"I finaly find a person who's doing a Kusuha costume...and it's gotta be a HE!" by Rob
Tuesday, February 24, 2009 at 12:06 PM

Well...I'm back...and for those of you who care...I'm going to post my travel diary with the notes of what I did while over there. Day one is all about my trip there on ANA.

Day 1

9:30 Am- Arrived at the airport fine. Finaly sitting down and having an amazing sandwich at Potbellys, I can now start recording my tale for those to see in

real time. As soon as Im done here I whip off to the currency exchange to get myself some Yen.

The world of Japan is seeming closer now that the wait for the plane (already dleayed by about 15 min) is less than two hours off. Also while going

through security, the man manning the metal detector saw my Gurren Brigade button and said 'Oh...you're a fan of Gurren Lagann?' I replied with

'Yup....big fan'....dude...you have no idea, but that put a smile on my face that wont stop for a while.

9:45 - Currency exchange was still not open even though they listed the time as 9:30 for the start of operations, I have a few hours till the flight

though so im sure I'll have time

11:15- Got 41 thousand yen in my wallet now (approx. 500 dollars with current exchange rates...damn the dollars in rough shape)

while waiting to board, some of the stewardesses, all of which are gorgeous may I make note, offered up chocolates for us in the terminal. Looks like it's shaping up to be a nice trip already

1:10 pm- I'm keeping the time to eastern standard from DC untill I get to japan so the confusion is lessened. Currently sipping on hot green tea and staring out the window at

all the snow covering the ground up north...makes me long for home. At about 12:30 we passed over what I can only assume was Toronto...because there's no other city I can think of in our path that

would have a sky needle save for perhaps Seattle...and it was way too soon for that. After having my very good and filling lunch on the flight consisting of brazed garlic chicken and noodles with rice

(sides included sushi ebi and cold potato slices and Haagendazs ice cream for dessert! NOW I know why Exedore insist I fly ANA)

After dinner and breaking out the laptop I discovered the nice LCD screen in front of me and every other seat has a computer gened flight progress so you can see a map that includes your starting point,

time of departure,landmarks, and more. Right now...way to wired to sleep. I'm on my way to Japan with Macros F playing in my ear and signs of the frozen white north of Canada below me. Perhaps I'll watch one

of the dozens of both American and Japanese movies available to me. Now only if they had some anime on here.....

3:15 - As we hit some turbulence I sneak a look outside of the now dark cabin. Its all white below leading me to believe we're right over the arctic. I'm stunned at the sheer beauty of the earth at this height.

Right now I'm in the middle of the 2008 movie 'Ichi' , a period samurai piece about a blind swordswoman. Is great. But I just had to mention that on the notebook before I forget...oh and I have wireless now....

4:15- the infinite bright whiteness glares at me when i sneak a peek out the window, trying not to disturb others. I feel it's icy stare , almost as if to say

I'm intruding upon its solitary life, and I proably am, Glacers of ice and white snow in a world Ive never seen except for in films and pictures...seem unreal now that its right here.

'Ichi' was great, and as we cross past over one third of the trip, I feel a bit restless but awake.

A man to my left in the center aisle snores periodicaly and there's an infant in the seats behind me, mostly quiet but with bouts of noise to punctuate shes

still a child....even if Japanese. I haven't touched the Gamboy yet, nor my Ipod since takeoff. I wonder if I will? checking the sky map shows that at 36 thousand feet,

it's -56 degrees celcius (or minus 68F) and that we're passing over Echo bay. And you thought it was cold where YOU are?

6:30 pm- As we fly over alaska and I look down upon the barren tracks of land with icy rivers all frozen up, The lights come back on and we're starting to get served a sort of dinner/snack. Onigiri and sanwiches

are on the menue and I opt for the latter. I take some vitamins to hopefully help my raw throat (a consequence of too much partying on saturday night)

and check our progress on the screen. we're at the halway point now and in about an hour we'll warp forward in time as we cross the international date line.

(cue Dr Who theme now) The child behind me has been restless but I had either headphones or earplugs in , which make it bearable.My sandwiches...which seem to consist

of one half chicken salad and salami with cheeze on wheat and one half chicken breast with hard boiled egg slices on white, are calling. Mmmm...not bad for an

airline sandwich. I'm liking these people more and more as time goes on. More later.

6:45- Ice has formed on the outside of the window....just thought you should know.

7:35- I look out to see the pacific ocean near Alaska. The water is not water anymore, but Ice. All jagged and cracked, it looks like a large plaster wall

thats been around for ages. they splinter into smaller land masses and only those few spots where they seperate am I able to view the cold dark ocean beneath.

As soon as the movie I'm watching (called 'HAppy flight'...it's about a crew of ANA people who are off on a typical flight...but it's quickly turning into a

disaster....why do they show airline movies like this on flight?)is over, I'll check my progress on the map.

