Part 3 of Another "Hari Raya" trip: Time to go home (with SQ11 of course (^_^)v )

[Dent@SUB]

(Narrator mode on...)

Previously on Dent@Sub stories....

Another "HARI RAYA" trip: half around the word to TFN, with GA, SQ, TG, JK and LH (but without LH... )


Part 2 of Another "Hari Raya" trip: Quest for home from TFN via BCN, MUC, NRT and SIN (but ended in Tokyo... )

Now the conclusion....

(Narrator mode off...)

[Dent@SUB]

The painfull journey to NRT ( no... it was not the bus' fault...)

I woke up very late on my last day in Tokyo.
It almost exceeded breakfast time.
Didn't want missed my last breakfast in Tokyo, I hurried brush my teeth, and went for breakfast without taking any shower...

Finished with that delicious breakfast, Japanese style of course, I went back to my room to pack my bags.
My main bag showed some sign of overstuffed. One of her lock quite difficult to close. But after some effort, I managed to close this lock.
My of my... that bag was very heavy.... blame me bought so many stuff here and there....

It almost 1 pm after I finished with my bath (I've got a complimentary late check out as part of my card's perk)
I packed the final things on the other bag, without touching the over stuffed main bag.
Gosh... I've got an extra bag now....

Check out in this hotel was a breeze. The receptionist asked me if I need a cab to the airport. Of course I said no. I wanted keep my yens as close as possible with me...
And the bus stop only 10 minutes away from the hotel.... (I didn't realized that 10 minutes will stretched to 30 minutes, the worse 30 minutes in my life )

I pulled my spinner bags to the bus station.
Not far from the hotel, I felt something strange with my big bag. Why it was so heavy to be pulled?
I checked the wheels.
Gosh... one of the wheels was broken.
OK... this was the last segment of my trip, so it would be no big deal with one broken wheel.
So I dragged this bag to the bus station.
The torture has not stopped here.

In the mid way, the lock that quite difficult to close showed her temper.
She refused to cooperate, and sprang open widely without any possibility to be closed again.

I cursed myself....
Why I must bring this Lojel hard case bag instead of my usual, trusty polycarb Delsey bag....

Luckily there was a bag store nearby.

With a sign language (I can't speak Japanese, she couldn't speak English), I asked her for a luggage's belt for my bag first aid.

Luckily she got one.

With luggage belt strapped tightly, I dragged this heavy, wheels damaged bag.
Need stop for rest several times before reach the bus stop.

Almost took me 30 minutes to reach the bus stop.

Then I gave the bus counter staff my limousine bus voucher from the return journey package that I bought at NRT before, to be exchanged for the real ticket.

The pain has not stopped here.

The bus came a few minutes later.
I was already in the bus when I realized that my PASSPORT still in room's safety box. And the bus began to move
In panic, I shouted to the bus driver to stop. I told him I need to get off.
Firstly he shocked his head. But I told him that my passport still in the hotel.
And then he stopped. I rushed get off, and told the porter there that I needed to get back to my hotel to get my passport.
He quickly removed my bags from the bus' belly.
I asked him to keep an eye on my bags while I rushed back to my hotel.
He said "Don't worry!". Thanks uncle...

I rushed back to the hotel, almost running.
The reception lady who checked me out look worry saw me came in such a faint face. She asked me what has happened.
I told her the story, and she rushed take the master key, and escort me back to my ex room. The room still has not been cleaned yet. I opened the safety box with my code. And took the passport.
I really thanks this lady for her concern.
She even offered me to find me a taxi to the limousine bus stop.
I thankfully rejected it. It was only 8-10 minutes walk.

I arrived back at the bus stop around 2:10pm, enough time to catch the 2:15pm bus.

With sweated shirt, I sat down at bus' seat to calm down my breath.

It's gonna be a 1,5 to 2 hours trip to NRT.


SQ counter located at T1.
We arrived there around 4pm.

Here some views of NRT T1






SQ check in counter...




I checked in at the First counter.
I thought it was ANA who handle the check in process here.
The check in lady saw my broken lock, and she quickly grab a big sellotape with ANA logo to seal that broken lock. What a nice gesture she did. Thanks miss...

I was right, that damaged bag weight was 35kgs! No wonder I felt sour on my arms after dragging this bag all the way to the bus stopped.

No fast track for premium pax here. So I joined the regular immigration and security line. It only took not more than 5 minutes to clear them all.

On the way to ANA F lounge, here were what I saw....








United's aircraft every where. I saw maybe 8-9 United's big bird here. For once I thought I was at one of the US airport



Next: ANA F lounge.....

[SQflyergirl]

I'm just waiting for the SQFG shot, so I can charge money for it

[Dent@SUB]

I'm just waiting for the SQFG shot, so I can charge money for it

Don't worry.... there will be one soon.... just be patient....


(but on the second thought, from where did I get the money for royalty??? )

[honkit7]

I started all the way from the beginning of your trip till here and suddently its not the end yet?? I read as though it was like chasing a series of drama from the beginning till the last episode but the last episode is not out yet!!

