A final travel day always feels a little bittersweet. There is the excitement of getting home, mixed with the realisation that the adventure is almost over. Fortunately, our last day in Japan provided one final opportunity for trains, mild panic, vending machines and a tiny bit of airport drama.
Kyoto to Narita: The Long Journey Home
Today we left Kyoto for Narita Airport near Tokyo to catch our flight home.
Thanks to packing most of our luggage the night before, we were able to enjoy a slightly later start. Well, that was the theory. Unfortunately for Cos, his internal body clock stubbornly insisted that 6:30am was a perfectly reasonable wake-up time, regardless of holiday status.
We checked out of the hotel at 10am and presented some small Australian souvenirs to the staff, who seemed genuinely delighted with the unexpected gifts. It was a lovely way to say goodbye.
With time to spare, we crossed the road to explore a huge nearby shrine before returning to the hotel and catching a taxi to Kyoto Station. After depositing our luggage in station lockers, we grabbed breakfast and supplies for the train journey.
Having successfully navigated Japan's railway network for three weeks, Cos remained deeply suspicious that success might suddenly end at any moment. Determined not to miss our train, we arrived at the platform at 12:50pm for a 1:30pm departure. Everything went smoothly, exactly as everyone except Cos expected. Cos was very pleased.
The journey took us to Shinagawa Station, where our next challenge awaited. We needed to locate a ticket machine, print our tickets, find Platform 13, and work out where Car 12 would stop. With just 40 minutes available, we launched into what felt like an Olympic event known as "Advanced Station Navigation".
After successfully redeeming our tickets and marching the length of what appeared to be the entire station, we reached the correct platform and the exact location of our carriage with 15 minutes to spare. The train was scheduled to depart at 4:24pm but, in a display of Japanese punctuality that still astonishes visitors, it arrived four minutes early.
While waiting, Melissa visited one of Japan's seemingly infinite number of vending machines and returned with drinks. Once finished, we carefully placed the empty containers into our plastic rubbish bag.
One of the more surprising aspects of Japan is the scarcity of public bins. The expectation is that you carry your rubbish until you find a suitable place to dispose of it, such as a convenience store, your hotel, or one of the mythical public bins occasionally sighted in the wild. Yet somehow it works. In three weeks of travelling, we have probably seen only a few dozen pieces of litter. There is undoubtedly much the rest of the world could learn from the Japanese approach.
There was, however, one piece of disappointing news. Our Qantas upgrade bid for the journey home was unsuccessful. A pity, particularly on a night flight. Still, we were travelling on an Airbus A330 and had selected good seats, so we were hardly facing unbearable hardship.
We arrived at Narita at around 5:30pm, checked our luggage and proceeded through security. Customs and security staff were efficient and friendly. Both our carry-on bags were selected for inspection, which suggests either excellent security procedures or that we simply look suspicious.
Melissa's offence was quickly identified: an iPad left inside her bag. As for Cos's man-bag, the exact cause of official interest remains unknown. The mystery may never be solved.
Once airside, we purchased lounge access and settled in for a pleasant evening of food, drinks and comfortable seating. After several weeks of travel, this felt like a thoroughly sensible investment.
The final drama arrived at the boarding gate.
Cos was quietly informed that there was an issue with his seat. Visions of involuntary upgrades, emergency seat changes, or perhaps being bumped from the flight altogether briefly flashed through his mind. Sadly, none of these exciting possibilities eventuated.
The problem was simply that the charging socket at his seat wasn't working, and the airline wanted to ensure he was aware before boarding.
So, despite momentarily thinking he'd been refused boarding, the reality was considerably less dramatic.
The flight departed on time, bringing an unforgettable Japanese adventure to a close and marking the beginning of a very long night's journey home.
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