Unfortunately for ANA flights we can only check in 3 days in advance and by Saturday it had already passed. Undeterred by the unfortunate circumstances I went back to bed.
Sherryl and I then woke up and got ready for breakfast. Luckily our breakfast was already included on our booking fee. We went to the international restaurant and just feasted it up. I ate everything that I can enjoy and the restaurant had everything I wanted and more. Sherryl did the same and later commented that we shouldn't eat like we're in a hurry since it was our last day in Bangkok. Later it dawned on me that it may be my last full breakfast in Thailand.
After breakfast we walked around the hotel, looked at the restaurants, and inspected some of the creature comforts that the hotel offers.
So thereafter we went back to our room to get ready for church. For the 6th time over the past 6 years I attended Mission Seventh Day Adventist Church. The taxi from our hotel to the church was a quick trip and cheap as well.
When we arrived at the church the divine worship service was in full swing. Pastoral prayer had just finished and we were able to catch the children's story. It was followed up by an all women's choir for special music. Finally we were treated to a great sermon. It was about how Salvation is for everybody, we just need to seek it.
After the church service was over both Sherryl and I were able to grab a taxi and head out to Siam Paragon. We both decided that since this mall had everything we should just stay here and enjoy it before we head back.
Once we got to the mall Sherryl decided to get a pedicure at a salon called "The Sisters." She suggested I get one myself. I was a bit shy at first because of the rashes I have on my feet and legs. For those that really know me, I've had rashes on both of the inside of my ankles since I was a sophomore in high school. They've come and gone throughout the years. Since 2008 I have a big rash/scar on the right side of my lower leg.
After deciding to go forward with the pedicure both Sherryl and I were taken to a VIP room. We both had our own pedicurist. Within the first few minutes it became apparent that I made the right decision. I've never had my feet pampered like this before. Sherryl was done before I was and since I've never had a pedicure it took me a little longer. After I was done Sherryl told me to just tip the girl who serviced me, she had already paid the bill. Thanks babe!!
We ended up having a late lunch since we ate a late breakfast. Also, since we ate more than usual for breakfast we didn't have to eat lunch at our customary time.
I decided on eating at a Taco Truck that was on the bottom of Siam Paragon. It was awesome and it tasted like all of the awesome Mexican food that I eat back home. After two weeks of eating just Thai food I was just dying to eat something new.
After eating we just browsed the mall, looked for souvenirs, and even went to the theater to see if we can catch another movie. Unfortunately there wasn't any movies that caught our eyes. Sherryl wanted to see "A Walk Amongst the Tombstones" starring Liam Neeson but it had just been taken off of the rotation. With nothing else left to see we decided to head back to the hotel.
At the hotel it dawned on us that we had to pack. With a flight at about 6:50 AM we had to get up at around 2 to 2:30 so that we can check out, catch a taxi, and head out to the Airport.
We were able to make really early to the Airport. Actually it was a little too early as we got there at around 3 AM. We waited for a bit and we were able to finally check it at around 4 AM.
After the numerous obligations of bag inspections and immigration we finally made it to Gate D4. We waited for a bit and finally we were able to board our plane at around 6:30 AM.
I do not know what's gotten into me on the flights this year. I normally feast on the movies that our Airlines offer. However, I just can't get myself to watch anything. Luckily I have my iPhone and I just doze off listening to music.
With my nap the flight seemed relatively short. It was 6 hours in duration but when I woke up we had a little over 2 hours left before we would land. Again I just listened to music and the time just fly by.
Japan has a special place in my heart. I've never been there but it was always the place that I wanted to go. In 1994 I really got into Martial Arts. I was a Tae Kwon Do practitioner at the time and the Ultimate Fighting Championship had debuted. One of the contestants, who later became a future champion, was Ken Shamrock. I had found out that his dojo was just 5 minutes away from my high school.
After finding the dojo and personally calling Ken on his house line (his phone number was in the Lodi, CA phone book), I was invited by him to come by the dojo. Once I entered the dojo I was greeted by Jason DeLucia, then Frank Shamrock, and finally Ken himself.
Ken was nice, and for the record he was ALWAYS nice to me, and we spoke about fighting. He invited me back to train but advised me that he would be gone the next week. I had asked why and he told me that he had to leave for Japan and that he was fighting that week against Leon Dijk from Holland. He then told me that the sport is actually bigger in Japan than it is here. He showed me some magazines in Japan in which he was featured. I was then shown a tape of the matches in Japan. Immediately I was hooked and I finally wanted to visit Japan.
There were other things that happened from 1994 - 2000 that reinforced my desire to visit Japan. Japanese animes (cartoons) were getting big in the US around the mid-90's and I got into the Japanese Dramas as well. It wasn't until 2003 when I was about to finish college that going to Japan may be a possibility. However, from 2003 to 2010 I couldn't find anybody to go with me. I couldn't find a tour that included everything (airfare as well). In 2011 I decided to finally do it and just do it alone.
In 2011 I was dead set on going to Japan for about a week after training in Thailand. I had hooked up with a friend who invited me to train at the Tri Force gym. Unfortunately the tsunami hit and had completely destroyed Sendai. I decided not to go to Japan this time and decided to visit Singapore instead. I ended up going to Singapore two more times and honestly I have not regretted visiting that great place.
Finally in 2014 I really decided to visit Japan and fortunately Sherryl wanted to go as well.
We landed in Tokyo at around 3:30 Japan Time. Narita Airport is huge and it took a bit of walking until we got to immigration, a little bit more walking until we got to the baggage claim, and finally a short trek until we got to customs.
Customs was a breeze and when we exited it was a little different for both of us. In Thailand I've always had a ride on all of my arrivals. The gym always picks me up and I've never had a problem. For my first time in Singapore I was able to catch a taxi on my way to my hotel. After that I've had friends pick me up. Now in Japan neither one of us had any real contacts to pick us up. Also my hotel informed me not to take a taxi as it is far away from the airport. Instead I was advised to either take the Limousine Bus or a the Narita Express Train.
Both Sherryl and I decide to take the Limousine Bus. I paid the fee (roughly $60 dollars US for both the both of us) and we got out of the airport. Once outside I noticed that the weather is just like San Francisco. It was cold and not humid. We waited for a few minutes before we got on the bus. The ride took about an hour and a half from the airport and it was quite a relaxing ride. It would take about an hour before we could see the Tokyo that we were accustomed of seeing.
Once we entered Tokyo we saw the Tokyo Sky Tree out in the distance and it looked massive. I later found out that it is the 2nd tallest structure in the world and is the tallest tower to date. I then see Tokyo Disney to my left and it looked massive as well in a different sense. Everywhere else is just high rise buildings.
Once we got to Shinjuku station we exited the bus, grabbed our bags, and were lucky to find a Taxi. The I did not have the hotel address but had the phone number and the driver said he could use it to find the hotel with his GPS. He found it rather quickly and we were taken to our hotel in less than 10 minutes.
After checking in we went off to our room. It's a nice room to be fair but since we had just stayed at Conrad it just looked to small and too cheap. After getting settled in we headed off to dinner but we did not know where to go. Nagi Ramen House was considered to a good option but once we got there we found out that there was a bit of a wait. We walked around for quite a bit and found another Ramen house and decided to eat there. Both Sherryl and I ordered the same dish but Sherryl couldn't handle the smoke. The smoke was awful to be fair but the smell reminded me of all the countless times I hung out at Eisuke's and Ryosuke's apartment in Stockton. It was a bit of nostalgia for me and I was able to eat my meal with no issues.
After eating at the Ramen house we went back to our hotel and just called it a night. We have a long day tomorrow.
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