Originally I planned (and told my boss) to leave a bit earlier for the preparation but works were ‘flushing in’ and I could only leave at around 6:15pm. I rushed back home and took a shower and had my dinner.
Final check on all my suitcases and handbags (yes, it has an 's') and passport etc, we set off to the Airport at 10pm and took the 10:30pm bus.
We arrived at the Airport at about 11:30pm and it was so crowded at the check-in counter…. Aisle. It was the Qatar Airline, probably for transfer in Doha to Heathrow.
As I’ve already checked in when I got the tickets in early July, it was quite ‘smooth’. Silly me forget to note down Juli’s japan mobile and we went to Mix for free internet connection (damn that the Pacific Coffee were all occupied). After that, it was already time for going through the customs and boarding.
Burger King was closed but they were still selling foods! Kakin bought a set meal and we shared the chips. I was so thirsty and afraid that no water would be served on plane (it said only breakfast would be served), I bought a big cup of NestTea.
The Airport was silent and peaceful ‘as always’ but the gates were very crowded. Besides our plane, there was another one to Japan (similar time), the Qatar one (a bit earlier) and one for Korea (not Icheon, not Busan but a place called 清洲; a bit later at ~3:00AM!!!)Our flight was scheduled at 01:45 and the boarding time was 01:20. We all went on board at about 01:30 and started our journey!
As mentioned before, I’d checked the meal being provided and thus not surprised by serving breakfast. Rather, it’s a little surprise to have drinks served before “sleep”. The ‘go’ trip was good; lights turned off and the gal right at my back was using her laptop silently and producing no light pollution. However, after serving the drinks, it was already 0300 HK time and that’s 0400 Tokyo time. The light turned on again at around 0500 Tokyo time for serving breakfast!!!
I managed to sleep for a bit more (fell asleep once buckled up and woke for the drinks =P after woke up, I forced myself to sleep again before the breakfast was served and had a nap though a few minutes only before landed) and was not too tired when got off the plane.
It was almost 07:30 when we went out to the Arrival Hall of Tokyo International Airport (i.e. Haneda International Terminal). It was a very small terminal and once we stepped out the ‘exit’, we saw the ANA Sky Porter service counter and grabbed our mobile phones. Right after this, we rushed to the Bus Terminal No. 3 (with the help of the Airport Assistant) for the free shuttle to Domestic Terminal 2.
Haneda Airport is best known as the Big Bird ‘coz the comics and Terminal 2 is “fully equipped” with shops and restaurants. It is very nice! And, similar to the Manila Airport #2 (I name it so), Domestic Terminal 2 is dedicated to ANA Group (i.e. for airlines under the ANA Group).Despite the prior knowledge of Japan Domestic Flight Check-in process, we could not find the correct counter at first. After ‘wasting’ some time, we managed to find the correct counter, counter no. 14, and queued for check-in. Things were smooth, and the staff even asked if our final destination was alright as she’d noticed that we would be leaving Hokkaido from Wakkanai!
Thing went not that smooth when dropping the baggages at another counter! They said one must drop one’s baggage at one counter. Even you’re travelling together, you can’t calculate together. You must tell them, A has one baggage; B has two baggages and C has one baggage. Well, I think this is not only stubborn but a bit stupid. Anyway, we got all our baggages checked in.
The domestic flight system in Japan is really interesting. First of all, you have to buy the ticket and check in (at the same counter). They will then print you a physical ticket. You need this ticket to drop your baggage and once you’ve dropped your baggage, remember to keep the baggage tickets. They will check the baggage ticket at the exit of your destination airport.
After dropping your baggage, you can go ahead to the x-ray and there, you will use the digital mark on the ticket to print your ‘passenger card’. And we found out that, you can bring water or bottles on to domestic plane, they have a special checking machine for bottles. :P You put your bottle onto the machine (like a mould for it) and it will have different lights turned on. After going through the x-ray and getting your ‘passenger card’, you can proceed to the boarding gate. In front of the gate, you will need the passenger card digital mark to print out your actual boarding pass!!!!!
