Sayonara Apex, Konnichiwa Tokyo

Sunday & Monday, March 19-20, 2023

About 25 hours transpired from our departure to RDU via Uber until we finally checked into our room at the Keio Plaza Hotel in Shinjuku, Tokyo. The trip was pleasant if you enjoy overpriced airport food, listening to movies via tinny ear buds, wearing a mask, sleeping vertically in a cramped seat, and eating breakfast at 4:30 pm local time. To enhance our travel experience, the 14.5 hour trip from Newark to Tokyo was rerouted to add another joyful 1.5 hours of friendly skies. (I had been immediately suspicious of our original flight that took us above the unfriendly coastline of Russia.)

Avoiding Turbulence (or Russia?)

Enjoying Modern Air Travel

Once we arrived at Haneda International Airport we waited for almost an hour to proceed through passport control where our faces and both our index fingers were scanned. Jane must have suspicious finger tips because the agent scanned them about ten times before she was satisfied. After claiming our luggage, we managed to pick up a (partially) prepaid SIM card for my phone and with a helpful agent, purchase tickets from a kiosk for the “Bus Limousine” to our hotel. The buses and trains are very punctual here so our bags were loaded and we were whisked off in no time. 

Upon arrival at the hotel about an hour later, we encountered more travel bliss. Our reservation with the hotel didn’t start for another day even though we had paid the travel agency for arriving a day early. Our Japanese receptionist, distressed that he could not check us in, spent quite awhile trying to contact the agency. Finally, he received confirmation and we were issued room keys. Immediately, afterwards, we met one of our tour guides for the Tokyo pre-cruise excursion, a friendly Italian named Fillipo.

After moving into our 16th floor room, I immediately took a shower to wash off the travel grime and we took a quick browse around the hotel. Back in the room, we self-administered our COVID tests and both of us tested NEGATIVE which we documented with time-stamped pictures. That’s a relief; we’ll be able to board the cruise ship now (even if we contract COVID in the meantime). We finally turned in just after midnight with tired and confused biological clocks. Hopefully, the hard part of the trip is behind us and we are looking forward to wonderful adventures tomorrow.