Hong Kong

Arrived in Hong Kong this afternoon (midnight CST). But not without problems.

We get to the Narita Airport in Tokyo, Japan. There are 5 of us. The company has us all listed under 1 locator number on Flight 731 with JAL (Japan Airlines), flying from Japan to Hong Kong. The first problem is we notice that as she is checking us in against the list of crew members vs passports, she has a confused look on her face (universal look). She is looking very closely at MY passport. She then starts making a number of phone calls (speaking in Japanese) of course.

Finally she starts to find the living face with the passport picture and calls me up to the counter. She then informs me in broken English, that I am not on the list of crew members on the locator number the company gave us, and therefore I do not have a ticket to Hong Kong.

I ask her if she has any seats left on the flight that I could buy now. "Hy" (prounced Hi, Yes in Japanese) she says, but only in First or business class. I said go for it! I give her my company credit card and she goes about ticketing me on the flight to Hong Kong. I sat in business class.

Now what I have just explained in a couple of minutes, actually took about 1 1/2 hours to transpire!

Next stop.....Hong Kong.... 1 hour wait to go though customs!

Next stop ....and 1 hour drive from Hong Kong airport to Kowloon Regal Hotel.....

Check in at the Regal Hotel.

Again everyone has a reservation except guess who?......

Yes, me again! And they are booked up! No room at the Inn.

Okay, I'll just go over to the Peninsula (Hotel in Kowloon where James Bond stayed at in the 007 movie Man With The Golden Gun). Going to cost someone more $$$$. Either my company or the Regal or our handler in Hong Kong (Jardine Aircraft Services), they take care of our transportation and Hotels. Someone forgot me again, and now I am really pissed!

One of the Hotel managers shows up and says he will make things right and get me a room here. (Rats....not going to the Peninsula).

Got the room and will be here until the 11th. Then back to Anchorage, AK.

More later....