...so we had a 5:20 AM flight...which meant that we should get to the airport by 2:20 AM for the 3 hours before an international flight...but TSA doesn't open until 4 AM...so that's when we arrived...
...and everything was still all decked out for Christmas...
...we got through TSA quickly...and onto our first flight...
...and headed down the runway before dawn
...to watch the sun come up from the plane..
...and we arrived in Atlanta just at dawn...
...rows and rows of Delta planes at this hub...
...and we had a little bit of time before our trans-Pacific flight...so we went to the Delta Sky Club...
...it was a first for me...the Man has flown a lot more than me and is a Delta Sky member...and he can bring a guest...it was a lot of fun...everything is completely gratis...it's crazy...and so so nice...
...and I just realized when I saw this photo that I'd not told you about the coompact squishable/packable jackets that we got for the trip...as we probably won't need them in Japan at all...
...mine is this lovely blue with a sort of dark olive inside...and the Man's is the olive colour on the outside and orange on the inside...they squish into a very small attached pocket...about the size of a stuffed 4 x 6 envelope...it's pretty amazing...it's a nice warm windbreaker...and I'm wearing it over the
same coloured sweater that I knit for the trip a little over a year ago...I like wearing layers that I can add and remove at will...and that I can use as padding and wedge into areas on my seat to make things more comfortable during the long flight...
...this is my delicious plate of fresh fruit...I also had a pomegranate and apple juice...and the Man got me a Shirley Temple from the bar...so-much-fun...still super sleepy this early morning...
...then we found our gate and then boarded and found our seats...which were laden with good things for the flight...
...noise cancelling headphones...a nice squishy foam pillow and a fleece blanket...slippers and a small bag of goodies...
...I loved the neat little pouch...handmade by someone somewhere in Mexico...
...and it was stuffed with more goodies...socks...lip balm...ear plugs...a toothbrush and toothpaste...and an eye mask...
...I got out my pillow and blanket...as I plan on going to sleep right away...haha...
...brought up the flight tracker on my screen...and settled in for the long flight...
...in no time we were airborne...somewhere over Indiana I think...
...the flight attendants brought everyone a cup of champagne to launch the voyage...we're traveling premium select...which is pretty much like domestic first class for amenities, seat size and reclinability and foot room...the one wonderful addition being the footrest...like a recliner...it costs more but it's well worth it...and still pretty reasonable compared to the actual first class pods which run about $10K...
...so...after my first 'nap'...the flight attendants came by and set up our 'tables'...with white tablecloths and napkins...it's all so posh isn't it?...
...I had pre-ordered all vegan entrees...and it was funny that they came by and put just a regular yellow sticky note on top of my chair that said "Vegan"...haha...
...and we're flying over the snow covered northern states...our flight pattern takes us almost directly over Devils Lake, North Dakota where we used to live...
...I had a roll with vegan margarine...
...and this delicious barley salad...so good...I may try to replicate it at home...it's got butternut squash, cranberries, and pumpkin seeds...and a sweet/sour sauce...
...I think beets and a little bit of celery and green onion too...the Man really liked it as well...
...and this was the main dish...brown rice...more pumpkin seeds...and a butternut puree spiced with cumin and other kind of Ethiopian spices and other root vegetables as well...carrots and parsnips for sure...it was yummy...and I know they look like small servings but they were not...I was stuffed...and I had hot tea as well...just a black tea...it was a lot stronger than I usually make my tea though...
...and then they closed all of the port window coverings...and darkened the cabin...and just about everyone went to sleep...after a couple of hours they came by offering snacks...we got chips...
... and a sort of chocolate oat bar...
...our meals were kind of backwards for some reason...this is 'lunch'...which is ok I guess as it was in the middle...
...and it's a delicious vegan cream cheese and cucumber sandwich...and an orange...the Man said he wished he had gotten my sandwich...
...and then after about another 4 hour nap...breakfast was served...
...and it's a grilled tofu sammie...with spinach and tomato...it was also very yummy...I was so impressed with all the vegan food...
...and then in about another hour we had our first glimpse of Tokyo...
...and we had a couple of hours in the Tokyo/Haneda airport before our flight to Okinawa...
...so we stopped at a noodle bar and ate again...haha...like we hadn't just been eating non-stop for 14 hours...I got steamed edamame and a rice cake filled with 'kelp'...
...we're so happy to be here...we got to the hotel at about 10:30 PM...the babes were sound asleep so we just peeked in at them...had a quick chat with Our Airman and his sweet wife and we were so ready for bed...
~Have a lovely day...
So excited to "tag along" on your trip!!! Fun to see all the "airline food". People make fun of it but I have actually always enjoyed it. Looking forward to seeing all the new wonders you'll find. Love, K
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