Text 8874, 99 rader
Skriven 2006-12-16 21:22:16 av Carol Shenkenberger (6:757/1)
   Kommentar till text 8699 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
Ärende: Re: Airline Woes 663
============================
*** Quoting MICHAEL LOO from a message to CAROL SHENKENBERGER ***

 CS> Hotel Grand Mer, Dai Itchi.  Not 5 star but a very solid 3+ at least
 CS> on  everything and 4+ on the restraunts inside.  For 115$ a night for
 CS> '3 adults',  this is not possible to beat in Japan.

ML> That's pretty good. For my next Asian adventure I'm looking at
ML> a place that costs S$75 (US$50) nett for one or two. Beats the
ML> much touted Conrad Hilton special of S$285 for one which, I
ML> will admit, includes breakfast (which will cost me S$4 to 6
ML> on the street).

S this this is Singapore?  Thats very cheap for there!  You can cut price in
Japan too with some of the 'Japan style' places that are pretty much a small
room with paper dividers and a communal bathroom.  Good enough for a male
traveling without wife and 13YO female child <G>.  Some have a female side as
well and are quite workable for just me and Charlotte if it's just a night.

Ok, I'll tag the return trip story here.  It was pretty tame for us.

Took the Hotel Dai Itchi (Grand Mer- Okinawa) bus to the airport at noon.  If
you ever travel to Japan, keep in mind that they are very timely so whrn they
say they leave at 12:00, they do just that.  Not 12:01.  Since we know this,
it's not a problem.  Checkout was smooth at 11:40.  Bus showed up at 11:45 and
we were the only passengers.  As we were the only ones, they went direct to
the domestic terminal vice the international.  (Domestic obviously as we were
bound internal to Japan).

At the airport, we arrived way too early as normal for us.  With a 16:20 flight
and us there at 13:10, we asked if we could shift to an earlier flight.  Got
on the ANA486 leaving at 14:10 gate 32.  Got there just fine.  2 isle seats
and one next to the isle seat center section.  All row 18.  Charlotte took the
isle seat nearest the window leaving Don and i together.  She charmed a flight
attendant out of a toy while her indulgent seatmate (practising his english)
chattered with her about neopets (terms they both had in common).  Grandfather
of 12, greatgrandfather of 2.  His 6YO grandson in the seat at the window on
his first flight was glued to the scene the whole time.  Totally cool fellow. 
Dont worry though, Charlotte didnt monopolize him in any bad way.  It's a 1.5
hour flight and his face showed he was charmed.  Charlotte has that effectwhen
she feels like being a normal 13 YO.

Ok, once in Fukuoka again, we took the cab to the train station.  Yes, they
have a subway and it's fairly easy to use, but we didnt want to hassle
withthat much luggage.  10$ ride by cab total or 2$ each by subway.  I didnt
want to hassle over 2$ when you also have to walk a good 1/2 mile and go down
2 levels of stairs (no moving types either).  We'd bought quite a bit of
stuff.

Ok, once at the train station, we went to the ticket office since I'm not good
with the Japan automated tickets sales machines.  I prefer a human who can
tell me for sure which track I need to be on.  The tickets have that info, but
in printed alpha-script.  Umm, try figuring out 'track four' vice 4 when you
cant read the characters.  No thanks <g>.  There's no '4' on our tickets
anyplace but she told us simply.  This particular one spoke english only with
some rote words so would have been hard if we had had any real questions.

'Age- Child?  (13)'
We told her 'Midori Express- Sasebo'
(She wrote amount of tickets on pad of paper)
(we paid)
'Track 4' (writing 4 as well to be sure and pointing to where you walk out to
get to the tracks)  This was eased as i had the english version of the JR
Kyushu line with the cities and times for Sasebo from Hakata (Hakata is a
suburb of Fukuoka and where the train station is).

This time, unlike last time (blush) I paid attention to the names on the cars
as our train rolled up.  See, it's on a major 'split' just south of Hakata and
the same train that goes to Nagasaki, also has the Sasebo cars.  Get on the
wrong car, and you end up in Nagasaki <g>.  I've never actually gone to
Nagasaki by accident, but we did have a fun thrill jumping off once in
Takeoonsen to run back several cars and get back on at the right set.

Kaomome37 and Midori23, they split the train at Saga (I think thats was where)
and the Midori continues to Sasebo.  (On the way out, it's not obvious but the
Kaomome joins the Midori on the way up to Fukuoka).   I knew this time the
Midori is always at the 'back' of the run due to the way they split so went to
the back and got in.  9 cars go to Nagasaki, 4 go to Sasebo.  (Other runs can
be different but it's always the back set of the train to Sasebo and fewer
cars).

At Haiki, the train swaps the final bit and it feels like you are going
backwards.  Sasebo is the next stop.  It's 1 hour, 45 mins from Hakata.

Our only awkward spot?  The Taxis arent allowed on base (we live in base
housing) excpet some certified ones and none were at the station.  We took one
to the base maingate and trundled our luggage back to the housing after being
let out just outside the gate.  It's not a far trek, about 3/4 mile.  

I'll add one fillup.  We packed light on the way out and have learned well how
to get luggage that is perfect for this sort of thing.  I cant believe some of
the ilk I saw others use but I guess they either do not know better, or have
differnt conditions in their minds when getting stuff.  I watched far too many
struggle with bags that empty, probably weigh 20lbs? Luggage picked by people
not used to carrying anything for more than the lenght of their kitchen....

                                       xxcarol

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4
 * Origin: SHENK'S EXPRESS, Sasebo Japan 81-6160-527330 (6:757/1)