I hang out at the gate, charge my phone, and grab a chamomile tea so I can get sleepy for the first 12 hour leg of my flight which has a layover in Tokyo. The charging station is in an awkward corner and I end up just standing in front of a vending machine. Standing there bored when this little old lady comes up to me and says, "help?" and opens her hands to reveal a bunch of change. She points at the vending machine and makes a lost face, so I start counting it up and we're short. This other girl who is sitting on the floor charging her cell phone and laptop looks over and opens her coin purse so I'm able to buy the lady a water. It was so cute, the lady gives me the nickle and 3 pennies that we didn't use and smiles at me very sweetly. :) Next to the vending machine is a BestBuy machine with mp3 players and gameboys or whatever, so people are constantly walking up to where I'm standing. But here comes another little old man with money and a confused look! haha I guess word got out that I'm there to help!
My plane leaves LA almost 45 minutes late, but the pilot insists we'll arrive ahead of schedule. Luckily the plane is quite empty, most people can sit alone or share the five seat middle row with only one other person. Lunch is chicken with rice or beef with mashed potato. Chicken tastes kinds like coconut curry. Also served w salad, roll, sushi (cucumber and crab), crackers & cheese and a brownie. Hopefully I can get food coma and sleep? :)
I overhear the flight attendant ask another passenger if she wants 雞肉 chicken or 牛肉 beef--ooh! Another single, young lady and she speaks Chinese?! Most of the other passengers are Japanese and Korean. After the meal and a nap, I approach her. Turns out she's Taiwanese--darn no China tips! :(Oh well. So she just graduated from Michigan, we chat about travel, dating, and work. The flight attendant is Japanese, but studying Chinese so he can get a higher position and Shanghai flights. He comes by several times while we are chatting and asks how to say different things and shows us his study notes. I stay up most of the flight and watch Something Borrowed and Kung Fu Panda 2.
We finally make it to Tokyo and I'm stoked! I have been saving a free pass to the American Airlines Admirals Lounge and I knew Tokyo would be the perfect place to use it. It takes a few minutes to get off the tram, and up and around the airport, but I make it and it's all that I imagined and more! Couches, chairs, barstools, televisions, computers, showers, free drinks (including alcohol) and food! Grab some food and a chair and get comfy!
I had sushi, a sandwich, and a savory pastry and ginger ale from the fountain. Watch some tv, then hung out at the computer and checked in on facebook, wrote some people on couchsurfing, printed the map to my hotel and let them know i'd be in late. So convenient!
About 3 hours later, I hop back on a plane to Beijing!
More food and magazines and I'm almost there!
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| obento and apple sorbet |
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| egg, fish cake,tofu & a star shaped carrot, lotus, burdock root, seaweed, potato salad, and greens |
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