Bangkok to Tokyo

Sawadee Thailand!

Konnichiwa Japan!

Today is a traveling day.  I'm flying from Bangkok to Tokyo in an early morning flight.  It was painful waking up at 3:45am, but I'll get an extra half day in Tokyo (if I can stay awake).  After dealing with UAL extra security, going through the modern Bangkok airport was a breeze.

At the other end, at Norita airport, it was very different.  We landed on time (3:10pm).  But after going through the quarantine station (checking for flu viruses), the very long and slow immigration line (similar to the ones in the US, requiring fingerprints and a photograph) and getting my backpack carefully searched by a Japanese custom agent, it was already 4:30pm!  The next train to Shinjuku was at 4:45 which meant that I arrived at my hotel after 6pm.  So much for a half day in Tokyo...

The Sunroute Plaza Hotel in Shinjuku was amazing and I highly recommend it if you can get a room at a discount.  It's a 2 minute walk to the Shinjuku JR station and subway.  It's also close to "Time Square" (left), the skyscrapers, many shopping malls, and close, but not too close, to a very crazy night area (basically a Japanese Disney-like version of a red light district).  I've been told that the area is very safe unless you are an unaccompanied woman (the area did feel safe when I walked it at 9pm).