As most of you know, we moved to Japan in February (on the 19th). What most of you don’t know is the tale of our incredible journey.
The action started a couple of hours before we left for the airport. Brett attempted to check us in online, and it was then that he discovered that he had been misinformed as to the number of check-through baggage which we would be allowed to take on the plane. (Brett thought we would be able to take three 70-lbs. bags each. In fact, we were only allowed to take two 50-lbs. bags each.) After a fruitless call to Delta, we simply showed up at the airport and hoped for mercy.
Brett was rebuffed by the curbside check-in guy when he asked him whether he could borrow his cart to haul our mountain of bags into the airport. Brett was then outraged when he learned that the normal carts at SLC had risen in price (to $5!), so he resolved to carry all of the bags into the airport himself. (As it turns out, Necia's dad ended up hauling most of them! Thanks, Dad!)
At the counter, Chelsea and Melanie (two angels from Delta) took great care of us and took sympathy with Brett’s arguments as to why they should let all of our baggage on the plane for free. Those arguments were as follows: (1) we were moving to a foreign country; (2) we didn’t have the time or means to consolidate our baggage any more; (3) the total weight of all of the bags did not exceed the total weight we would have been allowed; (4) Claire weighs only 15 lbs. (which they liked!); and (5) Brett would be Silver Medallion status after that flight (which would have activated the 3/70 baggage scheme Brett thought we were on). In the end, they let all of our bags on for free, and we were on our way.
The flights were terrific (since we flew business class). The flight attendants on the SLC to LAX flight were great, and they kept refilling Colin’s and Ian’s beverages (which made C&I really happy!). On the LAX to HND (Tokyo International Airport (Haneda)—one of Tokyo’s two airports, and the more convenient one) flight, we got on the airplane, turned left (which was the best, by the way!), and were immediately greeted by the head stewardess who said cheerfully, "Are you the Gilberts? We’ve been waiting for you!"
The SLC to LAX flight departed at 22:15, and the LAX to HND flight departed at 23:45. This was so great. The kids were all dead tired when we were flying, so they slept most of the time. Colin and Ian had fallen asleep before we had even taken off from LAX, and the stewardesses raced over to tuck them in with blankets and pillows. Claire was the best, and she slept during almost the whole domestic flight, and she was only awake for 1 hour on the international flight! (It’s a 12-hour flight from LAX to HND.)
When we stepped out of the airplane in Tokyo (at 5:15 a.m., Tokyo time), there were three people there who offered to help us haul carry-ons to immigration. We had enough room in our stroller, but we let one person help us anyway. Then, at immigration, Brett mentioned to her that we were going to have lots of check-through bags. She said that she would be happy to help us with them. Brett was surprised that she would be able to move so freely among the various airport zones, and he told her so. She said that it wasn't a problem. Then she asked what we were going to do for ground transportation. Brett mentioned that we were going to get a jumbo taxi and also use his Dad's car. She said that if it would help us out, she would stay with us and help us all the way until we got the bags to the cars. Brett told her that it wouldn't be necessary, but we let her help us anyway. So she left us and said that she would meet us on the other side of immigration.
It took us some time to get through immigration, because we had to activate our visas, and the computer of the first immigration agent we were dealing with crashed. It took longer than a half-hour, but after making it through, we were surprised to discover that the nice lady from when we got off the plane had recruited several other airport employees and had retrieved all (except for one—see below) of our bags and loaded them onto (free) airport carts for us! All of the carts were lined up in a row, and each one had a person behind it, ready to push it for us!
When we saw our bags, Brett noticed that one box was missing. It was a Huggies box, and instead of our Huggies box, there was another one which looked almost identical. Brett realized that someone else had inadvertently taken our Huggies box! So Brett told the people, and they sprang into action (they were actually sprinting around the airport!), calling around on their radios and tracking down the box before it left the airport. (Brett wasn't too worried, since it had our address on it, but still, we had been in immigration for a long time, and it had given the taker a good head start.) Within a few short minutes, the people had tracked down our box and returned it to us.
Then, just for good measure, the people said that they would double check all 19 pieces of luggage against the slips of paper that we had received when we checked in at SLC (which, by the way, the Salt Lake agent had trouble stapling together!). Brett had already been satisfied that all of our luggage was there, but since the people insisted and were just trying to be helpful and nice, Brett let them check it anyway. By the time they were finished, one of the women had luggage stickers all over one of her hands!
Once we reached customs, Brett handed the customs official our stack of 6 passports, and he didn't even bother to open them up, but just waved us into the country. (He had been watching our baggage circus from afar and had been thoroughly engrossed by it! In fact, he had left his post and hovered around, seeing if there wasn’t some way he could help!)
When we came out into the public area of the airport, we immediately saw Brett’s dad, which was a welcome sight! Brett’s dad said that when he saw us emerge, we looked like “a virtual Egyptian caravan. . . . I was astounded to see that four airport/airline employees were pushing carts along with Brett and Necia. I cannot imagine the airline/airport employees in America being so helpful that they would drop everything and help a family get their stuff out like that.”
We had too many pieces to fit into a jumbo (van) taxi and Brett’s dad’s car, so we decided to send five big boxes by a delivery service located in the arrival lobby. The employees there were very courteous and cheerful (at that very early hour) and promised that the boxes would be delivered that afternoon. The airport employees stayed with us until this entire process had been completed. (Welcome to Japan!)
After sending 5 boxes, we went outside and found a “jumbo” taxi (or, as we would call it, a “mini”-van.) The taxi drivers were joking among themselves as they loaded up the van (yes, they all collaborated, despite being in their competitive business) that they were conducting a move, not a taxi ride. They were all cheerful and very helpful.
