Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Haneda, New Chitose, Eniwa, Sapporo, next to last stop Jietai-mae Station.

Had to take the shot.
Most everybody reading this is old enough to remember Braniff Airlines. Apparently, ANA has gone for some of that spirit. I will be at Haneda one more time, in transit between Okinawa and Wakkanai ("Wakkanai? You're going to Wakkanai?" Everyone asks that question.), so this will probably be the last shot I post of it.

I managed to talk the agent into switching me to a window seat on a very crowded airplane, hoping to see some Japan from above. I missed most of it because I couldn't stay awake; I had been up all night.

Here is a short version of the baggage story: This is important in case you travel Japan with a lot of baggage.

I had the two suitcases sent to Haneda via the baggage delivery service; costs about $30.00. Talked to ANA, they said the bags would go by their rules, not United's, so no overweight charges, if the woman could be believed. After they had been sent, Craig suggested I send them all the way via the baggage service. I'd had the hotel desk attendant make an inquiry if I could do that at this late in the game and how much more it would be. It took awhile, but the final answer was they could forward the suitcases not just to New Chitose Airport, but to my new digs in Sapporo for no added fees! I say to her, "It is going to cost me less to do that than to pick them up at New Chitose, then have them delivered? That's unbelievable." She believed it. She said she had talked to the manager. Carl didn't believe it, my landlord/host in Sapporo didn't believe it, I didn't believe. They showed up on the requested day, at the requested time, no added fee. So, I know how they are going to get from Sapporo to Kyoto and Kyoto back to Tokyo. No worries. You can't imagine what a worry that takes off my shoulders.

Photos:
New Chitose Airport. It was the last day of Golden Week; many people were traveling.
She wanted out!
 It had been raining for a couple of days when I got here, not so bad on my day though. These are some shots from the JR New Chitose to Sapporo Express.

Lots of water, canals and rivers here.

This couldn't possibly be a fish farm, could it?
See that white stuff, looks like snow? That's snow.
Eniwa, the destination I have focused on for so long.
Passing Eniwa by. I will return.
View from Jietai Mae Station window looking south.
View outside of station looking north. Army.

Army & snow on the mountains.

Water.

More bikes.

Unlike Tokyo, it is sort of easy to find things in Sapporo, but only sort of.

Snow on the mountains.
Seb and Hiroko are my landlords/hosts. I am living in a house, a duplex, so I have the best of all worlds: lots of space, privacy and people who speak English around me. Seb runs a discotheque in Sapporo called Booty-Disco. My first night he was doing a guest DJ spot at the 1st anniversary of a friend's club and invited me along.
Street scene outside "Booty" early evening, last day of Golden Week.
Seb.

Seb, Hiroko and friends.

Other friends.
End of first day in Sapporo.


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