The plane we got on to Sapporo was a 747!!!Double-decked and decorated in Pikkachu animation character!!! It was so lovely! =D And surprisingly, the English of both captain and flight attendants were much better than the international flight we got on from HK to Tokyo!
And we have nuts and juices too! ^_^
The flight was delayed for about 30 minutes without any concrete announcement as if it was not a big deal.
I slept for almost 2 hours more and it was so refreshing! We finally arrived Sapporo JR station at around 12:00noon and went straight to the Tourist Information Centre.
We booked the bus from Asahikawa to Wakkanai; we bought the JR pass for Furano and Otaru and got relevant information and discount coupons!The first $ spent in Sapporo (except travelling) was for the beautiful cakes!
We had cheese cakes, chocolate cakes and milk and cameral pudding. With bulky luggages and the cakes, we spent almost 10 minutes to the Hotel which is usually a 5-min.-walk. We checked in the Hotel at about 1:30pm and went out at around 2:00 or 2:30pm. :P
The digital thermometer showed that it was 26C and 23C later, but it felt like 20C! We had a late lunch in the Ramen Republic, a well-known and well-introduced place in all kinds of tourist guide book.
Kaman had a very thick soup curry ramen and both Kakin and I had salt ramen. I do think it was very nice despite the complaints from Kaman regarding the thickness of the soup curry and the mismatch of curry and ramen. ^_^
After fulfilling our stomach, we went to the souvenir shop nearby. There are so many ramen related stuff! But we had ice-sticks! =P very nice! And this started Kaman’s “ice-cream tour”.
We had planned to walk around Sapporo city for the distinctive old buildings but it was raining quite heavily in a sudden. We ‘sightsaw’ a few shops in the Department store and the city view from the windows. When the rain seemed to be pouring less vigorous, we went out for a proper walk.
Seibu in Sapporo was indeed very beautiful! I mean the building and the bus terminus nearby. We took a few pics and went ahead.
We reached the “Ice-cream Parlor” in about 5 min. and was really shocked by the Super Parfait!
I’d love to buy the baunkuchen but finally missed that due to “time constraint”. I should have bought one when I first saw it.
Then it’s raining again and we turned 90C right back to the Old City Office (北海道道廳) then hotel.
The old building is beautiful and I just love this kind of buildings or I should say, buildings of this time period.
Weather wasn’t too good on the first day and probably my companions were too tired (they couldn’t have slept properly the night before), we went back to the Hotel for a rough rest and went out for dinner again in late 5pm.
After resting for some time, we decided to go to the famous shopping streets: 狸小路. We walked along the main street and passed the TV tower.
We reached the streets at early evening and started our ‘shopping’ again! We were first attracted by the fruit shop and just wanted so much to buy the melon and peaches! (and we did at last =P)
Shops were like those in Osaka or else ‘shopping streets’, not too special indeed, but still, shopped for some time.Finally we were too tired to go ahead to the Susukino area or go back to the JR Tower area for dinner and chose one ramen restaurant along the street!
Once going inside, we found a J-walker magazine cut on the wall and Kaman ordered what recommended in the article.
I still went for the salt ramen. Both Kaman and Kakin ordered similar soup for the ramen and both commented too salty. Mine was very good!!!! =D
Taste just fit mine and the ramen was appropriate too, not too thick and not too thin, neither too hard nor too soft! Later, I found out that it was a very famous ramen restaurant. It was also recommended in those guide books we obtained in the Tourist Information Center (in Japanese) and I checked my Japanese magazine later in HK, it recommended the shop as well. Probably it's very popular among native Japanese.
Our very long travel day was ended with a medium size of melon, four peaches and one big apple bringing back Hotel. All fruits were too great to be described in black and white; you can only experience it with your taste buds and nose. :P
P.S. I'll post the link of Kaman's Photo Album and other pics taken later. ^_^
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