VII. Pre-departure: NRT-CEB-MNL
Tokyo is such a beautiful city, and I didn’t want to leave it. If I had the option of changing my booking so that I’d leave on June 11 instead of June 9, I would. However, since classes are set to begin, and since the conditions on the Real Deal ticket specifically mention that changes to the itinerary are prohibited, I had no choice but to go back to Manila on the 9th, even if I didn't want to (I could, however, change my arrival date in Manila on the domestic leg for P600, but I wouldn’t want to stay in Cebu for two whole days by myself). Even scarier is that this is the first time I’d be travelling all by myself (no sister, no unaccompanied minor program, nada).
Unlike on the flights going to Tokyo, I was up by around 8 am, since the flight leaves at 2:30 anyway. After a good mopping of our kitchen and living room floors and taking a bath, I went out and bought my dad’s noodles (which were to be brought back to Manila) and a carton of milk for them. Seeing as that I had no more time left (I finished those errands by 10:30), I quickly said goodbye to my dad and his friend’s friend (Suzuki-san) and left for the airport, where I had to take a final picture of the La La Arcade.
My dad agreed that I take the train going to the airport, so in the days leading to June 9, I had to negotiate with him which train I had to take. I wanted to take the Narita Express (N’EX), which leaves out of either Ikebukuro (the closest) or Shinjuku, but my dad wanted me instead to take the Keisei Skyliner, which leaves out of Nippori (Ueno was out of the question) since it costs less (1,920 yen for the Skyliner versus 3,110 yen for N’EX). In the end, the Skyliner won, and I boarded the train from Akabane.
At Akabane station, I bought a ticket to Nippori and quickly proceeded to the platform of the train going there (the Keihin-Tohoku Line), all my baggage in tow. However, by the time I got to the station, I already missed the 10:45 Skyliner to the airport. Deciding to take the next one at 11:25, I waited for the next train to Nippori. However, it seemed that all the trains at the time I was there were rapid service trains, all of which would bypass Nippori. I missed two trains waiting for a local service, but having realized that all the trains were rapid service, and having realized later that I could go to Nippori via the Yamanote Line at Tabata (which I knew, but seemingly forgot in this case), I boarded the next train.
The transfer at Tabata was quick, and around 5-7 minutes later, I was at Nippori. The Keisei side, which was the side I was going to, was visibly being renovated as I made my way to the Skyliner ticket machine. I bought a ticket and proceeded to the gate. However, seeing that it was my first time to use a non-JR or Tokyo Metro train, I ended up inserting the ticket incorrectly into the barrier, and I had to get assistance from the guard. The guard told me that since I was transferring from JR, I had to insert my JR ticket along with my Skyliner ticket so that I can enter. Having done what he said, I went down to the platform.
Before the train arrived, I bought a new set of facial masks (since I left mine at home in Akabane) and a souvenir: a Skyliner piggy bank (convenient for storing all the yen coins that I have which, as a result of this trip, were a lot). Soon afterward, the Skyliner arrived, and I boarded as I made my way to the airport.
The Skyliner is arguably the closest thing I can consider to a long-distance train that I have ridden on. The cabin was comfortable, with a wide footrest and a very generous pitch, as well as recline. Yes, I am wearing the new Vans on the way home.
On the way to the airport, we passed by a lot of towns, some of which were solely served by Keisei.
I bought myself a bottle of Pepsi NEX (the closest thing to Pepsi MAX in the Philippines, and an allusion to N’EX) at the vending machine available between the fourth and fifth cabin, which was where I was staying.
The tray table said that it should not be used while the chairs are turned. I had no idea how to turn Skyliner chairs around to face each other until I saw a latch at foot level.
The houses seem to get ever larger as you leave central Tokyo.
Soon enough, we would be leaving Tokyo and entering Chiba Prefecture. There were a lot of rice fields in Chiba on the way to the airport…
…and interestingly, a Dutch windmill.
We passed by Shisui again, only this time, I get to see the town, instead of just a service station on the expressway.
