where in the world

Hello from Matsuyama.  It’s been a heckuva trip, but great all things considered.

My United flight from SFO to NRT was cancelled, tried to get out on the ANA code share flight so I could make my connection at Haneda but didn’t make it.  Ended up flying the later UAL flight and got bumped up.  No complaints there. 

Missing my connecting flight meant needing to find a last minute haven in Tokyo, and luckily for me I was able to connect with friends because all of the hotels in and around Haneda were sold out!

An early morning for me today and everything was going smoothly until I set off my friends’ alarm as I was leaving their house.  oops.

In checking in for my flight I discovered my itinerary didn’t fit my actual travel plans and because of the language barrier wasn’t able to change the ticket…until I got to Matsuyama, where I once again went to the ticket counter, this time without showing my international flight ticket (which got the folks in Haneda all confused) and now will be able to leave for Hachijo-jima on schedule.

Despite these bumps, I can’t help but think this is so much better than the time I was on an Aeroflot flight from LA to Moscow that was delayed 6 hours and had me missing my connecting flight to St. Petersburg.  After much wailing and gnashing of teeth it all eventually worked out then, too, but it was much more harrowing.

Then, too, there’s the last border crossings to and from Canada for the Iwami no Kaze/Saihou Kotengu tour…NAFTA my funny bone.  As a gigging musician with a contract I’m not supposed to need a visa to perform in Canada so long as I’m not performing in a bar or restaurant, but they issued me one anyway, with a limit on how long I could stay in the country instead of the standard 6-month tourist visa.  Then, on the way back I got stopped and inspected, although it seems they only made it as far as the 7 shime-daiko in the very back before deciding it was in fact all drums.

I wouldn’t have wanted to repack the van, either. heheh.

Running out of time on the machine at this computer kiosk so I’ll be logging soon.  Oh…and the deal with my aolmail is it seems a lot of machines I’ve been on and around lately have browsers that don’t support aolmail. 

gmail is currently the best way to get through to me.

Meanwhile.  Many many thanks to Grace at Miyamoto Travel, John and Terry Diefenbach and all the rest of y’all who’ve been helping along the way.