We left SFO on with a "plane change" and seats that were not as great as we had planned. The good news is they were at least in Business Class and so even with the less than optimum conditions, still WAY better than economy!
After our 11plus hour flight we ended up in a line to get through immigration that was so SLOW that our family that was meeting us thought for SURE she had missed us! It was pretty BAD over an hour, not what we normally see in Japan.
Finally we see Midori-san, exchange gifts, hugs and stories. She brings us our Japan cell phone and so we now feel CONNECTED again :-) We have done this exact greeting/meeting many times and at this point we normally get on a train and efficiently enjoy our bento box/sake and ride to Kyoto, ALWAYS the BEST way to travel in Japan. However since we will be joining a group for a cruise they have arranged for a coach to pick us up. That is the bad news, the good news is it was one for ONLY six passengers and so we are off! Now over 3and 1/2 hours since we landed we ARRIVE at the Okura Hotel, which is so nicely located in Kyoto.
Midori-san has tucked bath salts into our "package" and so soon we are enjoying some cha-soba (tea noodles) and then a HOT BATH! ahhh we are IN JAPAN!
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