoza and ramen noodles.  After checking out the last of the shops, we said our goodbyes to Yuriko, who would be heading back to the U.S. herself in three days.  She changed the last of our yen to dollars.    
Passport control, more shops, and arrived at a crowded gate.  Last minute bathroom break before boarding.
On Flight #84 to Minneapolis, we were given menus, earphones, pillows, and blankets.  We left on time at 2:35 pm.

Homeward Bound
We had a better view of the movie screen, and watched all three movies: Save the Last Dance, Chocolat, and All the Pretty Horses.  
The variety programming included a special on family amusement parks, Frasier, and Whose Line Is It Anyway?.
The flight was uneventful, and we arrived in Minneapolis at 11:45 am on the same day that we left at 2:35 in the afternoon!  The flight in this direction was only 10 and 1/4 hours long.
We had to pick up our luggage from baggage claim in order to go through passport control and customs.  Then our bags were taken back.
We decided to have lunch in the food court in the airport.  Brynne and I went to Sbarro’s, where the most efficient employee was the young man with Downs Syndrome who dished out our pizza slices.  Kent had a fruit smoothie.
We had several hours, and first did some window shopping.  But we were tired, and ended up at the gate for our USAirways Flight #800 to Charlotte, to read and rest.
The flight at the next gate was cancelled, on some unheard of airline.  Yet the passengers patiently waited in line, making cell phone calls, and bonding with fellow passengers (Mid-Westerners?).
Our flight left at 4:08 pm, and arrived in Charlotte at 7:25 pm.  We explored the different concourses, so Brynne would have an idea of the airport layout, for when she made a connection on her trip alone to Virginia Beach at the end of July.
A fast-food dinner before our 9:05 pm Flight #1011 to Jacksonville.  Arrived on time at 10:19 pm, got our bags and our car, and were home by 11:00 pm.

Sidebar:
Some of our least favorite things:
  • Long march to Kintai-bashi!
  • Bus ride down the mountain from Hakone to Odawara.
  • Not enough time to shop.
  • Too many temples and shrines.
  • Too many stairs!
  • Didn’t get to see all the relatives.

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