To Kyoto Again...

Question: Why don't they just fly in a straight line?

We are back in Kyoto. This time we flew to Japan on Asiana (Korean) Airlines. It was quite nice.The service was good. The food was healthy and well prepared. The seats were not as cramped as we have experienced on other airlines. The computer screen on the seat back in front of each of us was a sanity-saver.

One big difference this time was the time of day of our arrival. Previously (on United Airlines) we have landed around 3:30pm at Kansai Airport. Add time for baggage claim, immigration, and a 1 hour 40 minute train ride and we still got to Kyoto from the airport in time for dinner.

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Time Warp

We left Kyoto at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday and landed in San Francisco on Thursday at 9:30 a.m.! Sort of a Thursday that never ends.

We did the entire trip on public transportation. Walked to the bus in Kyoto (I love bus #9) then took the train to Osaka airport. Plane to San Francisco, plane to Seattle, light rail to downtown, the Sounder train to Mukilteo, Ferry to the Island, bus to the stop near our street, walked to our house!

I wish I could figure out a way to go without any luggage but we've gotten it down to two carry-on rolling bags and two back packs and a small duffel. Not bad for a month away.

Re-entry feels like we've walked through some time warp door into another world. Comfortable on both sides - but they are two very very different places.

Back to Langley Life!

Living Abroad in the Web 2.0 Age

Three years ago when we were here, we had only a vague notion of current events from watching Japanese news broadcasts and guessing what the news footage was about.

That has all changed.

Now we watch the U.S. network evening news or listen to NPR each day via the internet. It's a very different experience. In 2007 we felt rather disconnected from the rest of the world while we were here. This time we are really here and also connected to the larger world.

Next Stage of Transit

Up at 4:30 AM and off to the SeaTac Airport....

On Our Way

This is really it. . .

All the last-minute to-dos are done. The house is locked up. We're sitting on the ferry dock waiting to get off the island and on our way to Kyoto. Many thanks to Al and Linda Tuck for the easy ride to the airport.

Next stop: the motel near SeaTac airport. Then an early morning flight by way of San Francisco.