Sayonara Japan

While at the Lodge on our last morning a group of our friends from our neighborhood arrived to send us off. Wow, amazing. It really was great to see them there all sending us off. It was the best way to start a journey of such great lengths. After almost missing the bus (I love you Buffy but we had a bus to catch) due to goodbyes we made the 1 1/2 hour drive to the airport. After checking in and getting a quick lunch we arrived back at the terminal at check-in time, 1300 for a 1530 departure. So we all got to sit in a large room with nothing to do for 2 1/2 hours. Since there was a lot of shopping and eating places at the airport it wasn't too bad. NOT, we were locked in a room waiting for our departure. Good times. We did get airborne on time and were going to arrive in Seattle a bit early which is always nice to hear. The flight wasn't too bad except the no running water, no audio on the movie or music and electrical problems all flight. So the 7 1/2 hour flight landed early with no major issues. Then about a half hour into waiting for our bags we get the call that the airplane can't open it's cargo doors and can't get our bags out. Well 2 1/2 hours click by (so much for the 3 1/2 hour lay over time) before the first bags arrive. Of course there were two people unloading bags onto the conveyor. And as if the process wasn't painful enough the conveyor stopped and we still didn't have any of our bags. As well as about a third of the flight. So when we finally got our bags (a little more pissed than when I started the process) we had 40 minutes until the next take off to get through customs, security, inter-airport shuttle and to our gate. Not looking so good for the jet-lagged clan. So after a nice OJ Simpson sprint through the airport we made it to our gate with a minute to spare. Now the big question was if our bags did the same sprint. Not really counting on that one. The next flight was a Delta flight and was normal air transportation. We made our connecting flight in Cincinnati and arrived at our final destination a little early. My sister greeted the weary travelers with a nice "Griswald's" sign and then we drove home to her house. So after 27 1/2 hours of traveling we made it safe and sound. Oh our bags somehow made the flights and they got here too. It's good to have that part of the trip over with. Thanks again Navy travel and all of the joy that we got to experience in our journey. I guess everyone needs something to bitch at and if it isn't your travel plans than what would it be?