Going to Sapporo

[written on Sunday]

So, I got up pretty early today to go to Haneda Airport. It's my first time really 'travelling' again since I came to Japan. I stayed out late-ish last night - we went to an izakaya after work, hurrah! - but didn't have any problem getting up. But I'm really sleep-deprived at the moment. I just can't be sensible with sleep. I've not had enough the last three nights...

Fortunately I left in quite good time, because I started by missing my Keikyu train connection (I wrote down a train schedule from Hyperdia and it gave me three minutes at Yokohama station to change train lines. This is really ambitious, even if you know where the Keikyu line is (which I didn't) and can go straight there without getting lost (which I couldn't).)

So I just got on the first Keikyu train which came. It had 'Haneda Airport' clearly written on it in big kanji. So I got on. They made announcements saying 'Haneda Kuko-home' (going to Haneda Airport). And the map inside the train showed a map with two possible routes for Keikyu trains. However, my train did NOT go on toward Haneda Airport, but took the next stop towards Shimbashi!

So I had to get off the stupid, lying train and take another one going in the opposite direction. (Honestly. I can understand if the announcements about 'Haneda Kuko-home' was telling me I had to change trains to go there. But the TRAIN ITSELF HAD A BIG FAT 'HANEDA AIRPORT' written on it in kanji!! Don't say it's going there if it isn't! Say it's going to Keikyu Kamata, rather! Geez! I mean, my ability to take unfamiliar trains has improved a lot since my time in Kyoto. But they are wilfully deceiving me!!)

Anyway, I still had plenty of time to check in and whatnot - I'd left early because it snowed again in Yokohama, so I didn't want to risk any public transport delays...

I brought a wad of papers with me containing important information for my travels. Once on the plane, I pulled out the papers to read through. When I was done, I tucked them into the inside seat pocket. 'Don't forget to get them out before you leave,' I reminded myself.

Of course, you can guess the end of this little anecdote.

At JR Sapporo station, I look for the papers with directions to my hotel and - hurrah - it's gone! So too is my hotel confirmation page, my flight details, my return flight details, the tourist information I printed up, and the map I drew to get to my hotel.

Man! I know I get more relaxed about air travel, the more of it I do. But usually I check and double-check and triple-check that I didn't leave anything in the seat pocket. I don't know what happened to my brain.

Anyway, it made me realise that these days, you don't actually need any of that stuff. I remembered how to get to my hotel anyway, and here I am. Using free wireless Internet. I love my new laptop, it's so lightweight I can even take it on trips.

Shin-Chitose Airport was quite full-on, it's like a tourist attraction in its own right. There were hordes of people there! I had to remind myself - duh, the Snow Festival is on, 2 million visitors a year, right? They had live kids shows on, and sooooo many omiyage (souvenir gift) shops. I totally want to do it justice when I go back there.

The train ride from the airport into Sapporo was so nice. It was sunny and clear, and the snow was deep on the ground. There's something so serene about snow-covered houses and forests on a fine day. It reminded me a bit of Finland, or Switzerland. I guess all the leafless, skeleton fir trees standing in the snow, the backdrop of mountains...

When I saw the houses with flat roofs, they all had a flat layer of white on the top of them. I thought 'wow, it's like someone used the Line Tool in Paint Shop Pro and added borders to all the houses'. Then I thought how sad it was that natural scenery would remind me of a computer program... hahah...

I will post about the Snow Festival when I'm back home, since I can't upload any photos here (don't have my camera cable).