12/20/07 The Day We Leave for Bangkok!

Our Christmas tree will be waiting when we return, but we're off to Bangkok today . . .


Beautiful misty Japanese mountains.


It's early & still dark when we park our car at the Shin-Iwakuni Station. Somehow we left the house later than we planned and we're really having to rush! Fortunately, there wasn't much traffic. Yikes! Does that clock in the parking lot say nearly 10 'til 7? Our train leaves at 7:03 . . .

We made it! We're on the platform with only a few minutes to spare . . . We've never taken the Shinkansen this direction before. We've always gone north-east toward Osaka & Tokyo. Today we're going south-west to Fukuoka (Hakata Station). We'll be leaving Honshu Island for Kyushu Island. In the past, we've always driven down that way before & crossed over the beautiful bridge to the next island down.


That's our train -- the Kodama leaving at 7:03.


Here it comes & exactly on time . . . (of course)

Big face with glowing eyes . . .


This is our car -- we're practically alone.


Now, after rushing around, we can rest for a few hours!

Looks like the sun is trying to come up.


We've ridden the local here before, but it doesn't take very long on the Shin!


Views from the train.

I know what that says -- "Shin Yamaguchi" station is the next one.


Yep, there's the sign on the platform, but we keep going . . .

Since we're heading for a tropical climate today, I just couldn't make myself wear socks, but it's a little chilly . . .


Oh, is that frost?


Structure on top of a hill.

In a station, the front end of a "bullet train."



I thought we'd be going over the beautiful long bridge from Honshu to Kyushu Island. Instead, we went into a loooooong tunnel. This is a picture of moisture on the windows while we're in the tunnel crossing under the sea.

What a surprise when came out of the tunnel, and I realized we were already on Kyushu and it's daytime. Views from the train . . .

And here we are at Fukuoka City. We're actually getting off at Hakata Station.

The (grownup) girl in front of us shows us her cute mittens.

We're off the train & it's just a few steps from the shin station to the subway entrance. It will take us us to the Fukuoka Airport. Stan & the Colonel at the subway entrance.

Waiting at the subway platform.


Gates -- it must get crowded here . . .


Instructions . . .

Stan in the airport shuttle. I was lucky enough to find a seat.


We're riding from the Hakata Station (where we came in on the Shinkansen) to the Fukuoka Airport.

Inside Fukuoka Airport




Look at this cool statue!

The line going toward Security . . . very long, but we got here early & have plenty of time.


This point is 100 meters from the end . . .

Most Japanese bathrooms have a "plan" on the outside. This is helpful to find which side the western toilets are on.


Christmas decoration above the arrival/departure sign. We're still in line . . .


Closer view . . . (oops, in Japanese)

Oh, that's easier to read. Ours is the 11:45 flight to Bangkok. Flights going to lots of exotic places today . . .




Is that the beginning of the line going into Security?

Map in the airport showing time zones.


I love this sign . . . "(But we start at 08:00 am.)"


Long walk to our gate. Fukuoka is a large airport. This is our first time here.

That's our plane.


We're on a level above the flight deck, but there's a walkway going down. Hope it's not stairs . . .


Oh, our plane has a name!

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