Lynn's Trip to Thailand part 13: Aahh! My own bed!

As usual, I will quote the text and then comment on it.

Early in the morning, I hopped the flight to Narita, Japan. Kate and Lane had spent a day in Tokyo and were wishing they could stay and see more (another adventure for another time)! They met me at the gate and we booked into a hotel in Narita - the name of the airport and also a small, pretty community nearby.

In an extremely unusual moment, Lynn Johnston actually explains the relationship between Narita and Tokyo without my having to research it and explain it for her. Don't worry. It won't last.

With some time to spend before the long flight to Toronto, we wandered around a grand old temple with gardens that will be exquisite in the spring and had lunch in a small local restaurant. We were the only foreigners there and folks watched us with interest as we ordered sushi and other goodies and handled the chopsticks well. We sat on the floor - unlike the other patrons who had secured the more comfortable western tables and chairs. When the meal was over, I said to the one man who was most interested in us, "we're from Canada". "Oh! Canada" he exclaimed... "Vancouver? Olympics?" "Yes, Vancouver Olympics!" we said... and everyone at his table laughed and smiled and waved to us. Seems to me that no matter where your interests lie and no matter how closely you follow the winter games, they are a real icebreaker!!

Lynn could be the Naritasan Shinshoji Temple or the Daijionji Temple. The Naritasan Shinshoji Temple seems closer by description, so that would be my guess. At the restaurant, Lynn makes a point of saying (1) We were the only foreigners and (2) We were the only ones who sat on the floor and (3) The other patrons sat at Western tables and chairs. So does this mean:

1. Lynn is better than the Japanese patrons because she is embracing the Eastern style of eating?
2. Lynn sat on the floor because the Japanese patrons took all the decent sitting spaces?
3. Lynn is just sitting on the floor because she is a little whacky?

"Sushi and other goodies". I wonder what those other goodies were. I am not sure where Lynn is on the timeline. We know from her Chinese New Year (February 14) references, this is probably after that date. The Winter Olympics started February 12 and this is her first reference to them, and the two timeline align nicely.

The flight between Japan and Toronto takes about 14 hours going west and blissfully less when coming back the other way. We were grateful to get standby seats and even more grateful for having taken carry-on luggage. To think that we could manage such a long trip with so little and without buying much; for me, this is a new travel era to be sure!

The Air Canada website tells me that the direct flight from Toronto to Narita takes 12 hours and 45 minutes, while the direct flight back takes 11 hours and 50 minutes. This is about 1 hour less and with Lynn’s 14 hour estimate, I have to presume she is including the connection to North Bay from Toronto; however the comment Lynn makes below about the difficulty in getting to North Bay makes me wonder. Lynn has been obsessed with the carry-on luggage and self-limited purchasing constraint of her trip. In spite of this, she still spent an enormous part of her trip visiting places to shop. I imagine Kate and Lane’s idea is that you spend your time doing things and not buying things, whereas Lynn does not seem to be able to break that shopping habit.

Landing in snowy Toronto was a relief and a wonder. Just a few hours before we'd been in Narita eating sushi with chopsticks! Getting into North Bay took some time as the flights were heavily booked but when we finally landed, that windy, white, blowing runway was a pleasure to see. Coming home makes you wonder if you ever were away at all. It seems like such a miracle that we can go so far so fast.

Lynn does not mention Toronto, however there are no direct flights from Tokyo to North Bay, so the flights to North Bay from Toronto are what she is talking about it being difficult to get.

Thinking back, I'm amazed we did and saw and learned so much. From the bustle of Bangkok to the simplicity of the monks praying in the temples, from the rush of busy highways to the serenity of the towering hillsides and white sandy beaches, we experienced so much and there is still so much more to see. I think the one thing that stands out for me about Thailand is the constant reminder of spirituality and faith. There is always a small shrine with flowers on it, always someone expressing their devotion in prayer, in the wearing of ceremonial clothing, and even in the greetings which bring the hands together in such a genteel salute. In a country that finds itself redefining its society in the face of social change, industry, and the influx of strangers... one is always aware of the comforting presence of God.
Thanks for coming on the journey with us! Lynn

"God"? Oh Lynn. This is the first time you have mentioned God in your whole travelogue. Do you really believe that the Buddhist shrines and prayers in Thailand are a form of God worship? Thinking back, I'm amazed you did and saw and learned so little. Why do have this feeling someone mentioned that today is Palm Sunday, so you felt the need to drop in a God reference?