So my timing was slightly off on my trip to Hokkaido. I was able to see the snow festivals, which was great, but I wanted to sample their world famous powder and missed it. Actually, I did get a little snow for my last day of boarding, but the majority fell as a was leaving the mountains and as I was waiting for my plane. In fact, so much fell that my flight was delayed about 8 hours. So, I got to read my book and catch up on some journal writing. Despite the delay, I must say Japan has a much better way of handling delays than America. Instead of piling us on board and waiting hours on the plane, they kept us in the waiting area, and gave us 500 yen ($5) in credit at the local food kiosk to buy something to eat and drink. That was pretty impressive, but what was more impressive is the folks at the kiosk told me about the credit when I tried to buy a drink rather than just taking my cash an not saying anything. And the airline had some folks walking around the waiting area to inform tourists like myself, who probably didn't understand the announcements in Japanese.
I was one of the first people in the waiting area, so it was pretty empty and quiet when I arrived but as more and more flights were cancelled or delayed the place soon became a pretty hectic and crowded scene with the main attraction at the windows in front of me where the ballet of snow plows, plane de-icers and other trucks and ground crew were clamouring between flurries to prepare the aircraft and runway before the next storm hit. The visibility was fluctuating from about 200 meters to several miles and sunny skies, when you had enough time to see the next storm rolling in like a sandstorm. It was quite a show and at times I couldn't even see it because the crowds of travellers at the window, with cameras in hand, often blocked the view completely. Meanwhile, behind me there was a second crowd at the small food kiosk stripping the shelves as they stocked up on food rations with their 500 yen credit. And a third, but smallest crowd was killing time in the duty free shop, where I had spent the last of my yen just before the throngs of stranded tourist filled the waiting area.
My 2 o'clock flight finally got off the ground just before 9, and I made it to Seoul at midnight to find the airport was largely shut down for the night and I couldn't get any cash or a bus until six in the morning, so I slept on a bench for an couple hours and one more on the bus before getting started with my site seeing in Seoul.
I was one of the first people in the waiting area, so it was pretty empty and quiet when I arrived but as more and more flights were cancelled or delayed the place soon became a pretty hectic and crowded scene with the main attraction at the windows in front of me where the ballet of snow plows, plane de-icers and other trucks and ground crew were clamouring between flurries to prepare the aircraft and runway before the next storm hit. The visibility was fluctuating from about 200 meters to several miles and sunny skies, when you had enough time to see the next storm rolling in like a sandstorm. It was quite a show and at times I couldn't even see it because the crowds of travellers at the window, with cameras in hand, often blocked the view completely. Meanwhile, behind me there was a second crowd at the small food kiosk stripping the shelves as they stocked up on food rations with their 500 yen credit. And a third, but smallest crowd was killing time in the duty free shop, where I had spent the last of my yen just before the throngs of stranded tourist filled the waiting area.
My 2 o'clock flight finally got off the ground just before 9, and I made it to Seoul at midnight to find the airport was largely shut down for the night and I couldn't get any cash or a bus until six in the morning, so I slept on a bench for an couple hours and one more on the bus before getting started with my site seeing in Seoul.
For the sign lovers out there, I have also included a sign that was on the back of the toilet in Japan. I don't read Japanese, but I think it says something about not making your wife angry by leaving the toilet seat up.
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