Japan - First Impressions - (31st March)

We have had some experience of Japanese people from when our neighbours had an exchange student, Yoko, some years ago. We warmed to her then and also met her parents on a couple of occasions, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience(s). We even attended Yoko's "Aussie" wedding in Sydney.

But that was their time in our country, and now we were the the strangers in Japan.

I am totally entranced by their sense of calmness and patience. Whatever the history of their culture has brought out in them, it is to be admired. For a country that has undergone such a tragedy as the recent earthquake/tsunami, there was no evidence of it. Of course we don't understand Japanese, and maybe there were elements in their conversations that we couldn't be aware of, but all-in-all there is this feeling of serenity and respect for others.

When we got to the hotel, our room was confirmed, and it was quite a large space, with two of the most comfortable beds we've experienced. We were later than we thought, and had dinner in the hotel restaurant first, and decided to have something Japanese. This turned out to be a 'Tempura Set', which included miso soup, and great tempura prawns and vegetables, plus Japanese delicacies, (read pickled stuff, and seaweed), but all very pleasant and tasty, plus some sticky rice. Topped this with a bottle of white wine from Europe, (not great, but we needed a drink), and then crashed into our lovely beds.

Breakfast was not included, so we decided to chance the Sakura Lounge, which we were entitled to do with the Premium Economy tickets. As I've said before, this you have to experience if you can stretch to the more expensive fares, because everything was just so well organised and pleasant, and the choice of food would please anyone. We had a very leisurely breakfast, and then spent some quiet time in the lounge, before going to our flight to London.

One of life's pleasures, is to be able to sit back and look and admire people, and this lounge area had it all. People of all nations, but predominantly Japanese, and just lovely faces and expressions to take in. You could tell the really well heeled folk, but just as interesting were the majority of them, who, like us, were simply flying on to other parts of the world. 

I treasure that time in there, because it was quiet, and calm, and you could lose yourself in the peace of it all, and that's important before you have to get on another plane for another 12 hours or more!

Next stop London...