It's done!
Jul. 30th, 2008 12:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rkoldSo it's done, I bought my ticket last night and I am now officially going to Japan in October! The airfare was higher than I would like, but not as bad as it could have been considering all the new fuel surcharges. I got $70 off the cost of the flight because of my power cord not working on one of my flights to San Francisco. I wish I could have gotten a second voucher because it didn't work coming back but that flight was so full the stewardesses had no time for anyone, even in Business class. >.< Though at least I was flying Business Class so it is hard to complain lol
Originally, I was going to fly NY(JFK) to SFO (San Fran) to NGO (Nagoya) since JTB generally has the airfare roundtrip to NGO as lower than that to NRT (Narita) or KIX (Kansai) Technically, I like Kansai airport the best (hello free internet! and plugs) with NGO coming in 2nd. I detest NRT but it's the most convenient to Tokyo.
However the NGO to SFO flight being canceled (probably because it tends to run relatively empty) I think since I could not get it to come up at all. And the airfare was about $300 more than the fare I ended up getting. I next tried flying into NGO and then out of KIX since I hope to end my trip in Osaka/Kyoto anyway since there is a Comic City that week end. And again, it was that same $300 more than the fare I got ticket.
I really want to go to Ise and hopefully Nagashima SpaLand if I can figure out how one gets there without a car and both are closer to NGO. However I also need to be in Tokyo the night of the 18th so that I can go to Area 37 on the 19th. I can't leave any earlier than the 16th (arriving on the 17th) unless I leave a lot earlier and then I also miss all of Sukkot which I am loathe to do. I don't mind missing most of it, I just don't want to miss ALL of it. ^^;
So for fun, I put in flying JFK to NRT and then KIX to JFK and just wow, if I wanted a direct flight on ANA I could have gotten it for the same price as the NGO flight and for $300 less I could go JFK to Dulles and then Dulles to NRT and the same return trip via SFO. I ended up picking the $300 less one because for that I can pay $50 to indulge in the Red Carpet while I wait for my connection to Japan (It's a 4-5 hour layover and the Red Carpet Club is nice, it has snacks, drinks, internet plugs, nice chairs and in some cases shower rooms! <3 ) and have like $250 to put towards hotels. I figure that is 3-4 nights hotel stay. ^_^;;; I do like ANA and I like direct flights but the other problem with that one is I would end up spending hours waiting in JFK since my husband can't easily take me to catch it. (The God forsaken morning flights are easier cause he can then go to work after)
So, I'm going to fly into NRT (fight with the awful Customs there ;;_;; (which is why I don't like NRT, their Customs is always so crowded and unpleasant.) and spend the first part of my trip in Tokyo and then turn in my pass to sightsee. That is of course another plus, it means I don't have to make my rail pass valid until later in the trip and I have it to use more.) My flight out of KIX leaves super late, nearly 7! So I have that whole day to sight see! :D
So now I'm trying to think about what I would like to see and do while I am in Japan above and beyond Area 37. Things I would really like to see despite some of them being inconvenient to get to or expensive: Nikko (I've actually only been there once and it was before I had a digital camera and + temple stamps!) Mitsumine jinja, Tokyo Disney or Tokyo Disney Sea (should I do it, am I crazy, I don't think it is a vacation time so it should just be crowded, not gosh awful), Ise, Nagashima SpaLand (if I can work it out), Katsura Rikyu Imperial villa (I so loved it ;;_;; ), Enryakuji (still have not been), Hikone (nice castle and other things to see?), Kanazawa (I want to see the garden and it's only 2 hours from Kyoto...) So we shall see.
I'm hoping to meet up with everyone I know in Japan at least once except maybe poor Steve since Tanabe is sort of out of the way. >>; (unless he is coming to Osaka!)![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
triplepunch at the very least I would love to do dinner post Ise on my way to Kansai, though hmmmmm...debating ideas...
So what do people reading this think, should I try Nikko and Mitsumine jinja or should I spend one of those days at Tokyo Disney?
Thank you so much for the postcardseaster and yanchamonkey!!!!!
Originally, I was going to fly NY(JFK) to SFO (San Fran) to NGO (Nagoya) since JTB generally has the airfare roundtrip to NGO as lower than that to NRT (Narita) or KIX (Kansai) Technically, I like Kansai airport the best (hello free internet! and plugs) with NGO coming in 2nd. I detest NRT but it's the most convenient to Tokyo.
However the NGO to SFO flight being canceled (probably because it tends to run relatively empty) I think since I could not get it to come up at all. And the airfare was about $300 more than the fare I ended up getting. I next tried flying into NGO and then out of KIX since I hope to end my trip in Osaka/Kyoto anyway since there is a Comic City that week end. And again, it was that same $300 more than the fare I got ticket.
