After checking out from The Strings at the best part of 6am in the morning I had the two choices again - JR Hamamatsuchō- and Monorail, or The Keikyu line back to Haneda. This time, it was dictated by how many yen was left in my pocket... which by this point of the trip - wasn’t a lot.
With 300 yen on my Sucia and a 500 yen coin (and a 1000 yen note), the decision was made for me: Keikyu line.
I beeped through the gate, and lo and behold - an express to Haneda Airport was just about to arrive.
Perfect timing.
Whilst the views were less dramatic than the Monorail ride from the airport, in a way they where much more interesting as there was more of the much more of the older Tokyo and the suburban life. The views changed the closer the train got to Haneda before disappearing into black and out into the International Terminal.
After using the fare adjustment machine to add an extra 100 yen onto the Sucia, I beeped out of the airport, and found a trolley, and followed the signs to departures.
Walk This way...
After finding departures, it was off to the ANA Business check-in lines. Now I don’t look like a business class traveller when I travel, so there was an arched eyebrow why I was there, but I was let through and completed the check-in to Hong Kong. I was advised where the lounge was and again, my backpack was taken from me and put into the luggage system (anyone hearing me London Heathrow Airport? Of course not) and I headed off to a security line which had practically no queues, and a very short queue for emigration, where I at last had a proper stamp from Japan put in my passport.
Stickers may be fine, but a lovely “thunk” of a stamp is always preferred
It was then off to the ANA Lounge after spotting a friend at the window who had come in from Frankfurt
And Hellooooo Stranger!
ANA International Lounge
Noodles Consumed: Well...
After accidentally heading the wrong way (going left instead of right - the left side is JAL, the right side is ANA), I made my way up to the lounge, and was greeted. My Boarding Pass was scanned and accepted, and I made my way in.
As you go in, you can see the model airplanes to the side (including a dreaded Pokemon plane).
Then it expands into a big lounge, with seating areas, work areas and food. And whilst there were there was a custom Udon noodle bar. Well it would had been wrong not to take advantage of it
Food Area
Noodle Nom
With 3 choices, I went for the Eel topping, and it was very nice. The noodles were lovely and soft, and the topping was flavoursome.
You know, I could sort of get used to this sort of thing.
The main lounge area (part of it...)
As I stayed in the lounge, it started to busy up, and the movements outside started to happen, with the Internationally configured 787 being towed away, and replaced with a 777 that was to head to Seoul at the same time the bird I was due to be on was due to head off to Hong Kong.
I forsee a race.
Soon enough, boarding time came around, and I thanked the staff, and headed downstairs to the gate, where boarding had been announced for the flight. Talk about good timing here kids.
The Chariot to Hong Kong...
My boarding pass was beeped, and I was allowed aboard.
NH1171 - Tokyo Haneda Airport (Tokyo International Airport) - Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok International Airport
All Nippon Airlines,
Boeing 777-300. Seat 12A
With a very polite bow I was greeted and sent down to 12A, passing the bigger old style First class seats at the front of the plane, down to the 2-3-2 of business class.
Thankfully, 12B wasn’t occupied. This proved handy later on in flight as it gave me somewhere to dump my trash (and also power my laptop - but I’m jumping ahead of myself).
Seat
Legroom
After getting on a plane, and packing away my stuff, the first thing I do is read the safety card. And it’s force of habit - the simple reason being is in an emergency, I want to get out alive. It is therefore good manners to know the layout of the plane and where the safety equipment was. And I spent a good few minutes reading the card, then hunting the life jacket (I always locate the tab of a life-jacket release so I know where it is in my mind).
Eventually I found it to the right of me, between the seats, but up high to my shoulder rather than down below near the floor.
After that confusion, I settled in, checking the menu and waited for the doors to close. Meanwhile the flight attendant came to say hello to me. In three Different languages (Japanese, Cantonese and finally English). Ah the games I love to play when being half Chinese
I was offered an English paper and welcomed aboard properly.
The doors closed a bit early, and the safety demonstration was given manually (as in business class, monitors had to be stowed for take off, landing and taxi), and remember what I said about a race? Both the Seoul Flight and the Hong Kong flight pushed back at identical times, with the the flight I was on seemingly given way.
In the seat pocket was the menu, as well as more slippers. Let’s put it like this: I won’t need slippers in the flat for some years to come after this trip.
Our plane did a fair old taxi around Haneda Airport (passing a techops section and the odd Pokemon Jet) until we had lined up for take off. We were held for a short while, then the bongs were give.
Pika... chu? Pikachu!
The result is below
Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezy3m2YlqLs
After climbing out, there were some pretty nasty bumps. Thankfully as the climb continued, the air eased up and service could commence.
[img]http://pb-i4.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/6247-1331678856-11.jpg[/b]
Climb-out
And well. Since I only had one glass on the way out, it would be rude of me not to have a bottle...
One Bottle
Or two
Maybe two
Perfect for gazing at how long that 777-300 wing is...
Big Wing. Heavy Wing!
Moving on the meal service arrived, and again, I went with the Japanese option. This was made up of:
The Kuchidori
Kelp-marinated salmon suhshi, Deep fried soft shell prawn, Rolled conger eel with burdock roots and Japanese Rolled Omlette
The Otsukrui
Soy Marinated tuna with gated yam
The Shusai
Grilled Makeraeral, Rice with green soy beans with Miso Soup and Wagashi
I'll let the pictures do the talking.
(More in the next post)