unagi1
Mar 14, 02, 12:05 pm
3/6 UA 809 SFO-KIX
C was probably lesss than half full downstairs, I didnt look upstairs. The rear section where I was virtually empty and quiet. I had reserved 25C, but then moved to a side window and had the aisle empty so I could spread out my stuff. I had brought along a few Starbucks gift cards and a small box of Godivas as "FA morale boosters". This may have had something to do with the wonderful, consistent, continual service throughout the flight. There were no prison matrons on the scene to dampen the experience or to yell at non-English speaking pax. My pre-ordered Obento was available as requested. Later in the flight, I was given not one, but two bottles of Champagne. Immigration lines were non-existent as they always seem to be at KIX, at least for me.
3/7 - 3/8 Osaka
After obtaining my JR Rail Pass, spent two nights and a day in the Osaka area where I visited with some acquiantances made from flights in years past. Things open and close all the time, so a restaurant or bar you go to one time may be something different the next. Stayed at a "business hotel" which is basic and no frills, but pretty cheap.
3/9 Fukuoka
On the 9th I took the bullet train down to Fukuoka where I spent the afternoon and overnight. A long trip for one night, but I like this town, and along the riverside in the evening vendors set up little stalls called yatai serving all manner of Japanese foods. Some stalls only seat 3 or 4 people. You can go from one to another for a "grazing" meal. Hotel was a similar type, but this one had free internet access in the lobby and also a coin laundry where I washed the smoke out of the clothes I had worn so far. Later in the evening, I went to Tenjin, one of the nightlife areasa and wandered around. The most (in)famous one in Fukuoka which I didnt go to is called Nakasu which is a real eye opener let me tell you. Tenjin has all the benefits without the sleaze.
3/10 - 3/13] Tokyo
The morning of the 10th I took the bullet train from Fukuoka to Tokyo, about a 6 hour trip, but it seems to go by quickly. My JR Rail Pass was in the "green car" which is equivalent to first class in European trains. My hotel in Tokyo was the Shinjuku Prince, where I got an Internet rate of JPY8800 which is pretty good for this hotel.
Checked out the Tsukiji fish market again, along with a few other must-do's I have on each trip. Met friends for sushi one night in what is considered a fancy area of Tokyo called Denenchofu. Another night I ate at an izakaya east of Shinjuku station called Ryuma that specializes in Sardines (47 different ways on the menu) and also Sake. My last night I travelled out a few minutes on the Odakyu line to Yoyogi-Uehara to a place I had read about on the net. See:
http://www.nokia.co.jp/tokyoq/reviews/archive/izak/sasagin.html and
http://www.sake-world.com/FAQ_Other_Topics/Pubs_and_Restaurants/pubs_and_restaurants. html (http://www.sake-world.com/FAQ_Other_Topics/Pubs_and_Restaurants/pubs_and_restaurants.html)
A great place I will visit again on a future trip.
3/13 UA 838 NRT-SFO
Took the Narita Express from Shinjuku to Narita Airport, checked in under 5 minutes, carryon and security screen in under 5 minutes and off to the RCC. Had made tentative plans to meet FTer mjm there, so I went upstairs and stayed near the front with my yellow FT luggage tag displayed. We never connected however. UA 838 was boarding from gate 16 today for some reason. Although I have had flights arrive down there, I've never boarded from there. Sitting in the RCC getting closer to boarding time, I remembered that the SQ Silver Kris lounge was down near there on the same floor as Cathay's and American's lounge. Off I go, *G card in hand. Better food, and they also serve champagne (Mumm's Cordon Rouge today). Pretty quiet in there, although I noticed a few other UA gold boarding passes so I guess others had the same idea I did. Boarding was delayed a few minutes, and I hung back to let the secondary screeners get busy then walked on through. I had 25C this time, tons of room as others have commented. Obento again this time as well. The seats, the meal, and that I arrived home safely the good things I could say about this flight. Matrons were present, doing the usual rushing through the service in order to get pax bedded down for sleepy time. Arrived at 0845 in SFO, immigration lines were busy but moved quickly.
