I finally made it back to Japan after a five year hiatus. Between the COVID-19 pandemic and some health issues that I was challenged by four years ago, I have not done much travelling. In contemplating this the other day, I realized that the furthest I have travelled away from Regina in the past five years was Winnipeg, Manitoba. Not that there is anything wrong with travelling to Winnipeg! It's just that I haven't been on any longer trips and certainly no trips outside of Canada.
I started planning this trip late last year as my wife and daughters were planning on a trip to Japan. They went last year to visit my wife's parents and extended family but I abstained from going. 2022 was still problematic with respect to foreign travelers in Japan. Pandemic restrictions were still rather strong at the time and I don't believe that I would have been let into the country. I also didn't want to travel around in a restricted environment. Thus, I decided to stay home and do a "staycation", something that I've done way too much of in recent years.
This time around we decided to book our flights on WestJet's new Calgary to Narita route. This just came into service in May 2023. There was some uncertainty concerning labour strife about a month ago at WestJet and we were not sure if we would even be embarking on this trip. Thankfully, the pilots and the company pulled an agreement out of the fire at the very last minute and our flights were safe.
My wife and kids left a little over a week before I did. I followed yesterday and can say that I was more or less pleased with WestJet. Flying through Calgary from Regina is far superior to going through Vancouver. The connections to Calgary out of Regina are simply much more plentiful, resulting in a very short layover. Also, the Calgary airport is a bit smaller and just a more efficient operation. Hopefully WestJet will keep this route in service for a very long time as it is one that I will definitely fly on again.
The Calgary to Narita leg of my itinerary was a long one - nearly nine-and-a-half hours. For me anyway, this is a test of endurance - especially the last three hours. WestJet's flight attendants and service were great. The only minor complaints that I have about the flight is the food (it could be improved) and the fact that where I was sitting (near the emergency exit) was quite cold. I had to cover up in a blanket for most of the flight. That being said, I can't complain too much.
Arrival in Narita was great. Immigration is very efficient and I had no challenges at customs. Japan has introduced a new electronic immigration and customs website which can be accessed by smartphone. This made things very smooth. Does Canada now have an electronic customs system? It's been so long since I've travelled outside the country that I'm not sure. I'll have to check into that.
As I travelled to my hotel via the airport shuttle bus I started to look around and take in the sites and smells, I was struck by an emotional weight - a feeling of happiness tinged with regret and a slight feeling of loss. Five years have come and gone and I haven't been to this wonderful country. That's half a decade. I've missed it here in Japan. I have been coming to this place for the better part of the last twenty-five years. At most, I might have missed coming here for perhaps a year or two. The pandemic was definitely a factor that we all had to deal with but what made me more sad was contemplating the health challenges that resulted in the cancellation of my planned 2019 trip.
That's all in the past though and I'm really looking forward to a proper vacation here in 2023. It's so good to get away from the routine of home and be in this wonderful place called Japan.
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