Intrepid travelers we

Sophisticated travelers always enjoy the amenities of the Delta Skyclub (c) before traveling. In our 20 minute stay we enjoyed snacks, beverages, and a brief nap.

As Hannah described it, "our flight didn't seem too long at all".

The in-flight map showed most of our planned stops in central Japan: Tokyo, Myokokogen (near Nagano), Kanazawa, Kyoto (but not nearby Nara), and Osaka.

Dollars were converted to yen (a transaction managed entirely in Japanese!), train tickets were purchased at the kiosk, and delicious beverages were sampled.  Hannah was the first to try Pocari Sweat!, a delicious and not-so-perfectly named Japanese sports drink. 

With very few bumps in the road (except walking out the wrong side of Tokyo station, which gave us a longer walk but a beautiful view of the station facade lit up at night) we made it safely to the Ryumeikan Hotel.  Check in was easy except for a minor credit card authorization issue (no, really, I PAID the bill) resolved with an email to the Very Helpful and Efficient Amy who cleared things up while we slept.

We finished the night with a light dinner. Mickey sampled eel and pork, Hannah and I two kinds of tofu and omelettes. QUITE satisfactory

And then off to bed. None worse for the wear.

And...we're off!

On August 13th Cris, Hannah and Emily depart for Japan. We'll be there through the 25th and will see a couple of cities and towns and also see my brother Bill, his wife Masayo and their fourteen year old daughter Sena.

(See the permalink Itinerary posted for curious or nervous family and friends.)

This trip is a long time coming. Maybe from eight years ago when Hannah first started studying Chinese? Or 31 years ago when Bill headed for Japan...and stayed? Or even 41 years ago when I learned about Japanese gardens and tried to build one, with utter failure, in a wooded section of the family backyard?

No matter the roots, this trip will have several braids. Shenanigans, of course, because that's what Hannah and Emily do. That's bound to be augmented by Sena's sparkle when we are in Myokokogen and Kanazawa with the family and when she travels with us to Kyoto and Nara, returning to Osaka. And the geekiness that accompanies ALL Ross family vacations - history, culture, theater, music, film.

I expect surprises. The good kind.