Sunday, March 18, 2007

Welcome To Japan!

I just spent 500 yen to go online at the Tokyo airport, where I have a 4 hour layover on my way to Hong Kong. My question - is 500 yen like 500 dollars? If so, this is the most expensive blog entry you will ever read!

So, as usual, Friday I'm hustling to get packed and get all of my class materials rounded up. I also had to write an article for MovieScope Magazine in Europe - this issue will be given away to everyone at Cannes. No pressure, right? I finished it Friday night before trying to go to sleep... and not being able to until 3am. (usual for me) Problem is, my flight left at noon, and you're supposed to get there 4 hours early, and LAX is a ways away. I get to LAX and it's *jammed* - huge lines at the United counters. Huge lines. I wait in line for an hour and a half at Terminal 7(left) (United International) only to be told they've changed everything - and 7(left) is now paper tickets going anywhere and 7(right) is electronic tickets... I'd have to go to the never ending line in T7(right) and start all over. This sucks. I'm one of a *bunch* of people who *read the signs* that said Domestic at 7right and International at Tleft... oh, they were supposed to change those. Sweet!

So, I wait another hour - the line barely moving - and I'm starting to worry that I may not make my flight. They stop taking luggage 45 minutes before the flight - and I'm gone for two weeks and have luggage to check in... and this line just isn't moving. Then an employee asks if anyone in the line is United Premier.... Um, I am. Well, they can check me in at Terminal 6, if I want to drag all my luggage down there. I *race* down there - hoping there is no line... and there isn't! I check in, go through that hell known as security, and get to the gates about a half hour before boarding. I had planned on making a phone call, but was afraid I didn't have enough time.

Anyway - I get on the plane, maybe 4 hours sleep, tops, and don't sleep all the way to Tokyo. My eyes are bright red. I'm here for almost 4 hours, then off to Hong Kong to teach a class and attend the HK FilMart (AFM in Chinese). Depending on internet access and time, I'll try to keep you informed of my adventures.

- Bill

3 comments:

aggiebrett said...

Dude-- these overseas travel hell stories are starting to sound supicously similar. Are you **sure** you really enjoy these jaunts to the "Mongolia Film Festival" and "South Serengeti Film Market"?

As for your inability to sleep on these long flights... this is why the good lord invented chemicals. Sominex, or Ambien, or in a pinch half a bottle of vodka or scotch or Scope or whatever, man.

At at current exchange rates, I think 500 yen is, like, a million dollars. So thanks for the love!
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B

Leslie Bates said...

500 Yen?

For a moment I was tempted to look up the exchange rate.

Thomas Rufer said...

I miss the overseas travel and the airport mess! Haven't been on a long trip like that for four years!

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