lingqi's Journal: August 4th, 2004

August 4th, 2004 (4:42pm)

-- Continuing on things about Okinawa --

At Haneda airport, security feels untangibly tightened but no real hickups - Besides the fact that you don't have to do the really stupid taking off shoe and belt and pacemaker crap that the US airports makes you do, it's really the fact that people don't look at you with that suspicious look that reflects the deeper ingraved thought that "he's probably a terrorist." Hell, a japanese guy who wrote down on a note "suicide bomb" because he saw it in a newspaper onboard and wanted to look it up later was arrested just a few days ago on a flight out of Chicago. Just how rediculous can this whole thing get?

Anyway - they seem to have this interesting rule that your tripod cannot exceed 55cm contracted, but they were ok with me hauling my huge bag onboard - nothing to complain about there.

My memory of the next few hours was like slideshow. Give ticket to gate agent *click* shove big bag on overhead compartment, amazed that it fits *click* plane in a inclining position taking off *click* THUMP as the wheels touch the ground *click* "-BING- We have arrived at the gate please get your crap and leave."

Shortest. Flight. Ever. I have no recollection what drinks they served, or even if they served drinks.

After arrival Christian went to go get his checked in luggages (apparently having a baby entails that a lot more things must be taken when going on vacations) while I headed to the rental car counter. I was, of course, _looking_ for a rental car counter, but actual rental car was just a little bit different. In the far corner of the arrival lobby, about a dozen people stood, each several meters apart from the next guy, holding a flag or a cardboard sign with the rental car company's logo on it. I think even there they observed the "pecking order" - big companies like toyota rental and nissan rental is standing "upwind" in the stream of customers, while my company was way last (Ekusu (X) rent-a-car). However, since Toyota and Nissan are generally outrageously priced, they are basically standing there to be a nuisance - almost everyone streamed past them to the cheaper guys in the back, because as this is a primarily vacation spot, most people have package deals where the cheaper guys are contracted.

Talk to the guy and he will check for your name on the list of his anticipated customers for that day. Then he asks you to politely wait in the corner behind him until more people gather. I think we were also waiting for the bus to arrive. About 10 minutes later, the bus came and we boarded it full.

The bus followed exit ramp that made a U-turn and headed out of the airport. There was palm trees everywhere. to the right side of our road and 20 meters higher, a monorail track (actually a pair of tracks) ran alongside and above that is a picturesque blue sky garnished with a few puffy white clouds. The bus turned right at an intersection, following the tracks, and passed a decomissioned fighter jet mounted in a climbing posture. Must be some kind of muesum.

Right after the turn various rental car campuses (lots, actually) came into view. Again the same pecking order was in place. We drove past Toyota and Nissan and drove on for a whole 5 minutes before finally arriving at a lot that I would have mistaken for a run down used card dealer. The bus pulled in and we got off.

The rental process was of course same as always - there was one little point worth mentioning though: Christian accidentally signed the form intended for me when he signed the contract, so it ended up that he had my car and I his. Another one of those moments where the fate of a_very_long_time is pivoted upon. I have noticed that on the sheets that I was originally going to get a Vitz and him a Nissan March - I have already driven Vitz before and not the March, so I didn't think too much of it and in fact slightly welcomed the chance to test drive the March.

-- to be continued --