Day One - Getting there

Over 12 moths ago, with my niece Caitlin to be finishing Year 12 this year, it was suggested that as part of Graduation Experience (and rather than the usual Gold Coast Schoolies event) it might be fun to travel together to Japan. Apparently I was deemed the expert :)

With flights booked earlier this year, and Caitlin successfully graduating Friday, departure day suddenly arrived.

To meet Caity in Brisbane meant getting an early flight from Canberra and Narelle was kind enough to pick me up at 5.30am for the 6.55am flight and we at least managed to have breakfast together at the Qantas Club.

Arriving at Brisbane Domestic and transferring to International was easy and we met Sue, Dan and Caitlin off we went....

There was time for some pre-departure duty free and second breakfast at Q Club and then we found our departure gate and plane.

 

 And a pre-departure selfie....

The flight was fine and there was minimal turbulence and I suppose all up went pretty quickly.  I managed to finish the scarf I started for Caity during Tour de France so hopefully that will come to use here in Japan.

Obligatory aeroplane food photo

Obligatory out of the window photo....

Anyway, by the time I had just about had enough we arrived and managed to get through customs and quarantine with no problems.

Caity seems to have a knack for working things out on the run pretty quickly re who what where and when and after waiting forever to get our discount return Narita Airport Train Tickets it was waiting for the precisely on time train for about a 80 minute trip. 

On arriving at Shinjuku where we are staying it took a little while to work out where the taxi rank was to totally confuse the taxi driver who then seemed to know exactly where to go to arrive finally at the hotel.

Caity was fine to relax and catch up on social media and with our own modem and super speedy wireless internet, who could blame her.

I however was needing food even at 10pm and fortunately with a Matsuya two minutes up the road, dinner was ready in 5 minutes.

 Then it was shower and bed in our comfy quiet room

Tomorrow will hopefully be all things Geek @ Akihabara and Harajuku....