SFO777

Off to Tokyo... via New York and Vermont

This morning I'm off on a quick business trip to upstate New York, and then a day in Tokyo. Say what?? LOL. Another beautiful Colorado morning.



Denver to Newark
United UA 627
757-200 (lie flat)
8:00am-1:27pm
January 19, 2023

Boarding time and nothing is happening.



OK, the plane arrived at 6am from Lihue. Delay excuse #1...





Delay excuse #2...



Welcome to United, where half the plane is Group 1, which is really more like Group 6 after Global Services, families, military, handicapped and 1K.



Finally onboard, our comfy lie flat 757.







Pretty good snow removal considering we had an 8" snow fall all day yesterday.







United's Breakfast Frittata. Not bad, but please dump the inedible Chobani.





Welcome to rainy Newark.





With a 3+ hour connection, plenty of time to head over the Terminal B and a PCR test for Japan...



... Japan wants 3 jabs or PCR.



30 minutes later, I have my negative result and headed back to Terminal C.





Terminal B PreCheck. Seriously? The CLEAR line was even worse.



Still plenty of time for the United Club. Cool automatic entry by scanning your boarding pass.


Huge new and attractive United Club.

With a reasonable food spread... so much better than your typical Admirals Club.











We really need to remind people??



I rarely use EWR but had to laugh at all the gate changes on my connecting EWR-BTV flight this afternoon. Fortunately, I can monitor the gate action from the attractive UC.










Time to head out for my flight to BTV.





Newark EWR to Burlington BTV
United Express
E75
5:19pm-6:35pm (sked)
6:20pm-7:35pm (actual)
January 19, 2023

I'm at the correct gate, I think.



Our captain tonight decided that the crew had worked enough today as he announced that "due to severe turbulence all the way to Burlington, I've asked the FA to stay seated for the entire flight". And of course, other than one 5 second mild chop, there wasn't a hint of turbulence during the flight. And on approach, the front cabin FA started walking down the aisle with a trash bag just as the rear FA announced "due the turbulence, we won't be collecting trash today..."

Welcome to Vermont.







My home for the next two nights, the comfy Residence Inn Colchester.







Time for dinner and this was the closest place on a snowy night.





Not bad and the fries were great. And friendly staff and patrons.



The next morning.



Residence Inn breakfast.



Off to the Grand Isle Ferry and New York.





This was pretty cool and cut up to 30 minutes off the drive.



My Instagram story of my long day of travel today.

SFO777

After a long night and another ferry ride across Lake Champlain, I wound up getting 3 hours of sleep before heading over to BTV and my 6am jetBlue flight.



Burlington BTV to New York JFK
jetBlue 233
E190
6:05am-7:45am
January 21, 2023



[mod edit]

Since I paid $15 for an exit row, I got to board first.



And lucked out as I had an empty seat next to me.



Not sure I want to watch a green screen today.



Mandatory de-icing today after more snow last night.





My jetBllue breakfast snack from a hardworking crew as opposed to my UAX crew from EWR.



At JFK, I hopped on the JetBlue/American shuttle bus to take me to T-8 to try out the new AA/BA lounges.







Was unsuccessful in getting into the Chelsea Lounge as that is currently just for AA and BA First passengers. Hopefully that will change when other One World partners with First Class cabins move to T-8. So I was relegated to the Soho Lounge, for Business Class and One World Emeralds. Pleasant enough but decidedly Business Class.









After breakfast, I headed landside for the trek to Terminal 1 where JAL currently operates.



Unfortunately, construction has closed the T1 AirTrain station, so shuttle bus it is.



Yeah, that's pleasant. LOL. Not sure why our driver took the long and winding route.



Inside a pretty ugly Terminal 1.



Check-in was easy.



After third-world like security, I was at the Lufthansa Lounge which JAL sadly contracts with at JFK. It's a basic Business Class Lounge with a 2nd "First Class" level which is just another floor of Business Class. The third floor First Class Lounge was just for Lufthansa and Swiss passengers.











Great tarmac views especially when Air France arrived.



Meh...

SFO777

New York JFK to Tokyo Haneda HND
Japan Airlines JL 005
777-300
12:45p-5:20p +1
January 21, 2023
Departed 8/8

Thanks to JAL releasing First Class award seats at T-14 and 80K AA miles, nice to be back on another wonderful Japan Airlines First Class flight, today from JFK to Haneda. Despite a full cabin, our First Class cabin crew was extraordinary with flawless service and the ultimate in pampering.



My home for the next 14+ hours.







And away we go...





