Click here for the photo slideshow from Japan.
Hello from Angel. Our trip has started and I’m writing to you from our Japan Airlines plane. We’ve been flying for almost 7 hours and are about 4 hours and 30 minutes from arriving in Osaka, Japan. So far I’ve watched parts of Charlie’s Angels, How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days, Hollywood Nights, read from my Japan tour book, snoozed, done ballet barre in the back of the plane and followed along with the exercise video they smartly offer periodically throughout this flight. Lunch is not your usual plane fare. With drinks we were given packages of flavored rice crackers and peanuts. I first knew I was getting something different as I unwrapped my utensils and discovered chopsticks along with the usual plastic knife and fork. Then there was the salmon sushi and vegetable roll plus green tea. Now I’m getting into the atmosphere and mood of Japan.
This morning Olga Schmal and I arrived at the Bradley terminal at Los Angeles airport at what we thought was way ahead of time. (We came to find out that by the time we got checked in and through security, we had just enough time to do a little shopping for reading materials and snacks and then it was plane boarding time.)
We were soon joined by Leslie Snyder, Karen and Richard Powell, Judea Jensen, Peggy Lucas, Jeanne Litt, Kathryn and David Allen, Curtis and Marion Brodsky, Joe Ann Cain, Jacquelyn Brooks, Ozzie Delgadillo, Diego and Karyn Jacobsen, Lori Matson, and Jacquelin Meilen. Some of these travelers are veterans of a number of Esprit/PTS Japan trips. And then there are some Japan trip virgins like me.
Jamie from Esprit checked our names off as we pulled our luggage up to the check-in area. Some of us were awaiting Liz Bixby who was coming with 7 equipment cases from Now Productions under the careful guard of Greg Fritz. Greg was there to take Liz through customs and make sure that each of the suitcases gets checked on with its designated escort. I meet my bag and get in line for check-in. Once we arrive in Osaka we will claim the cases and our personal luggage and then go with Liz through customs. Then Liz will shepherd the cases all the way to Kyoto where she will hand them over to Deborah Martinez.
Now Deborah is no dummy. She left yesterday so that she could be rested and ready to be sound/video mistress for this Japan trip. This is an awesome task and it’s the first time for Deborah to be the sound maestro. She is stepping into the big shoes of Phil Danza who has been The Sound Godfather for many a trip. This job requires one to not only know how to set up the sound and video for sharing sessions with John Morton throughout the trip, but also to provide background meditation music, and transmission of Steve Beimel’s lectures/commentary and Paul Kaye’s guiding plus any other guidance or spontaneous talking that John may do as we walk along. So, keep sending Light her way.
As our little group boarded the plane, I saw more of our friends ahead of us, including. Christine and Jim Lynch and Adam and Marilyn Carasso. Others will be joining us in Japan too. We chatted and compared food supplies. Once on the plane each of us seems to have our own settling into our seats routine. I’m going to try to stay awake as much as possible so I can be on Kyoto time when I arrive, but even as I write this I’ve already had a few quickie naps. I just love how the attendants periodically come by with hot green tea. I’m trying to attune myself to the language but so far I’ve only got “Konitchiwa” (Good Afternoon/hello) in my vocabulary.
Take the journey through each day of the Japan trip:
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
Day 9
Day 10
Day 11
Day 12
Day 13
