It has been almost a year since pakdokter last went to Tokyo. And it has been almost that long too that pakdokter last saw pakdokter's son, Rastam. And what better time to go back to Tokyo now since we would be able to celebrate Rastam's 28th birthday which would fall on Thursday, the 23rd of September.
The MH flight to Tokyo left KLIA at 11 am. It was not a full flight and pakdokter must commend that the MH service on board lived up to its 'Malaysian Hospitality' tag-line. The smoked salmon salad starter was refreshing, the beef steak was tender, and the cold soba delicately delicious. Pakdokter must be hungry as pakdokter cleaned up the whole lunch tray including the cream caramel dessert ( pakdokter does not normally have a sweet tooth).
We touched down at Narita on time at 7 pm. It was always a pleasant 'experience' to arrive into Japan. It is quite a contradiction actually - it is such a densely populated country - very much like China, India or closer to home, Indonesia - yet it does confront you with the chaos, noise and confusion one encounters every time one enters those countries! ( well, at least from pakdokter's own experience). The airport is 'clinically' clean - the lack of 'noise' almost like in a state of 'zen' calm - and things go about with clinical precision and efficiency.
Staff at the immigration queues and counters were polite and helpful to make the waiting time as short as possible and most of them speak 'good enough' English these days. While observing this display of Japanese efficiency - pakdokter's mind was wandering what 'chaos' it would be like to fly into New Delhi now which is hosting the Commonwealth Games in a few days time.
It took less than 30 minutes from the aircraft to the Terminal 3 where we disembarked, then rode the monorail to the arrival hall, clear the immigration and picked up the luggage!
Upon exiting the arrival hall, you are immediately in front of the ticket counter of the Limousine Bus Company that offers to take you to various main destinations of downtown Tokyo. Pakdokter bought a ticket to Shinjuku which cost 3000 yen ( RM 110) and was told that pakdokter's bus will leave at 740 pm from Bus-Stop No. 16 which was just outside and to the left of the ticket counter. At the bus-stand, the attendant/porter confirmed from the ticket that you were at the right place, tagged your luggage just like at the airline reception and give you your half of the bag tag for you to claim your bag at your arrival point. You wait in queue for the bus which arrived on the dot - no need to worry about your luggage as the porter would ensure that it was loaded up into the bus. Upon arrival at Shinjuku, another set of porters would load out the luggage and you claim your bags using the tags given to you at the airport. No hassle, no worry........
And one more observation please........after having loaded up all the bags, the porter came up to the front of the aisle of the bus, thanked us for using their service and wished us a safe trip and gave us the traditional Japanese bow. And after getting down from the bus he then again gave a similar bow to his fellow bus-driver.
In the bus, the driver again thanked and welcomed us. And it is the practice here in Japan that nobody uses the handphone in the bus or the train. Silence is golden and much appreciated here.
During the one hour 'zenful' bus journey from Narita to Shinjuku, pakdokter could not help but compare the experience with the trip on the Skybus from KLSentral to the LCCT. First and foremost one had to struggle with one's luggage going down the narrow stairs to the level where the buses are ( the lift is quite often down and out!) Next one has to take in the 'din' created by the shouting and screaming of the 'touts' from the different competing bus companies. The pollution from the exhausts of the poorly maintained buses would actually demand the use of oxygen face-masks! And in the bus....... the 'Romeo' Melayu guy sitting in front would be saying goodbyes umpteen times to his girlfriend or mistress on the handphone, the fat Chinaman behind was cursing foul words over a business deal gone sour and the Indiaman to the left was bragging about what he was going to do in Chennai when he got there.....
Hei Tony! ( Fernandes ) - why don't you ask your buddy from Skybus to send one of his boys to come and look at how they do it here in Japan and follow it.
Malaysia Boleh what.......
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