Flying to the States and Back Again

When we announced to friends and family that we were moving to Okinawa, we heard from quite a few that they hope we will have a room available for them to come and visit. (which we will) Several were very convincing that they plan to make the trip to see a little bit of Japan while we're here. In light of this, I thought it might be nice to write a blog post about traveling to and from Japan since I just made the trip by myself this month and it's fresh on my mind. I'm sure it seems intimidating to most of you to travel to a country where you don't know the language and the writing is not something you can even sound out unless you know your Japanese katakana symbols. If you could remember back before you learned to read and write, that would be the feeling you get when you walk through the towns and stores and airports. Not to fear, though. The Japanese are very gracious hosts and do their best to make it easy for us to travel in their country. In most areas they post English under their kanji and katakana, the announcements over the loudspeakers are spoken first in Japanese and then in English, the flight information signs flash between katakana and English and the employees are all proficient in English and willing to help you if you aren't sure where to go.

In Japan, they are all required to learn English in school. You will find some that are shy to speak it but if you give them a lost puppy look they will usually try to help you. They usually understand it more than they want to speak it. Others will speak confidently. In the airports, I've found all employees to be very helpful and excellent English speakers. Another thing you will find is that there are A LOT of Americans traveling in Japan. With the number of military bases in the country as well as businessmen and women traveling for their jobs there are always Americans in abundance traveling  to and from the states. So for the most part you won't feel like a lonely little petunia in an onion patch. There are always people there to help.

 My flight started in Okinawa at the Naha airport. Russ dropped me off and I entered the doors for my airline and found the check-in desks for ANA airlines (All Nippon Airlines-a United Airlines partner). They weighed my bags as usual but the weight was in kg so I wasn't sure how much they weighed. They took them without charging me anything extra so I assume that meant they were under 50 lbs. They asked me if I wanted a window or aisle seat and I chose a window seat. They printed out all my boarding passes for the entire trip, circled my seat number and gate number and pointed me towards the security checkpoints that lead to the gates. Japan doesn't require you to take off your shoes when you go through security but everything else was very similar. I removed my laptop and emptied my pockets and went through the metal detectors then collected my carry-on bags after they'd gone through the x-ray machine. I was a little unsure of the gate number so I showed my boarding pass to an employee and she pointed to the correct gate number.  I perused the shops until time to board and found a sturdy drum to take to my grandson. I bought what I thought was a sweet tea from a vending machine but it turned out to be an unsweet green tea which tasted sort of nasty and bitter so I ended up pitching that one and buying a water instead.  My plane departed at noon and it was about a 2 1/2 hour flight from Okinawa to Narita Airport in Tokyo.

It was interesting to see the
island from above.

You can see some areas are quite narrow
so it's a short drive from coast to coast

In Tokyo, I had about an hour between landing and the boarding of the next flight. I was starting to get a little hungry but knew that they would be serving meals on the longer flight so I found a vending machine and purchased an ice cream bar and an ice water. As I navigated through the airport to my next gate it was interesting to me that their walkways from gate to gate are also opposite to ours.  You walk on the left side of the walkways just like  you drive on the left side of the roads.While waiting, I always try to stay standing until boarding the long flight because I know I'll be sitting for about 12 hours straight. The 12 hour flight is usually a 747 with three seats on each side and five in the middle. On this flight I was sandwiched between two big men. One was tall and husky and the other was shorter but stockier. There were TV screens on the backs of the seats so I was able to watch movies and I also purchased wireless internet so I could keep track of things with my kids. They serve two meals on this flight and the drink carts come through about every two hours. After the first meal, they usually turn down the lights so everyone can sleep. I was thankful for my neck pillow which allowed me to sleep a little bit. I always try to get up several times during the flight just to walk around and stretch my legs. Sleeping or watching movies helps the time fly quickly.

The ice cream vending machine was calling to me

The first airport you land in upon entering the country is where you clear customs. Houston was my entry point so I cleared customs here. Follow the crowds to the customs area. Americans are directed in one direction and foreigners go to a different area. The first stop is a room with a bunch of computers where you have to scan your passport, fill out a form and take a picture of yourself. The cameras are made for tall people so if you are short you have to tiptoe to get your whole face in the picture. I think I actually cut my chin off in my picture but I couldn't get any taller. You then proceed through a line where they check your passport and the form you printed out at the computers with your funky picture, You then go through baggage claim and get your bags and walk them through another line where they check your passport and paperwork again and then if you have a connecting flight they take your bags again and put them onto your next flight. I had a four hour layover in Houston so I had time to get a meal, charge my phone and talk to the kids at the hospital. The last flight from Houston to Raleigh was 2 1/2 hours and I arrived at my destination at about 11 p.m. Total travel time was about 24 hours. 

My return flights were a little different. I flew from Raleigh to Chicago (about a two hour flight), then the long flight from Chicago to Narita was 13 hours. I was pretty excited to have a row to myself on the return flights from Chicago to Narita and from Narita to Okinawa. What a difference it makes when you can stretch out and sleep. It was actually a quite enjoyable return flight. A few things that are different when coming from the states to Narita. First, customs is a little different. You have to fill out a customs form and disembarkment form before leaving the plane if you're not a citizen of the country you are landing in. These basically ask if you have purchased anything of larger value while in the states, how much money you are coming into the country with so they can determine if they need to charge you "duty" fees. The disembarkment form just asks you why you are coming to Japan,the address you will be staying at and how long you will be staying, Follow the signs for foreigner (non-Japanese citizen) with a domestic connecting flight. Some will be continuing on to other countries and will be exiting for international flights and this can confuse you after a long flight because you think you're still on an international flight. From this point on you are flying domestic. If you're unsure, just show someone your boarding pass and they will guide you to the correct lines. They speak and understand English and so it is not scary at all to find your way through the customs process. Next you walk to baggage claim, get your bags and go through the last customs line where they again check your passport, count your bags and occasionally send you to an area to have a few bags opened to check them. We haven't had this happen to us but we usually see someone being pulled over for a bag search so if they ask you to go to the sidelines to check your bags don't be too alarmed. It's hit and miss who gets selected. There is usually a person waiting to take your bags from you in the customs area to put them on the plane to Okinawa. If there is not someone offering to take your bags for you in the customs area, just exit through the doors and go to the ANA counters (or whatever airline you are flying on) and they take them for you there. 

I was a little amazed each time we've flown into Narita that it is like going back in time. When we board the flight to Okinawa, we go out the doors from the gate and travel on a bus over to the plane and walk up stairs to board the plane. I remember doing that when I was younger before jetway walks became commonplace. Also, at the gate, they have flip signs on a pole and they flip the signs over for each flight they are boarding. There is an employee whose job is to be the sign flipper. She stands there smiling and pointing in a Vanna White kind of way at her sign announcing we will be boarding this flight in ten minutes. It's refreshing to see that the old ways still work efficiently at the Narita airport. 

I would love to see some of you brave souls venture out to visit us while we are here. Japan is a beautiful country, the people are very humble and kind and you will enjoy your time here immensely. Okinawa is similar to Hawaii in climate with beautiful cliffs and beaches with vibrant blue water. Travel here is very easy and nothing to fear at all. Come on over ya'll.