We Made It!

We have arrived!  We are now at the Utano Youth Hostel in Kyoto after a very long, eventful day.  It is about 11:00PM local time and everyone is finally in bed and settled down.  Our day began auspiciously with an easy drive to the airport, followed by a speedy check-in.  They even opened a special line just for us.  We then had a nice breakfast at the food court: pizza seemed the popular choice.

Thank you all for getting your Junior Winger to school so early, and a great big thanks to the drivers: the Gomes, Panzettas, Tibbitts, Silkwoods, and Smiths.

Our smooth sailing started getting a bit rough as our boarding time came and went.  We were to depart at 11:27AM, but that is when they started boarding us on the plane.  We never were to make up the lost time.  To say your kids have energy wouldn't do them justice.  I think if they could be harnessed, they would power over half of the Monterey Peninsula.  Virtually no one slept on the plane.  Much too excited.  While waiting to board, they started softly singing their I'm Yours song, much to the delight of the other waiting passengers and flgiht crew.  In flight, the steward came around and talked with us.  Right at the end of the flight, the steward announced to the plane that we were the Juniors Wings from Colton School in Monterey!

Immigration, customs, then we were out the door where we met Tim Ashida.  He came to meet us to deliver our train tickets and to help us exchange cash.  We were then off to the train.  We made it with four minutes to spare!  Everyone seemed to be pinching themselves to help them realize they were finally on the ground in JAPAN!  Ramen for dinner at Kyoto Station then a 45-min bus ride to the hostel.  About half the group finally nodded off on the bus, but we did manage to get everyone off at the right stop.

We got everyone into their rooms, but not without a little excitement about a little, bitty spider that was a FULL 5" from tip to tip!!!  YIKES!!  Even the hostel staff had never seen one that big before!!  The little (NOT) excitement died down only after all the beds were thoroughly searched.  No more screams have been heard from our corner so it seems things have settled down.

More in the morning.