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| Con virgin report Pt 1...PRE-CON Monday 5th July: Left the house around 10am. Got the train into Shunjuku. Shinjuku is one of the busiest train stations in Japan, and probably the world. It's like someone has just gone "action", and everyone starts moving! Hubby was with me. I was getting the 11:42 Narita Express. After waving him goodbye, I was on my way. Arrived at Narita airport at 1:00pm. After a couple of ID checks, I was in the terminal. Found my counter to get the plane tickets. Got directed to the wrong check-in counter( I hoped it wasn't an omen!). Eventually found my correct check-in counter, which had a very long queue. I hoped that wasn't an omen too! LOL! After waiting for nearly an hour, I eventually got my bags checked. Then onto the duty free! Two bottles of sake(to buy, not drink ;-)) later, I was ready to fly! 13 hours later I landed in Houston! HELL IN HOUSTON!: I landed at 13:30. My connecting flight took off at 15:50. Plenty time...or not! The queue at immigration and passport control was horrendous! It snaked, and snaked...Yikes! I finally got to the actual counter with 30 mins to go, before my other flight took off! I still had to collect my baggage, and re-check it. I ran to the baggage carousel. It had stopped. All the bags were scattered over the floor. Luckily I found my bags within a few mins. I hurried to the baggage check in area...YIKES! Another queue! They asked you if your flight was leaving in less than 30 mins, or less than 1 hour. I was in the less than 30 mins queue. My watch was going way to fast! I was sure I was going to miss the flight! Other people were looking at their watches! Gave my bags to the check-in guy, and he said " Go!". 15 mins until my flight took off. I ran hard! It was like something out of a movie, as I ran along to the boarding gate, carry-on bag walloping about, gripping my boarding pass in the air! there were no passengers waiting, just the gals at the counter. "Quick!" they shouted. I got on the plane with 10 mins to spare until take off! Pheeeeeeeeew. That's when I remembered that I'd promised to phone Sue, from Houston! HA! I never even SAW a phone! LOL! I just hoped she would be waitig for me in Minneapolis. The flight was uneventful, as I crashed out most of the way. I was still on Japan time!(When I arrived in Houston, it was actually 5 mins BEFORE I left Japan! Work that out! LOL). Finally I arrived in Minneapolis! There are no words to describe he feeling, as I saw Sue waiting for me through those ARRIVAL doors, as I descended the escalator...We hugged...tightly...sigh. I spent two wonderful days in Minnesota. Sue bought me organic raspberries!(Thanks dear!) I just LOVE raspberries. They are near nigh impossible to get in Japan. I drink instant coffee most of the time. We had a funny incident regarding a kettle, in Sue's house. It went something along the lines of: "Have you got a kettle dear?" "Yes, in that bottom, left hand cupboard" I look puzzlingly at all these pots(pans?) in the cupboard. " I don't see a kettle dear. Only pots(pans)" " Isn't that what you meant?" "Well, it has no spout, dear" " Sorry dear, that's all I have" " Oh well, when in Rome...LOL" So, I boiled up that pot(pan?) every time I needed my caffeine fix! Oh yes, I forgot to mention that I like doing dishes! LOL! We had a lovely two days, just being in each others company...watched Masks, and Finding Nemo(which I hadn't seen), on Sue's *BIG* screen! It was fabbydoo! Went to the Mall Of America and ate lunch in the Rainforest Cafe. It actually *rained* as we were eating(not on our food of course!). We went to a zoo the next day. Then it was time to get ready for the drive to Kansas City... Part Two |