Every Journey Starts With a Single Step

At the end of 2011 I reported to Milton, Fl for yet another phase of my flight training, and early on I learned that one of the possible follow on locations would be Japan.  As soon as I heard that I knew it would be a place that I would want to go, and last Sunday I finally managed to make my way out here.

That morning I made my way to the airport. I showed up several hours early in hopes that I could drop off my checked luggage and wrap up the last few things I had left to do.  But as they say, the best laid plans of mice and men and all.  The airline wouldn't let me check anything until later that morning, so I waited.  Eventually, with everything checked and all things sorted out, I said my final goodbyes to my friends who had made it out to see me off and checked into my flight.

At this point I'd like to compliment Japan Airlines.  Before we boarded, as we sat in the waiting area they sent a representative around to check out passports and mark our boarding pass to expedite the boarding process.  As we boarded a gentleman who wasn't Japanese bowed and said some sort of welcoming or well wishing phrase to everyone as they got on the plane (I don't speak the language, but I'm pretty sure that to me he said "welcome great red head" or something like that).  The stewardesses, all Japanese, were all incredibly kind and helpful, they apologized for some delays that we had.  And not that official hollow apology, they apologized as if it was actually their fault.  And best of all, not only did they hook me up with an aisle seat, but a seat in a row where I was the only person sitting.  It was glorious!  No fighting over armrests, no large man snoring in the seat keeping me up, no child screaming, just me and my three other empty seats.  Well done Japan Airlines.

So I landed, went through customs (when the gentleman who stamped my passport said "America?" it took everything in my power to not finish the song from Team America), grabbed my luggage (using the free carts to wheel it around) and made my way to the appointed desk to catch my bus two hours south from Tokyo to Atsugi.  Here in a new country there would be so much that I wanted to see, so much culture that I would want to absorb, so naturally for the entirety of the bus ride south, through various cities and country sides, I immediately fell asleep.  What?  I was tired.

I checked in to my room, and thus far I've only managed to check in to the base, but as time goes on I will eventually venture out into the town.  Next week I go through a week long class introducing me to the new country, and I'm looking forward to Thursday: "field trip day".  They drop us off at a train station in the morning and have us go out on our own, we just have to make it back before the trains stop running.  

Sayonara