I really want to go to Ise and hopefully Nagashima SpaLand if I can figure out how one gets there without a car and both are closer to NGO. However I also need to be in Tokyo the night of the 18th so that I can go to Area 37 on the 19th. I can't leave any earlier than the 16th (arriving on the 17th) unless I leave a lot earlier and then I also miss all of Sukkot which I am loathe to do. I don't mind missing most of it, I just don't want to miss ALL of it. ^^;
So for fun, I put in flying JFK to NRT and then KIX to JFK and just wow, if I wanted a direct flight on ANA I could have gotten it for the same price as the NGO flight and for $300 less I could go JFK to Dulles and then Dulles to NRT and the same return trip via SFO. I ended up picking the $300 less one because for that I can pay $50 to indulge in the Red Carpet while I wait for my connection to Japan (It's a 4-5 hour layover and the Red Carpet Club is nice, it has snacks, drinks, internet plugs, nice chairs and in some cases shower rooms! <3 ) and have like $250 to put towards hotels. I figure that is 3-4 nights hotel stay. ^_^;;; I do like ANA and I like direct flights but the other problem with that one is I would end up spending hours waiting in JFK since my husband can't easily take me to catch it. (The God forsaken morning flights are easier cause he can then go to work after)
So, I'm going to fly into NRT (fight with the awful Customs there ;;_;; (which is why I don't like NRT, their Customs is always so crowded and unpleasant.) and spend the first part of my trip in Tokyo and then turn in my pass to sightsee. That is of course another plus, it means I don't have to make my rail pass valid until later in the trip and I have it to use more.) My flight out of KIX leaves super late, nearly 7! So I have that whole day to sight see! :D
So now I'm trying to think about what I would like to see and do while I am in Japan above and beyond Area 37. Things I would really like to see despite some of them being inconvenient to get to or expensive: Nikko (I've actually only been there once and it was before I had a digital camera and + temple stamps!) Mitsumine jinja, Tokyo Disney or Tokyo Disney Sea (should I do it, am I crazy, I don't think it is a vacation time so it should just be crowded, not gosh awful), Ise, Nagashima SpaLand (if I can work it out), Katsura Rikyu Imperial villa (I so loved it ;;_;; ), Enryakuji (still have not been), Hikone (nice castle and other things to see?), Kanazawa (I want to see the garden and it's only 2 hours from Kyoto...) So we shall see.
I'm hoping to meet up with everyone I know in Japan at least once except maybe poor Steve since Tanabe is sort of out of the way. >>; (unless he is coming to Osaka!)
triplepunch at the very least I would love to do dinner post Ise on my way to Kansai, though hmmmmm...debating ideas...So what do people reading this think, should I try Nikko and Mitsumine jinja or should I spend one of those days at Tokyo Disney?
Thank you so much for the postcard
seaster and yanchamonkey!!!!!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2008-07-31 12:43 am (UTC)It would be great if we could meet up for dinner and chatting and whatnot. The when and where can wait until the date is closer. Now the fun planning starts--and by that time I might have a tiny of my own to play with your little ones. *jinxes self* D'oh!
Anyway, keep us updated on your plans!
(no subject)
Date: 2008-07-31 02:34 am (UTC)Actually my new thought is...I might go to Ise on the 22nd and then maybe we could do dinner and I could spend the night of the 22nd with you and then leave in the morning for a day trip to Kanazawa (I can take a shink to Maibara and transfer) and then go home via the Raicho to Kyoto on the 23rd
What do you think?
(no subject)
Date: 2008-07-31 03:55 pm (UTC)Just to warn you now I prob can't do late evenings cause I am so going to be jet lagged lol I've been told some funny stories involving me falling asleep at odd places from my jet lag.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-07-31 11:59 pm (UTC)I've checked and the 22nd and 23rd are Wed and Thurs, so I will be working, and my schedule means I work nights and early mornings too. I may be able to take time off when you come, but not necessarily both days. f(^_^;)
(no subject)
Date: 2008-08-01 12:17 pm (UTC)Maybe if possible if you could just take off the evening of the 22nd? But I will let you know in August
oh wait it is now August!once I figure out hotels and such and exactly what I am doing and then will try to make sure everything is OK for you too since I really want to see you!Chibi Mariya would be so cute! <3 <3 <3 And I thought of you as soon as I heard the announcement about a Yo Kun. I think your decision makes sense I just hope you get her and figured I would offer since I would feel bad otherwise.