Just flu in...

12 noon Thurs Tokyo time, AA 167 to Narita, in flight

On the road again.....

Spending Memorial Day weekend in Japan with Jase, who's just started a 6 week artist residency in Tokyo, one of our fave destinations. Next week Hong Kong for business then back to Japan for a trip to Kyoto and then home.

The fun began early in the flight. In addition to the coach passenger with a medical emergency that landed him in first class along with a doctor who was also bumped forward to keep an eye on him (note to self: new upgrade strategy), the crew distributed a health status questionnaire that we are required to fill out. Swine flu screening. I was told that the health authorities will come on board when we land and thermographically scan us for fevers etc before they let us out of the plane. Beam me outta here, Scotty!!

Hope my allergies don't flare up. Could cost me 72 hours in Japanese quarantine!! Ugh.

OK the form, the form. Filled everything out on the front section correctly like the good little test taker I was bred to be, then flipped the sheet over to the Investigation Sheet section (omigod) which contained the following instruction: "If an address in Japan is the same as an address of the state of health question vote entirely. It is not necessary for you to write the follows."

Got that? OK good.

Please god no coughs no sneezes no sniffles until I get thru customs.

Will blog about the health inspection after we land.

14h15

We arrive at the gate and the men (just men) in blue surgical gowns, rubber gloves, surgical masks, and thermographs and boxes of forms came aboard. Trying to stifle a sneeze.

I made a spelling correction to the form. Health is always spelled with an L. They smiled thanked me and moved on. I think I passed but now let's see about the rest of my fellow passengers. Here is where one bad apple can really spoil it for the rest of us......

Looks like I"m not making the 2 45 Narita Express. Damn.

15h10

I'm in. Warm and sunny and cold bottle of iced green tea in hand I head down to the train and the rendezvous with Jase. Can't wait.

Stay tuned.