Japan Day 11 - Sayonara, Nippon!

The day we left Narita, it was quite a journey to get home.

• Walk down the crazy stairs to the station with our suitcases/backpacks (10 min).
• Take the train to Shibuya Station, transfer to a train to Ueno station on the Ginza line, transfer to a train to the airport on the Keisei line.
• Take a plane from Narita to Kansai.
• Kill over half a day at the airport in Kansai before checking in at 9pm for our midnight flight.
• Take a full plane from Kansai to Honolulu.
• Kill a few hours in Honolulu at the airport.
• Take a plane from Honolulu to Kona.
• Catch a family shuttle 30 min. to get home.

It was not fast. It was not fun. But it was not difficult. Sitting around all day on trains and planes is not hard (working road construction or as a teacher is). So although it took forever, it was relaxing, and we were all in great need of some mental and physical rest.

On our first flight, my dad snapped this picture flying over Tokyo, and we hope it's Mt. Fuji...but aren't sure. (I'd like to pretend that it is).

When we arrived at Narita and had to walk from the station to our terminal, I have to admit I enjoyed their 'race track' concourse that we got to walk twice. You can't help but want to run on them a bit!

Once we arrived back at Kansai (my former 'home airport' when we lived in Kyoto), we did something I've never done despite dozens of visits there- we hung out at the airport half the day! I've always been in a rush at that airport, coming or going. I've never had hours to walk around, check it out, eat, shop...nothing! So it was like seeing it for the first time, really.

We were originally planning to store our bags there and take the Nankai line into Osaka and hang out, but when I did the math, it came out to a little over a $100 in train fare alone, not including luggage storage fees, activities and meals in Osaka, etc. And since we all had ZERO luggage space for more things, and were all totally exhausted from three LONG days in Tokyo and late nights out...we unanimously decided to 86 our Osaka plans and instead hang out at the airport for a half day. Spending $$$ to go to Osaka to just wander the city aimlessly, half asleep and spend more money just didn't make sense.

Instead, we set up 'house' in the lounge area (very comfy and quiet), and used it as a siesta. Ryan and I cruised around, and found some interesting things- namely, a capsule hotel, and this adorable omiyage store. Were these not the cutest mini obento, ever?! We couldn't resist buying a few more of them for friends, and managed to stuff them into my parent's suitcase.

There were a million great restaurants there too, and as I'd mentioned earlier, the prices were totally reasonable and much like anywhere else in the city. So we all enjoyed our final meals there (a late lunch and early dinner), despite them being at an airport. But the best part of all? A few hours before we had to check in, we saw a major snowfall outside!!! It was such a fitting end to our trip, like coming full circle. And having living in the Kansai area, I can tell you how rarely it snows, much less so hard! We were thrilled to get a few final moments of snow before leaving.

Our long flight wasn't very pleasant...I heard more hacking on that plane than on a hospital unit during flu season. I was convinced there was no way we were going to walk off that flight without five different flu strains. My poor mother sat right next to a woman who hacked uncontrollably the entire flight! Thankfully, she had a mask on, and the woman did too (it's an Asian thing). The flight was nearly full, so we couldn't spread out. :-( But it was fast (we got back early), we all slept soundly (thanks to some help from Big Pharm), and miracle of Christmas miracles...we're all still healthy, days later! Sooo...VICTORY.

I'm always both happy and sad to be back home. I still think I could live out of suitcase forever, but returning to the relative calm and beauty of our island isn't exactly terrible either.

It's become a tradition to shoot a photo of the loot Ryan scores from each trip once we're back home. We figured years ago, that since we are very unlikely to keep the items we buy for him, there are better odds we'll scroll through old photos of those items someday. It's actually kind of enjoyable to go back and see the things he once liked.

And thanks to the generosity of family, he ends up with waaaay more things than mom/dad would've bought him. We often tell him our gift to him is the trip itself, and the experiences while on them (like visiting a cat cafe, or sledding). When he was younger, we used to buy him a dozen little things, and inevitably, once we were home, he never touched them again. So for the last few trips, I've urged him to buy practical, useful gifts that he'll use more than once. And he did! With his money from Uncle Joey, he got bedroom slippers, and from his grandpa and grandpa, he got adorable Evee chopsticks and some sweets he loves. He also scored a few 'squishy' toys from his grandparents that are not so practical, but ah well...that's what grandparents are for.

I'd like to say we have a trip just around the corner, but we really don't. Our next trip as a family isn't until later this year, although Rich will go on two trips that month. Having gone to the Philippines and Japan within 3 months of each other, we are in dire need of buckling back down to 'save' instead of 'spend' mode for a bit. There is a tiny chance of a summer trip to CA for Ry and I if there are unbelievably low airfares, but I doubt that will happen.

So for now, I will have to be very content and appreciative of the amazing trips we just enjoyed, and dream about the next one (it's Malta, by the way). 

Beyond Malta, I really have no clue where we will go next. Usually we've had a plan for the next year or two, but this year, we've mutually decided to be spontaneous about where we will go next. Some places are always on the bucket list (Kenyan safari, Machu Pichu in Peru, European river cruise), but are just so cost prohibitive we'll need a large windfall of cash to be able to afford them...so they're not on the short-term agenda. 

One of these summers, I'd like to take a long US road trip again, but this time, with Ryan and a cousin or two. At this point, he has only seen the East and West Coast, and we'd love him to see the rest of America. We just need good 'ol time and money. ;-) 

All right, hope you enjoyed the trip to Japan with us through pictures! I love taking them and reliving the experience by sharing them with you. :-)