Narita and the Airport
April 7th 2008 11:31
The bus which was to take me to the nearby Naritasan Temple in the morning, was due to arrive back 15 minutes later than the departing bus to the airport, and so another short trip passed me be. You can imagine my disgust when I arrived at the airport to see that our flight was delayed by 1 ½ hours!
Japan Airport is as interesting as they come. Very quickly I have learnt that not too many people speak English and I don’t speak much Japanese, so the best way to get along is learn to say hello, nod and smile and hope for the best!
Going through the Departure Gate I came across a man standing next to what looked like a trash can yelling through a megaphone something very loud and which I couldn’t understand. I almost felt like I had to apologize for something!
After handing over my expired Zimbabwean Passport which contained my current Australian Visa, then my Japanese issued Travel Document which contained my transit visa and finally my Zimbabwean Emergency Travel Document with my British Visa and New Zealand stamps I went through what has probably been the fastest check-in on record and didn’t even have my usual visit to the Immigration Department. The probably reckon if you get passed the guy screaming through the megaphone you deserve some slack.
That, or she took one look at all those documents with their foreign stamps and thought, ‘I don’t get paid enough for this!’.
When I saw the sign that said the flight had been cancelled I was not happy. However, I had failed to see the reason for it – ‘ DUE TO CHANGE OF THE AIRCRAFT’. I tried not to let my mind wander back to my recent trip to New Zealand where my flight was delayed for 6 hours after an aborted take off. After sitting on the plane for half an hour before leaving the terminal we finally made it onto the runway, only to sit there for another 20 minutes, the cabin starting to smell a little like burnt rubber and filled by the sound of an engine trying to start. The Captain announced we would be returning to the Terminal for the Engineers to check out what was happening – erm ya think? Anyways, this time I was hoping that ‘change’ meant it was returning from a new paint job or something – being surrounded by Chanel, Burberry, Cartier, Tiffany and Co. and Salvatorrreh Ferrererorogio (well that’s what it sounded like in my head anyway!), I also felt like I needed a change. Even the kids looked like they had stepped out of the glossy pages of a fashion magazine. At least I had Y1500 flight voucher to spend. Woo hoo I could pretend I was rich for a few hours (a coffee was Y360 you do the math!).
A row of Duty Free shops lined the walkway to the fancier, more exclusive ones at the far side of the Departure Lounge. The thing about these shops was that they all sold the same thing… for the same price. As a result I felt like I had stepped into an African vegetable market! Staff stood outside each entrance yelling (minus the megaphone) the bargains out loud, handing out free samples of perfume (only sold in this shop… as advertised in every shop), green tea, discount vouchers and… whisky! Hell yeah, let’s stop here for a second and grab a bargain with that Y5 discount voucher, equivalent to not even a cent. Here comes the last of the big spenders!
I thought twice about going into the fancier clothes stores after a rather obvious look from the store assistant could only be translated as ‘Don’t you even think about it.’ I expect they don’t do business with a whisky ogling, cheap perfume smelling tourist in jeans and a black T brandishing an armload of Y5 discount vouchers! I didn’t want to buy anything anyway! You can always tell how expensive a store is the number of items in the store and the number of staff on duty. See a place with a 5 metre long glass cabinet displaying 2 rings and a necklace with 7 pristine staff waiting to serve you tea and tell you how wonderful the diamonds sparkle with your eyes, keep walking.
See a store with shelves piled to the ceiling and aisles so narrow you need to turn sideways to walk down them, with one staff member behind the counter chewing gum whilst chatting at the top of her voice on the phone whilst serving – go for gold!
All this excitement was building up a thirst so I wandered into a café for a coffee, courtesy of the airline voucher, or 3 coffees as it turned out which was a really great idea before a 13 hour flight. Whilst I watched a kid read his book backwards and listened to the guy next to me noisily slurp up his noodles, my eyes fell on the milk and sugar container which was crammed with all sorts of colourful sachets and miniature tubs. When my coffee arrived I would have the choice of ‘PET SUGAR’ (seriously that’s what the little pack said), ‘GUM SYRUP’ or ‘CAFÉ MILD #5’.
On the way to the toilet I noticed the displays of the food on offer in each of the café windows. Lines of dishes with servings of plastic food and a long row of glasses with plastic drinks were arranged neatly on the glass shelves.
Everything in the toilets is censor operated, so as soon as you put your hand under the soap spout a stream of foam squirts out, do it to the tap and water shoots out, the two located ridiculously close to each other. Being a germophobe doesn’t help as I wash well above my wrists and with all that hand waving and scrubbing I felt like a conductor orchestrating a symphony of squirting foam and water.
It was around the time that the lady sitting across from me in the boarding lounge spat in the flower pot that I decided I was all Japanesed up and it was time to head on my merry way.
Who said flights were boring?
Japan Airport is as interesting as they come. Very quickly I have learnt that not too many people speak English and I don’t speak much Japanese, so the best way to get along is learn to say hello, nod and smile and hope for the best!
Going through the Departure Gate I came across a man standing next to what looked like a trash can yelling through a megaphone something very loud and which I couldn’t understand. I almost felt like I had to apologize for something!
After handing over my expired Zimbabwean Passport which contained my current Australian Visa, then my Japanese issued Travel Document which contained my transit visa and finally my Zimbabwean Emergency Travel Document with my British Visa and New Zealand stamps I went through what has probably been the fastest check-in on record and didn’t even have my usual visit to the Immigration Department. The probably reckon if you get passed the guy screaming through the megaphone you deserve some slack.
That, or she took one look at all those documents with their foreign stamps and thought, ‘I don’t get paid enough for this!’.
