From Toronto to Tokyo

Stressful Start

The trip starts on a bit of a stressful note. Graham takes us to the airport and drops us off. I realize after he drives away that my neck pillow is missing.

Anyone that knows me, knows that my neck pillow is a vital part of my travel gear…it’s not just a neck pillow, it is also stuffed with all my underwear, my lightweight backpack, all my socks, my long black skirt, my nightgown, my spare neck pillow, three t-shirts and one long sleeve top. Leaving this behind is akin to leaving my phone.

“Don’t panic”, John says, “you can just get new underwear and tops in Japan”.

The problem with that is that sizes and clothing cuts are much different in Japan than the West. Japanese women are generally smaller and not quite as curvy on top. It is hard to get larger sizes there.

We get hold of Graham who is already on the highway heading home. Fortunately, he picks up and in twenty minutes is back where he dropped us off…with my neck pillow which I had left in the trunk.

We move through airport security quickly and soon are off on the first leg of our flight to Montreal.

Seat Swap

We have a 2 1/2 hour wait in Montreal before boarding our flight to Tokyo-Narita. John always checks in online as soon as he can so that there is a choice of seats. Being a long flight (14 hours), we booked aisle seats across from each other.

John checks in at the gate and goes through but when I check in, the flight attendant takes my boarding pass and says “Here is your new seat” and hands me a ticket for a window seat close to the back of the plane. It turns out that they moved a man into my seat so that he could be together with his wife..???!!!

The cabin staff try to juggle things around as much as possible, at one point offering us seats that do not recline at the very back of the plane. Meanwhile, John sends be helpful (not) emails from his seat. Finally someone else moves into John’s seat and we are able to sit together near the back of the plane with me in a middle seat. Argh. At least they didn’t bungie cord me to the roof of the plane.

Flight to Japan

As usual, I sleep a lot on the plane, only waking to eat my meal, drink a glass of wine and look out the window at the snowy landscape below when we fly over Alaska.

The fourteen hours pass quickly. I sleep; John doesn’t.

Japanese Washrooms

We land at Tokyo-Narita airport. We stop in the washroom before leaving the airport. The toilets are very advanced with all kinds of buttons to push including washing sprays and music (I think). There is even an electronic sign outside the washroom that lays out the washroom floorplan and lets you know which exact stalls are vacant.

Train to Tokyo

We buy tickets for the Narita Express train into Tokyo. Narita airport is 62 km from Tokyo. The train takes 1 hour and 20 minutes. The train is clean, well organized and comfortable. We have an assigned seat.

From the train we get a great view of the very tall Tokyo Sky Tree tower.

The sun sets here at 5:30pm.

The Hotel and Supper

It’s dark when we reach our stop…Shinjuku. Click here for a short video of our first look at Tokyo when we leave the station.

Our hotel is a short walk from the station. We’re on the 14th floor. Our room is compact but includes lots of extras including all kinds of toiletries, robes, slippers and a toilet with all kinds of fun buttons.

We head out for supper. Even with English translations, I’m still not 100% sure what I’ve ordered…but it is good.

Although it’s been dark for a few hours, it is still really warm, 25°C. Walking back to our hotel, I can’t help but notice that there are anime figures everywhere you look. No mistaking where we are.

We head back to the hotel to get some sleep. It’s 9pm here which is 8am back home so it’s been 27 hours since we got up at 5am the previous day to start the trip.