Today, the inbound-to-Japan feature champagne was no longer Cristal and not even Krug. Although it was a respectable 2007 Billecart-Salmon Cuvée Nicolas Francois, there was just one bottle despite the much lower price point. After I asked our FA whether they loaded more than one bottle, she apologized that no it was just the one bottle. Talk about service though. I was on my third glass but was confused because the bottle still looked pretty full. She confessed that only two of us were drinking the Billecart and she had purposely recommended the backup 2012 Drappier Grande Sendrée to all the other pax. LOL





Today's menu...





Today's amuse-bouche.



Showtime, JAL-style.













Nap time...





Yikes. Seriously?





A little later, round two...









Great scenery as we approach Japan.



Gorgeous sunset and a bonus Mt Fuji sighting.





Despite the long trek to passport, everything was pretty efficient as long as one completes the pre-arrival registration and gets the requisite QR codes. And not a long wait to clear passport.



And my Instagram .

SFO777

Mandarin Oriental Tokyo

I arrived at the MO less than an hour after we pulled up to our gate.





Main floor entrance.



38th floor lobby.



My 34th floor room...









Time for a drink before dinner.







Love this gin.



And a nightcap after dinner.



Instagram

wakesetter93

Another great start to your TR SFO777! In the first two installments we have gone from a Residence Inn in Vermont to JAL F. It really has it all.

Curious as to how much of a PITA The T1 connection is with the AirTrain and construction. Connecting through in June from DL To AF with a 8.5 hour layover. Planning to go into the city and storing luggage in T4 if we don't through check everything.

SFO777

Teppanyaki Akasaka

Dinner tonight is at Teppanyaki Akasaka on the 37th floor of the ANA Intercontinental Hotel, a short 10 minute taxi ride from the Mandarin Oriental. What a great show and great food from a delightful and entertaining chef.











Fresh abalone. Delicious.









Fabulous wagyu.









Instagram .

SFO777

Thanks very much wakesetter93. Yeah, the shuttle bus instead of AirTrain is a PIA especially if the weather is cold. No problem for you in June if the T1 AirTrain station is still closed. It's NYC and I guess that I've just come to expect and live with nonsense like this. Sadly T1 is a dump. The T4 smartecart luggage storage is very convenient although when we used it in November, we arrived and departed T4.

wakesetter93

I may deposit Mrs. WS93 at T1 and the AF lounge and then head back for the bags. I wish DL could figure out a way to get those CDG flights into T4 with the rest of their TATL JV or at least provide a shuttle.

Jerkstore

Would you recommend that teppanyaki spot? I may make a reservation for my trip in April.

TravelBug1314

Love your trip reports, SFO777! Thank you for sharing and I'll go to your website for other installments.

Think you should put a warning on that picture with other passenger's feet in JAL F. So disgusting!

SFO777

That's an excellent "happy wife happy life" idea. It really is bizarre why AF and DL haven't figured out the airside shuttle like B6/AA.

It was very good and entertaining. Having said that, it was a Sunday night when most Michelin star restaurants are closed. If I was there on another day of the week, I would probably have gone elsewhere.

Thanks so much TravelBug1314. Sorry about those gross pics. This was a couple that used miles for the last two seats. Yapped much of the trip. They were also annoying in the lounge yapping away on a loud speaker call.

lamphs

I was thinking the RI to the MO - just a slight upgrade!

wakesetter93

AF is operating 6x daily JFK-CDG with DL operating 3x daily. Can they really not find the space for those over at T4?

But I agree, even an airside bus would be better than nothing.

SFO777

LOL. Still, the RI was very comfy and only $135 a night including breakfast.

SFO777

Morning walk around rainy and chilly Tokyo

WIth a couple free hours this morning, I braved the Tokyo rain and +4C chilly temps to headed out for the Imperial Palace grounds. Sadly, the rain didn’t let up and the Palace East Gardens are closed on Mondays (and Fridays). But of course.











Instagram .



What a treat to have lunch today at Sense, the MO’s wonderful in house Cantonese restaurant. Exceptional service and great views from the 37th floor location...







Very nice Sicilian Chardonnay.







Stir-fried Diced Seafood with Vegetable in Lettuce Cups.



Deep-Fried King Prawn with Mango Mayonnaise. Outstanding.





Snow Crab and Shimonita Leek Soup.



Steamed Kinmedai Filet with Fish Soy Sauce. Delicious.



The Braised Pork Spare RIb with Black Bean was outstanding.



Fried Jasmine Rice with Braised Abalone.



Almond Pudding with Lychee Honey Syrup.



My Instagram .