Planes, Trains, and Automobiles: Traveling to Japan
Does crossing the International Date Line propel you into the future?
Part One: Planes
The attendant walks my wife and I to our individual pods. She places our bags in the enormous overhead bins and smiles as she goes to welcome the next passengers. My wife and I share a look of excitement.
For eighteen months, Carla and I have been planning a trip to Japan. We have saved money and airline miles. We’ve spent countless hours researching Japan and exploring Anthony Bourdain’s travels. Here we are.
We’re flying Japan Airlines (JAL) using American Airlines points. We cashed in 100,000 miles each for Sky Suite II seats on the JAL Dreamliner out of Dallas. A tethered remote controls each pod. It allows us to order food, control the TV, and recline the seat into a full bed. Each pod has a 23” tv and a streaming collection that puts Netflix to shame. There’s wifi and an amenity kit complete with slippers.
I take my shoes off and stow them under the pod’s ottoman and put on the slippers. There is an automated divider between Carla and I. We…
