Tuesday-March 27, 2007

Aloha from Hawaii.....Well, well, well.....how do I even start this blog......I have many pictures to share that tell a story....Let me first say, I was supposed to be at the airport on Monday the 26th....19:10....Tokyo time, that's 7:10pm, because my flight was leaving at 21:10 ...I left my house at 5pm and just missed one of the trains because I stopped to talk to the people at my local flower shop....so the train gets to Shinagawa and the conductor said something in Japanese and everyone got off the train....I thought to myself, Oh noooooo...I do not want to miss my check-in or boarding....I only planned to pay at the most 2500 yen, which is the equivalent now of about $20 to get to the airport, but I had to take the Narita Express from Shinagawa which cost me in addition to the $8.00 I had paid, an equivalent of $27 more dollars...I was pissed off....then there was a delay with the Express train, so it gets to Shinagawa around 6:55pm...I get to Narita at 20:08, or 8:08pm.

Let me back track....while on the Narita Express I sat next to a lady named Sakura...yes like the Cherry Blossoms....We talked during the train ride and it turns out she works for JTB (Japan Travel Bureau), unfortunately I neglected to get her card.....Nevertheless, she was beyond hospitable....she said she was going to sleep in Narita and catch her plane in the morning. We got off at Terminal 1 and started bookin' (running)....I was out of breath after 100 feet.....so I slowed down as she cheered me on, talking about, "Karon, you can do it....go....go..." so I start my stride again and she has time to go into a store and ask a lady to watch her suitcase and go to the elevator to push the up button as I catch up to her. So we're both running and she gets to the baggage check, not check-in, before me and explains my situation...they said Daijobu...(which is no worries, or it's ok) I just made it...so I thought it was over...I thanked her profusely and went to the check-in after I collected my bags....somehow after check-in she was on the other side, telling me which gate I needed to go to, and for me to hurry.....other things happened prior to boarding and on the plane, but this was the only thing worth mentioning and that lady was absolutely God sent.....I thank her and especially thank God for sending her to my assistance....you never know if you're entertaining angels.....

Moving on....I get to Honolulu and then travel by plane to Maui.....so I'm here and of course my tour representative is expecting a Japanese person and here I come smiling...she was sooo surprised, but really nice....anyway, it turns out that there was a couple that also used H.I.S. Travel and they were staying in the same hotel....so we got each other's room numbers and we hung out all day today....literally....this morning there was a complimentary breakfast buffet that we attended and after that, I told them I was going to rent a car so I could go to Wal-Mart (I just have to pause for Wal-Mart.....sigh...sigh) LOL.....I said I wanted to do some shopping, and they asked to go with me....I welcomed the company....what I didn't know was that they were going to pay for all of my meals, which were expensive, not because my tastes are expensive, but because we're in Hawaii. We also went to the Maui Ocean Center, where they paid for me, and even the rent a car....they paid for it......I don't know how to thank them enough......I will get something from the gift shop tomorrow for them......I insisted on giving Shuoko at least $20.....I had to put it in her pocket book and put my hands behind my back to say, I can't take that back....They spent over $100 on me....Oh I forgot to mention I got a Hawaiian Bracelet with my gemstone in it.....I'm just soooo grateful, it's ridiculous....I drove, so they were happy because neither of them had a license.....Manana, (Tommorow) we're doing a whale watching excursion and snorkeling......I thought about going on the sugar cane train, but I'm not going to because I haven't made enough time to reflect on my life and just spend some quiet time with God....When I got here, I went to sleep and then got up and went to the spa around 4pm, then went to dinner, and then back to my room....I was still congested in my nose quite a lot....I just went back to sleep, and all day today, I've been busy....but I should never be too busy for God....my excursion leaves tomorrow at 6:10am and comes back around 1:30pm...so, I'll make time tonight and tomorrow....

The couple lives in Chiba....Nishimaki, and Shuoko.....they are the BOMB....(really wonderful). Here's some pictures from today and the plane in Honolulu...

Until next blog......

K