When I saw the sign that said the flight had been cancelled I was not happy. However, I had failed to see the reason for it – ‘ DUE TO CHANGE OF THE AIRCRAFT’. I tried not to let my mind wander back to my recent trip to New Zealand where my flight was delayed for 6 hours after an aborted take off. After sitting on the plane for half an hour before leaving the terminal we finally made it onto the runway, only to sit there for another 20 minutes, the cabin starting to smell a little like burnt rubber and filled by the sound of an engine trying to start. The Captain announced we would be returning to the Terminal for the Engineers to check out what was happening – erm ya think? Anyways, this time I was hoping that ‘change’ meant it was returning from a new paint job or something – being surrounded by Chanel, Burberry, Cartier, Tiffany and Co. and Salvatorrreh Ferrererorogio (well that’s what it sounded like in my head anyway!), I also felt like I needed a change. Even the kids looked like they had stepped out of the glossy pages of a fashion magazine. At least I had Y1500 flight voucher to spend. Woo hoo I could pretend I was rich for a few hours (a coffee was Y360 you do the math!).
A row of Duty Free shops lined the walkway to the fancier, more exclusive ones at the far side of the Departure Lounge. The thing about these shops was that they all sold the same thing… for the same price. As a result I felt like I had stepped into an African vegetable market! Staff stood outside each entrance yelling (minus the megaphone) the bargains out loud, handing out free samples of perfume (only sold in this shop… as advertised in every shop), green tea, discount vouchers and… whisky! Hell yeah, let’s stop here for a second and grab a bargain with that Y5 discount voucher, equivalent to not even a cent. Here comes the last of the big spenders!
I thought twice about going into the fancier clothes stores after a rather obvious look from the store assistant could only be translated as ‘Don’t you even think about it.’ I expect they don’t do business with a whisky ogling, cheap perfume smelling tourist in jeans and a black T brandishing an armload of Y5 discount vouchers! I didn’t want to buy anything anyway! You can always tell how expensive a store is the number of items in the store and the number of staff on duty. See a place with a 5 metre long glass cabinet displaying 2 rings and a necklace with 7 pristine staff waiting to serve you tea and tell you how wonderful the diamonds sparkle with your eyes, keep walking.
See a store with shelves piled to the ceiling and aisles so narrow you need to turn sideways to walk down them, with one staff member behind the counter chewing gum whilst chatting at the top of her voice on the phone whilst serving – go for gold!
All this excitement was building up a thirst so I wandered into a café for a coffee, courtesy of the airline voucher, or 3 coffees as it turned out which was a really great idea before a 13 hour flight. Whilst I watched a kid read his book backwards and listened to the guy next to me noisily slurp up his noodles, my eyes fell on the milk and sugar container which was crammed with all sorts of colourful sachets and miniature tubs. When my coffee arrived I would have the choice of ‘PET SUGAR’ (seriously that’s what the little pack said), ‘GUM SYRUP’ or ‘CAFÉ MILD #5’.
On the way to the toilet I noticed the displays of the food on offer in each of the café windows. Lines of dishes with servings of plastic food and a long row of glasses with plastic drinks were arranged neatly on the glass shelves.
Everything in the toilets is censor operated, so as soon as you put your hand under the soap spout a stream of foam squirts out, do it to the tap and water shoots out, the two located ridiculously close to each other. Being a germophobe doesn’t help as I wash well above my wrists and with all that hand waving and scrubbing I felt like a conductor orchestrating a symphony of squirting foam and water.
It was around the time that the lady sitting across from me in the boarding lounge spat in the flower pot that I decided I was all Japanesed up and it was time to head on my merry way.
Who said flights were boring?
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Comment by AmyHuang
Sydney Table
Project Job Search
Travel Debate
Travel String
Love Adventures
So, you are in Japan huh? That's where the snow pictures are from? Surely not... isn't it coming into summer there?
Comment by postmoderncritic
Postmodern Critic
Daily Inspirations
Relativity Watch
Padsoc
Btw, the Japanese guy slurping his noodles was not an exception - it's seen as a sign of appreciation to be noisy about your consumption of them.
I love your description of the bathsink symphony, lol! Very creative way of thinking about that situation...
Man, I wish I was in Japan right now...
Hey Amy -
Ash was just in Japan for a day or so before continuing onto England - the photos she took were of Siberia.
Comment by Ash
Australian Traveller
Flashes of memories
As Epiphanie said I was only there for a short stopover. Managed a few little walks but there wasn`t really the time to go venturing too far afield.
The snow is from Hampshire, UK
Ash
Comment by Ash
Australian Traveller
Flashes of memories
Yeah I was laughing about the Pet Sugar too! There were a few sights that left me a little gobsmacked I must say. I look forward to going back for a longer visit sometime
Ash
Comment by Kleonaptra
Kalikapsychosis
Comment by Ash
Australian Traveller
Flashes of memories
Comment by Lilla
Enviro Warrior
An Extra Ordinary Life
Dream Herald
Ah, Toilet Humour, amongst my favourite kind *LOOL* fantastic image here Ash, as you conduct the Pee and Cleanse symphony orchestra!
I'm left to wonder at the amount of power used in Japan, but it's okay I s'pose becuase they already run about 28 nuclear power plants to allow for all that sensor action... wow, I think I'm turning Japanese, I really think so, (hum along)
Having never been to Japan, I really enjoyed the adventure here, thanks.
Lilla ...
Comment by Ash
Australian Traveller
Flashes of memories
One thing that struck me about Japan (and Ireland too) was the amount of wind farms they have. As we were flying into Japan i looked down and was amazed by the long lines of wind turbines that lined the seafront.
I was chuffed to have been able to see the cherry blossoms - they are every bit as delicate and beautiful as they are made out to be.
Ash