8:35- Ive been up for only about 14 hours, but it's now Tuesday since we've crossed the international date/time line. Flying over Siberia and other places i've only seen

on a Risk map, the water and ice has been replaced with low hanging fluffy clouds. Kamchatka is the next major landmark we'll pass over ...and from here

it's a short 4 hours or so to Toyo. The cabin was darkened again after the second meal and things have calmed down nicely. I finished my movie (Here's a hint,

they made it back to Tokyo safely) and who says you need subtitles to watch a movie in japanese....it's good training for my week ahead. I'm still not realy

tired as the adrenaline in my veins is keeping me quite awake. I'm sure once I get to Japan and realise that I'll be up for at least another 6-7 hours....

I'll crash hard tonight...yesterday...er....oh god I dont even KNOW anymore!

10:00 pm- The lights come on awakening me from my short nap.Amazingly huge mountains pierce the heavens over kamchatka.

I must look these up when I get on land to see how high they are...but they must be miles high.

We have one more time zone to go and now things are getting...interesting. Antsy is a good word. I wonder how long before Colt leaves for the airport?

At our current speed if 520 MPH we should be over Hokkaido in about 1-2 hours. We're almost there and I can't wait to be assaulted by the sights and

sounds of Tokyos big airport! Aahhh! I was just passed another hot towel to help feel fresh during the long ride....feels good to wipe ones face with a

nearly intolerably hot towelet smelling slightly of lemon. I MUST fly this airline again if...WHEN I go to Japan for my next trip.

10:20- At this point, I have 50% of my laptops battery left...I think I'll be ok...I may even watch an episode of J-Decker. Or not...since VLC seems to keep crashing.

screw it. Theres beer on this flight and I'm having one...ah, they have Asahi! Kanpai!

10:30- Jesus...I was about to shut down when another meal got plopped in front of me! Well I know I wont starve on this flight thats for sure! Once I eat I'll tell you what it was!

10:45 pm- Stuffed shells with cheese spinach and vegitables, mellon and pinapple, japanese beans and Milano cookies for dessert! I'm sipping on more

green tea and thinking Tikki and Kara would have loved this flight...if just for the fact they could have all this tea...man....wonder what first and business

class get on this airline....hookers and coke?

11:55- aside from a few small naps I probably haven't gotten more than 2 hours of sleep on the flight. So much for that Idea. I just finished a National

geographic special and now I'm looking out at the landmasses that are below us. Hokkaido is close....probably 20 minutes or so till we're over Japan proper.

In fact I could probably see it, judging by the map and the mountains I can reference , if i had a more forward view. Not long now!

....I'm also so stuffed right now...no more tea....

12:40 - we've passed Hokkaido and are now over Kyushu, but since we're getting close to our destination I figure this will be the last chance I have to write in here

before we need to stow for landing.I do however think I sould go to the bathroom....however the infant behind me has decided to block the aisle staring at me from the empty

seats next to me. And who says parents don't do their jobs anymore. The kid also stinks and I think she needs her diaper changed.....will update when I get the chance to sit down in Tokyo

somewhere.

9:05 DC standard time- finaly settled in for the night. Kays being the gracious host and putting up with me. Showered and fed, im sitting here

trying to sum up into words what it's been like so far. The view coming down (windmills...no FUCKING WINDMILLS! like 25-30 STORY TALL windmills!)

, the long walk down the corridors to the terminal, dealing with customs in half english half Japanese,and finaly meeting Colt right there at the exit.

We rode trains, got coffie out of a machine and talked a bit as we went to meet with Kayt. After she shlepped me back to her house ('Is that a pachinko parlor?' 'Yes it is...you should see the line in the morning') we got some food from the local store and had some dinner. we chatted over wine and i eventualy showered and figured I should get some sleep...it WILL still be here tomorrow. Speaking of which...the source of all Evil...I mean Tokyo Tower is on the plan. I figure I'll set my watch tomorrow and drop that extra 14 hours so i can start feeling like I belong here instead of wondering why Im still awake , save for about two hours rest , after about 24 hours.....most of which was on the flight.

...The adventures continue on day two!

Resistance of Sleep is....fut...zzzz...

'He's an enterprising boy, but I don't think he should have to find his way home alone with sixteen suitcases full of Japanese nurse-hookers.' by Kara
Tuesday, February 24, 2009 at 9:19 AM

Co-Writer is home, safe but jet-lagged. With a 14-hour time difference and considering he probably got in right around the time he left, we should not be surprised. So ...

Now that he's back, no more omake! Back to work, you! *tsk*

If you read around other places, gentle reader, you will note that I was very ill Sunday and yesterday. I'm recovered enough to eat, to sit up, to come to work, and to have gone completely stir-crazy yesterday. I could totally have stood to take another day off, but I woulda torn my hair out from having to convalesce much longer.

Especially considering there's gonna be pancakes everywhere today. If I can stomach them still. I know it's possible to relapse right before getting better and wish you hadn't tried to eat anything after all. But God, I love pancakes.

And God bless Co-Writer, but this is something he said concerning the maid cafe at Katsucon. Yeah ... after being completely swamped for the entire twelve hours I worked there, and being given extra tables during my final shift right before getting to go relax and enjoy myself, I think I have a decent idea of how busy it was.

I would gladly go back and participate again next year, provided I didn't have to work all shifts. Entertaining, but also daunting.

If you have been, okai now I bored.

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