I love United Airlines. They upgraded me to business class for the flight from SFO to Nagoya! The obento was very good. Also, they served a pork, cabbage, barbecue dish that was delicious. Had the pleasure of talking to a man from Matsumoto during much of the trip, and learned/practiced some Japanese. He called Shimonoseki *seafood paradise* so I will be going there.

Am feeling quite refreshed now, 6PM Friday, thanks to United and my Mileage Plus Executive status. Heading to the ANA club in a minute.

Internet available for 100yen/10min here in the domestic departure area on the 3rd floor. Am catching an ANA flight to Nagasaki in about an hour. The Meitetsu train station is very easy to find, same with the cash machine, information booth. Really easy getting around, no shuttle buses or trains, just walk. Kind of quiet. There is a high-speed boat to/from this airport. I would use it if I could, it may not run long (heard that the boat from Kobe to Kansai eventually stopped running due to lack of business).

bill-san: its ohaiyo-gozaimasu here in loundon. cold as heck, 52 degress, whats going on. out of the cocoon now, so can write a little.

glad to hear of your upgrade. was economy full? or was it just your good looks and boyish charm that got you the upgrade?

so, shimonoseki it is! what out fugu!!

hi emd! genki desu ka?

that was watch out fugu!! here comes bill-san. do post of this feast.

Can't they decide on a name for this new airport? Is it Nagoya, Chubu, Central Japan, Centrair, or something else?

You got upgraded at that low fare? Some guys have all the luck. I am flying full fare on United to LA on Monday so maybe they'll start treating me w/more respect.

kuranosuke, sorry we got the cold snap here and heavy rain (Bill, it was buckets, sheets, and flooding all day today) for end of your NVA trip.
For my Friday night, I have the DK Guide to Japan from the local library (how do they get all those tiny pictures on each page, I need a magnifying glass) and a bowl of hot soup here, one last chocolate covered macadamia, and a Japanese tape that soemone gave me to watch. It's a good life- not quite as good as being in Japan in May, but still very good.

Bill, you are like Charles Kuralt now, reporting from the road, er, airports. Keep it up!

Have come full circle on my trip, back at the same internet station at NGO. I guess Centrair is the sexy name for the airport, one that can be explained as the airport for central Japan, center air. But my ticket from Yonago definitely said Nagoya Chubu as ANA, at least, calls it. Of course, in D.C. we have Washington National, National, Reagan National, and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airports all in one.

The flight from Yonago was packed, about 18 rows 2x2 on a Fokker 50. The flight was only 10 minutes late. One of the flight attendants gave a deep bow from the aircraft doorway as the shuttle bus took us from plane to terminal.

The bag that I sent here (NGO) from the Westin Miyako in Kyoto last Friday was here, as expected, and wrapped in plastic sheet. I expected that there would be a 500 yen per day storage fee but there was not. So, my bag was sent from the Westin to Nagoya Chubu and stored for three days for a total cost of 1990 yen.

At Yonago airport there was a dispenser of travel sacks. For 500 yen you could get a good sized strong bag with a zipper on top and a label on it for your destination and name. I managed to put two shopping bags-full into it and the best part is that it was fine as checked baggage.

The check-in agent was delighted when I told her that the bag contained mochi and shinjimi (tiny clams from the fresh/salt lake in Matsue). When I showed her that I also had the packages of seasoning for soup she actually clapped and told the other agents.

The agent informed me that the flight was oversold in coach so they were upgrading me to business class. 8B, an aisle seat, this time. Apparently, they have rice bowls and miso soup in the star alliance lounge.