Day #1 Travel Day: Honolulu to Tokyo

My mother's injured knee was a real challenge. We were worried about the pain she'd be in to walk around. Therefore we called the hospital supply company, Aprias just to see what the possibility was of us purchasing a wheelchair even though they are closed on Sunday.

They opened the store for us and we bought a travel wheelchair. It's about 25 - 30 pounds and pretty sturdy. Still, it was daunting because we had so much luggage, a third filled with gifts. Adding a wheelchair to the mix was not something to take lightly but I couldn't see us taking the risk that my mother would be able to walk.


You can see what we had to deal with here. We were also worried that we would have to care for two 80 and almost 80 women who might find the travel daunting.


We got up this morning at 5:00 and were out the door by 7:00 for the 9:20 Japan Airlines flight to Tokyo. It was an 8 hour 10 minute flight.


My aunt took over caring for mom (her slightly older sister) right away. She has helped her go to the bathroom, pushed her wheelchair and watching over her, and mom is loving having her sister near her all the time. Art and I are really, really grateful to her. I can't believe how well this has worked out. My aunt is truly a godsend.


The sisters loved all the airplane food on Japan Airlines but opted not to watch the movies even though I tried to convince them that it would help kill the time.


Incredible as it may seem, the wheelchair has been a big help. We could use the handle bars to carry heavy bags as my brother suggested. It allowed us to board early with everybody being so wonderfully kind. When we arrived in Tokyo, Mr. Kikuchi insisted on taking us through on all the elevators which we'd never have found ourselves. He also got us a priority pass through the long, long, long passport lines!


He rode with us on the Tram to get our luggage and made sure that we got through everything quickly and comfortably. I could hardly believe it! My mother loved it!


We found these free luggage caddies that REALLY helped us cart our many pieces to purchase yen and tickets for the shuttle bus to our hotel.


We waited outside very briefly. The temperature was about 55 degrees so we weren't suffering very much.


We arrived at the New Sanno after a rather long 2.5 hour shuttle bus ride. I think my aunt was surprised to see guards with machine guns outside the hotel. It is a military hotel.


Our friends, the Koboris came to visit us at our hotel once we checked in. It was just wonderful seeing them again. We will be seeing them on Friday to visit a famous garden.


We ate dinner at the Emporium Restaurant at the New Sanno. We told my aunt that it would be the last western dinner she'd be eating for the rest of the trip.


The Coquille St. Jacques was quite nice. Mom and Auntie dug right into the pretty potatoes and tons of scallops.


The sisters then called their brother in Tokyo and sister in Sendai. Their brother suggested we rest at the hotel because the weather tomorrow is going to be cold and rainy... not the best conditions for mom. They would meet us at 4:00 for dinner and spend the evening together.

It's now 3:55 AM Hawaiian time and 10:55 PM Japan time. My eyes are red and I have no idea what I've written. I hope it makes sense.

Going to take a bath now.

Good night or maybe I should say, "Oyasumi nasai."