Thirteen Hours in a Flying Metal Tube

Today was the first time I'd ever boarded a Japan Airlines flight. So, when us JETs got on, we were all appropriately impressed. Then we passed out of first class, but still, remained impressed. Then we passed out of business and entered economy, and things were more what we reasonably expected, but still nice. The plane was seated 2-3-2; I was in the middle 3, on the isle, with no one between me and another JET, which was practical because we had it spewed with our extra stuff in no time.

We were delayed in taking off because some people had to make their connections. I couldn't begrudge them too much, as that was me heading to Ireland just 2 years ago. While we waited, a safety video played. It was animated with little chibi people illustrating ways to be rude on the airplane. I have never laughed watching a safety video (it bordered on "cartoon") so it took our group a little while to discover that it was always the WOMAN who was being rude: walking through the isle carelessly and bopping a man on the head, listening to loud music, putting her seat back and bobbing the man on the head, pulling luggage out of the overhead and bopping the man on the head. The only one where the man was rude, was the man dancing haphazardly, tie around head, and alcohol bottle in hand while a horrified chibi woman and child looked on. I give Japan credit -- we all watched the safety video, which is more than I can say about most American ones.

Our seats had TVs in the back and our air rests had removable remotes that tripled as telephones (for a fee) and video game controllers. I spent most of the flight watching movies: How to Train your Dragon, Valentine's Day, The Wedding Singer, and Remember the Titans. In between movies I checked the flight path, perhaps ate whatever meal came my way, once tried to nap before I realized that I was much too tempted by the amazing entertainment my $4000 ticket was giving me. (Yes, that is how much Japan paid for me.) I did some tetris and a "bejeweled" game, although about 25 games were offered, as well as numerous audio channels and about 30 movies. It was hard to pick which ones to watch.

The flight actually went really fast and before I knew it, we were descending. Perhaps it was the timelessness of the airplane, but time really didn't seem like it was passing. We landed in Narita airport, went through immigration in no time (where I got fingerprinted and photographed) grabbed our luggage (and thanked our lucky stars that the luggage carts were free) and headed through customs. Customs was also ridiculously easy. I handed over a form on which I had checked a few boxes about not being wealthy, and not bringing in opium or machine guns (honest to goodness) and was on my way. My little panic last night about what medications and quantities of Advil I was bringing was completely unnecessary. Which, I suppose, is good.

Once we passed customs, JET people met us with signs. They then directed us onward, where we were guided by more pairs of JETs every 150 feet (usually in sight of each other) along straight hallways. It was impossible to get lost. I stopped briefly with another JET to dig through and reorganize our luggage. I wanted to dig out my bathing suit as the hotel in Tokyo -- rumor had it correct -- had a swimming pool on the roof of the 7th floor. I got lucky and managed to actually find my bathing suit and stuffed it into my carry on. My two checked bags are being shipped on to Shiga now, and I will go the week with just my carry on now. I've already discovered that my outlet converters are in my checked bags, and am only able to plug in my laptop because my roommate is loaning me one.

Speaking of outlets: Japan's outlets are like US 2-prong outlets. The voltage is just slightly off and the hertz vary between 50 and 60 depending on what side of the country you're in, but unless you have very sensitive equipment, you can just plug US electronics into the walls here. After Ireland (with UK style plugs, but EU power) and traveling to Europe (with Europe plugs) and trying to make my US power electronics with US plugs work, this is a most welcome discovery. I hope nothing blows up.

The bus ride to Tokyo and our hotel could have been as long as three hours depending on traffic. I took two trips to the bathroom. One, after dropping off my checked luggage to be shipped and the second after our bus was delayed. My reason for going twice was simple: the terminal had air conditioning. Japan is HOT and HUMID. When I was originally told that sweat would just grow on you, I didn't believe it. I'm now a believer. I felt like i had just climbed out of a pool and had put on my clothes while still wet. Everything was sticking. I actually listened to the advice of the Wisconsin JET alumni association who said to bring handkerchiefs in your carry on to wipe yourself off with. It was a godsend. My second reason for going again was to take a picture of the bathroom stalls. The one I had came with: butt spritzer, full bidet, extreme odor eliminator, and a button that made a flushing noise (of adjustable volume) to cover up the sound of actual pee hitting the toilet. As it turns out, the hotel in Tokyo has something similar, but in my defense, that's not exactly like the backwoods toilets I grew up with.

I don't think the bus ride was that long, but I may have actually slept at the end, although I don't remember falling asleep. The beginning was taken up by a JET having us fill out accidental death beneficiary forms (Mom and Dad, you each get 50%. Francis, you get nothin') and giving us a quick rundown of the schedule for the next few days along with booklets of more intense details. That was exactly what I wanted after just having been up for who knows anymore how many hours.

We are at the Kieo Plaza Hotel. It's not as posh as it could be, but it's certainly no Super 8. Everywhere you go, there are employees welcoming you and bowing. I followed the line of JETs upstairs where we got MORE paperwork, name tags, totes, and room keys from smartly dressed Japanese people. My contacts were drying out, I'd just spent a 13 hours on a plane and (like most people) I was casually dressed in wrinkled jeans and a t-shirt. I felt very underdressed.

My room ended up being on the 13th floor. The elevator apparently skipped my floor the first time I tried to get there, so when I ended up back where I'd started, the very nice Japanese hotel worker honestly escorted me upstairs, took my key (and rolled my bag for me) and opened my room for me. I'm not quite sure whether he was being very polite or thought I was completely incompetent. I'm guessing a bit of both, which may be somewhat true.

Now I'm setting into the room for the night, having taken a nice shower. The hotel is nice enough to provide everyone with slippers and a yukata (bathrobe) which I wore out of the shower. It took me a minute to remember how to put it on (not that either of my Chicago JET roommates would call me on it.) Like a kimono, the left side is on top when closing it. The only time the right side is on top is at your funeral. My kimono at home makes it easy by not having the design continue onto the flap that's covered anyway. This Yukata is just blue and white stripes with no helpful hint like that.

As there is one ethernet cord and three of us in this room, I'm going to have to be nice and share. I dislike sharing internet.