I must say its a very very well written TR. Enjoy reading every bit of it.

[HUGE AL]

It's gonna be a 1,5 to 2 hours trip to NRT.

I would have hopped the NEX for an additional ¥1,430. Given your challenges, it would have been easier and you would be at NRT in 53 minutes.

[Dent@SUB]

I would have hopped the NEX for an additional ¥1,430. Given your challenges, it would have been easier and you would be at NRT in 53 minutes.

I've been thinking of that option too.
But in the given situation that the NEX depart from the next door Shinjuku station (didn't want to drag that lousy, heavy, damaged, un-obeyed bag climbing up and down the stairs anymore) and I already had my return ticket to NRT (I bought the NRT-City-NRT plus 2 days metro pass package), that option vapourated to the thin air....

Next time I'll think twice about this...

Thanks HUGE AL...

[Dent@SUB]

I started all the way from the beginning of your trip till here and suddently its not the end yet?? I read as though it was like chasing a series of drama from the beginning till the last episode but the last episode is not out yet!!

I must say its a very very well written TR. Enjoy reading every bit of it.

Thanks honkit7...
The last episode will come sooner than you expected....
Glad to hear that you like my "never ending" story...


btw, is it you first post here??? so... welcome to SQTALK...

[Dent@SUB]

That was quite a long walk to reach ANA F lounge at satellite 4 ( I suspect it called satellite 4 because of it hosted gates that begin with number 4: 41-47 )

ANA F lounge located on the 4th floor.








I went in, and the receptionist checked my BP and took the invitation card.

Felt smelly and sticky from the "damn cursed bag " adventure, I told the lady that I want to take shower right away.

She kept my BP, and escorted me to the the shower room, and handed me the famous-lots of talk about it here in SQT-most seeking for, the L'Occitane shower kits.
And the key of course... (but not her of course... She went back to her counter right away )


They still used the Shea Butter series as before.
Not like TG that had change them into Verbena series (Verbena series also nice, but I like Shea Butter series more... )





The shower room:







The famous Japanese style electric toilet, with heater to comfort your b**t and auto shower...




It was heaven taking a long hot shower after that lousy experience with that lousy bag....
It was nice to be fresh again....

[HUGE AL]

Interesting that the bag is now red.

[Dent@SUB]

Interesting that the bag is now red.

Just realized after you mention it.

This pictures was taken on early Oct last year, and it was BLACK.... dunno since when they changed it into RED???




And this is from end of Sept this year.





And the nice eagle eyes award goes to HUGE AL....

[HUGE AL]

Just realized after you mention it.

This pictures was taken on early Oct last year, and it was BLACK.... dunno since when they changed it into RED???

And this is from end of Sept this year.

And the nice eagle eyes award goes to HUGE AL....

Actually, early September is was white -- been that way for a while...

[Dent@SUB]

Actually, early September is was white -- been that way for a while...

Ahhhh...... black... white.... red..... What's next?

I vote for ex SQ's "baby blue"....

[Dent@SUB]

Felt fresh after taking shower, I went back to the lounge.
I took back my BP from the receptionist in exchange of the key.

Now time for internet, checked email, SQT, and FB....

I love ANA F lounge internet facilities.

Personal cubicle with magnificent view.
I could stay here for hours with this view....










United's big birds (again!). I began to think this airport were United's big birds nest. They were every where in quite a number.





They had copy machine (or is it printer??) here. But dunno how to operate this machine...





I was planning to stay here for at least an hour, but my tummy refused to cooperate.
May be because of the "extreme sport" with my bloody bag, and haven't got any lunch yet, I felt starving....
So, after about 15 minutes, I came out from the cubicle, and went to the dining (or is it sitting??) area...
And my little feast began.....


Stay tuned....

[Dent@SUB]

Time for taming the dragon inside tummy....

I went to the buffet area to check what they had that day....





This what they had that day:










And the drink option they had :








The noodle counter (but unmanned at that time, so I asked the passing waiter for a tempura soba)







And I ended up with this :





Quite a little feast for me.

Soba noodle with tempura, five kind of sushi with ginger pickles, three kind of Japanese appetizer.... hhhmmmmm..... Yummy....!!

I must admitted that the food not as good as the one that I ate in the city, but for my growling tummy, these were quite tasty and
enough for taming the angry dragon inside before the real feast on board SQ11 in another 1 hour....


And now time for the famous-most seeking for-most talk about-the one and only Fauchon Ice Cream.....




Dunno since when this applied.
Now they only had three basic flavors: Vanilla, chocolate and strawberry.
Where was my favorite Assam tea flavor, coffee flavor??? They are gone now....

So asked for vanilla one.
Hmmm.... it was so delicious.
It was not like the plain vanilla Haagen-Dazs ice cream, but it came with the little tiny vanilla seed inside the ice cream.
(Haagen-Dazs' vanilla ice cream is my favorite, but this Fauchon's vanilla was even better than that)
With tiny seed of vanilla bean, it was like a top grade home made vanilla ice cream, my favorite vanilla ice cream.