AI toilet??

 Not to be indelicate, but the hotel we stayed in for the last two nights had the most amazing toilet. We were at the ANA Intercontinental Tokyo. Now we are on the Viking ship Orion ready to set sail tomorrow for Sapporo and points north but I will not soon forget the toilet in that hotel room bathroom. First of all the seat was heated, very comfy, secondly, it flushed with no prompting when I was finished, even before I stood up. How did it know? Third, and most fun, there was a "control center" mounted on the edge of the counter right beside the toilet. It offered options for hard sprays or gentle sprays, with warm water of course, from every possible direction beneath your bottom. My spouse tells me it was a Toto brand, probably available in the US. I want one. 

Box lunch

 Today was a full day spent site seeing all around Tokyo. We visited a Shinto shrine and got to see the outside of the Imperial Palace. There was a lot of walking involved. My very favorite part of the day was the "box lunch." Our paperwork said that we would be having a box lunch at an historic old hotel and would be able to stroll through the beautiful old woods adjacent to the hotel after we ate. It sounded nice but not wildly exciting. 

Things started getting interesting when we were led off the bus and into an elegant hotel, lavishly decorated inside. Crystal chandeliers all over the place. We then took five long escalator rides down to a lovely large dining room, round tables for eight, set with linen and silverware, and at each place a black wooden box about 10 inches square and three inches deep. When we opened the boxes we discovered that the inside was split into quarters and in each section there was a little china dish holding some delicious tidbit. We had fish, beef, rice and veggies in tasty sauces or brine. Then there was 'Ancient rice with sesame' and a Japanese sweet of the day. 

I have never had such an elegant box lunch. As we were leaving the hotel we watched a wedding couple having their pictures taken. Evidently they have lots of weddings there. The bride's train cascaded down five steps of an awesome staircase. 

If I ever come back to Tokyo I will stay downtown at the Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo.

Tokyo...

 We have arrived in Japan and are ready to go touring some historic sites today. The ANA Intercontinental Tokyo is a fine hotel, good shower, comfy bed, excellent breakfast buffet. It meets all my criteria. The 13 hour overnight flight was quite comfortable. I highly recommend flying business class. It was like having my own little bedroom. Stay tuned for further adventures.

On our way...

 After an early, early start in Fort Wayne (up at 4am picked up by our Uber driver at 5am) we have arrived in Chicago. An uneventful flight although, if you count the runway time, it felt like we were driving most of the way. But we're here now. We have had brunch, not as good as Klem's but the coffee helped a lot. Now we are in the business class waiting area for our Tokyo flight. My Wonder Spouse did a great job of guiding us to the right terminal and gate. 

About that Uber driver... he was waiting when we opened the garage door (the easiest way to get the luggage out) and later as we drove admitted that he had been waiting since 4:30 having driven up from Muncie or maybe Cincinnati (it wasn't quite clear).  He was cheerful and seemed competent but his car really needed a visit to Mike's. I wondered how he could see out the windshield. Using the wipers just seemed to smear the murk around.

But enough about Ralph. We are on our way and that's what counts. 

Travel Time....

 'Twas the night before trip day and all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, 'cept me and my spouse.

Our bags, neatly packed, stand ready to go

and we are just hoping the Uber guy will show.

We will go to bed early and try to sleep fast

While vizions of conveyors belts keep moving past.

Will our suitcases be there, will they ever arrive? 

We will be up at 4 and ready by 5.

Our driver will come and off we will go.

Will we get there on time?  Will our driver be slow?

Will it all come together, as smooth as can be?  

I'm going to bed now.  We'll just wait and see.

                                                        His, mine

                                    and ours, ready to go.

Eureka!!!

 I knew it could be done but it took my brilliant Wonder Spouse to figure out how.  I am now able to write this blog from my phone which means I will be able to continue my daily blogs during our up coming trip or at least all those days of the trip which are in the US.  We will be at sea for several days and in the mysterious Orient for part of the time so I can't guarantee anything, but please keep checking in. 

Yo Yo packing....

 I am not literally packing yo-yos but there has been a lot of up and down and in and out going on in my packing process this week.  My wonder spouse and I are leaving on a month long trip beginning this Friday, and that involves a lot of clothes. 

Now I am no novice to packing for trips. I have been doing it almost all my life.  When I graduated from high school my parents gifted me with a set of Samsonite luggage (olive green which will give you an idea of the era we're talking about).  I packed up everything I owned and headed off for college. 

However, packing for this upcoming trip has been presenting some challenges.  We will be cruising to some places where the average daily temperature is above 80 degrees so summer clothes, right?  But we will also be visiting some places where the average daily high is about 55 degrees. So do I take winter weight outer wear or lighter weight multiple layers?  I've decided to go with the multiple layers which means lots of separate pieces to be rolled and fitted into my big suitcase and a fair amount of in and out while I decide what goes with what.  My wonder spouse, whose biggest decision is wearing a short sleeved or long sleeved shirt, has trouble understanding my plight.

Add to that the fact that I decided to pack my suitcase on the first floor so my spouse wouldn't have to carry it downstairs (ever thoughtful, that's me).  Instead I am carrying armloads of clothes down stairs and, inevitably, some back upstairs.  Lucky for me my packing area is the first floor guest bedroom with a nice big closet where I can hang my clothes while I contemplate my choices.  My biggest fear is that after ten or 15 days at sea I'll end up wearing my bathing suit with boots or something else equally rediculous.  

Ah well, at least the food will be delicious.