[This message has been edited by unagi1 (edited 03-14-2002).]
C was probably lesss than half full downstairs, I didnt look upstairs. The rear section where I was virtually empty and quiet. I had reserved 25C, but then moved to a side window and had the aisle empty so I could spread out my stuff. I had brought along a few Starbucks gift cards and a small box of Godivas as "FA morale boosters". This may have had something to do with the wonderful, consistent, continual service throughout the flight. There were no prison matrons on the scene to dampen the experience or to yell at non-English speaking pax. My pre-ordered Obento was available as requested. Later in the flight, I was given not one, but two bottles of Champagne. Immigration lines were non-existent as they always seem to be at KIX, at least for me.
3/7 - 3/8 Osaka
After obtaining my JR Rail Pass, spent two nights and a day in the Osaka area where I visited with some acquiantances made from flights in years past. Things open and close all the time, so a restaurant or bar you go to one time may be something different the next. Stayed at a "business hotel" which is basic and no frills, but pretty cheap.
3/9 Fukuoka
On the 9th I took the bullet train down to Fukuoka where I spent the afternoon and overnight. A long trip for one night, but I like this town, and along the riverside in the evening vendors set up little stalls called yatai serving all manner of Japanese foods. Some stalls only seat 3 or 4 people. You can go from one to another for a "grazing" meal. Hotel was a similar type, but this one had free internet access in the lobby and also a coin laundry where I washed the smoke out of the clothes I had worn so far. Later in the evening, I went to Tenjin, one of the nightlife areasa and wandered around. The most (in)famous one in Fukuoka which I didnt go to is called Nakasu which is a real eye opener let me tell you. Tenjin has all the benefits without the sleaze.
3/10 - 3/13] Tokyo
The morning of the 10th I took the bullet train from Fukuoka to Tokyo, about a 6 hour trip, but it seems to go by quickly. My JR Rail Pass was in the "green car" which is equivalent to first class in European trains. My hotel in Tokyo was the Shinjuku Prince, where I got an Internet rate of JPY8800 which is pretty good for this hotel.
Checked out the Tsukiji fish market again, along with a few other must-do's I have on each trip. Met friends for sushi one night in what is considered a fancy area of Tokyo called Denenchofu. Another night I ate at an izakaya east of Shinjuku station called Ryuma that specializes in Sardines (47 different ways on the menu) and also Sake. My last night I travelled out a few minutes on the Odakyu line to Yoyogi-Uehara to a place I had read about on the net. See:
http://www.nokia.co.jp/tokyoq/reviews/archive/izak/sasagin.html and
http://www.sake-world.com/FAQ_Other_Topics/Pubs_and_Restaurants/pubs_and_restaurants. html (http://www.sake-world.com/FAQ_Other_Topics/Pubs_and_Restaurants/pubs_and_restaurants.html)
A great place I will visit again on a future trip.
3/13 UA 838 NRT-SFO
Took the Narita Express from Shinjuku to Narita Airport, checked in under 5 minutes, carryon and security screen in under 5 minutes and off to the RCC. Had made tentative plans to meet FTer mjm there, so I went upstairs and stayed near the front with my yellow FT luggage tag displayed. We never connected however. UA 838 was boarding from gate 16 today for some reason. Although I have had flights arrive down there, I've never boarded from there. Sitting in the RCC getting closer to boarding time, I remembered that the SQ Silver Kris lounge was down near there on the same floor as Cathay's and American's lounge. Off I go, *G card in hand. Better food, and they also serve champagne (Mumm's Cordon Rouge today). Pretty quiet in there, although I noticed a few other UA gold boarding passes so I guess others had the same idea I did. Boarding was delayed a few minutes, and I hung back to let the secondary screeners get busy then walked on through. I had 25C this time, tons of room as others have commented. Obento again this time as well. The seats, the meal, and that I arrived home safely the good things I could say about this flight. Matrons were present, doing the usual rushing through the service in order to get pax bedded down for sleepy time. Arrived at 0845 in SFO, immigration lines were busy but moved quickly.
[This message has been edited by unagi1 (edited 03-14-2002).]