Brett, Colin, Ian, and Evan rode in the taxi with all of the check-through baggage. Necia and Claire rode in Brett’s dad’s car with all of the carry-ons and the stroller.
Brett arrived at our house before Necia, but since he didn’t have a key, he and C/I/E went to the park across the street to play and left all of the baggage from the jumbo taxi in our covered driveway. Everyone had arrived, and we were all inside our house, at around 8:00 a.m.—just in time for more fun to happen.
We were very happy to discover that Brett’s dad had gone to extreme lengths to ensure that we would be all set up in our house for the time until our shipment arrived. He stocked our fridge. He bought cleaning/laundry/shower products. He prepared sheets, blow-up mattresses, towels, and blankets. He brought over Claire’s Pack ‘n’ Play and everything else that Brett had brought on his two previous trips to Tokyo this year. He bought paper plates and bowls and plastic cups and utensils. He lent us some pans and cooking utensils. He also lent us four chairs so we could have somewhere to sit down. He had done all of this without telling us, and we were overwhelmed by his tremendous thoughtfulness! (Again, those Japanese people sure are nice, aren’t they!)
Our two real estate agents and two representatives from the property management company all came over to make sure that we understood how everything worked and to complete a walk-through. As we walked through the house, we noticed that the property management agent had affixed small green stickers to every site on every wall where there was even the tiniest imperfection. She had also created a map of the dots, which the kids found very entertaining. Since a map had been created, the dots on the walls were no longer necessary, so we sent the kids on a treasure hunt (using the map) so that they could remove all of the stickers. The kids found this to be very fun (but they missed quite a few stickers, which are still up there).
While the kids were on their treasure hunt, the property management people explained every device in the house, one by one. We were all astounded to find that one of the management company agents had gathered manuals in English for every device (a very thick book) and had labeled every button and push panel in English, affixing little, tiny labels all over everything. (This is a lot of labels. She labeled the phones, the stove, the microwave/oven, the fridge (which has lots of buttons on it), and the AC/heater remote controls (which are in every room). When we looked later at the remote controls for the AC/heaters, we found that even the portions which appear only if you slide the bottom out had been labeled. Just for good measure, the property management company agent helped Brett navigate the telephone so that we could have our answering machine message all set up. Everyone was so efficient.
At just after 9:00 a.m., the telephone company arrived and proceeded to hook up the phone. The gas company arrived shortly thereafter and checked out the gas. This caused Brett’s dad to wonder how to change the bills into our name. After asking our realtor, the realtor informed us that it had already been taken care of. The property management company had also arranged for our internet to be installed, and they informed us when the company would be coming over to do it. (The company came over a few days ago, right on time. So now we finally we have internet, although we don’t really have a good computer situation yet.)
It was really funny to see six strangers working all around our house, and we were amazed at their efficiency. Necia took a picture, and as soon as our computer is here and Necia can post it, she will.
We were then led through a lengthy explanation of which garbage goes out on which days. For those of you who don’t know, garbage in Japan is no simple matter. There are various categories which all get collected at different days and weeks of the month. Here’s how it works (as far as we understand it): Burnable garbage (which gets burned at huge garbage incinerators) gets picked up twice a week. Non-burnable garbage (which gets dumped in the ocean to make more land) is collected twice a month. Recyclables (yes, there is overlap in all areas, to our consternation) are broken down into five different categories (plastic containers and packages, PET bottles (plastic bottles), glass, and aluminum/steel cans) and are picked up once a week. Paper-type recyclables get picked up once a week (on a different day from the other recyclables). Here is a grainy photo (sorry) of the chart which we are expected to adhere to strictly. If we don’t get it right, then the garbage will simply not be taken away, and we will have to try again the next time the pickup rolls around.
Also, we are supposed to wash all of the garbage before putting it out. This helps the recyclers not to have to clean everything so much. Plus it keeps the garbage smelling nicer in your house, and it deters pests (crows and cats) from getting into the garbage when it is placed on the street for pickup.When we were done with garbage school, the management company presented us with the rest of the house keys. There were six sets in all (for when visitors come). Brett suggested that we should test the copies out, and we were informed that all 6 sets were expensive originals, not copies.
When all of this was over, at about 10:30 a.m., Brett’s dad went home and said that he would be back later so we could all go to Daiei (pronounced “Die, eh?” the Japanese equivalent of Super Target) together to look for drapes for the house. (Our house didn’t have any drapes, and we have lots of windows.) At 12:30, Brett and Brett’s dad measured all of the windows, and we all set out for Daiei. Brett, Colin, and Ian took the bus, and the rest of us went in Brett’s dad’s car. It was a photo-finish race. Who won depends on whether you ask Brett or Necia.
We couldn’t find any drapes that came in sizes large enough for our windows, so Brett suggested that we call our realtor to see if he could recommend someone to make custom drapes for us. The realtor arranged within 5 minutes to have a curtain company visit the house sometime after 4:30 p.m. that day. So we bought some groceries, put them in the car, and after glancing at the Honda dealership across the street (which was closed because it was a Tuesday—stores close on random weekdays, because they are open all weekend), we went back home (in the bus and the car). Again, we had another photo finish, but mainly because Brett’s dad missed the turnoff, and the car had to go “around the block.” Going “around the block” in Tokyo takes a bit of time—in this case, around five minutes.
Then it was nap time, and while Evan and Claire slept, Brett took Colin and Ian across the street (so awesome!) to the park. While the boys were at the park, our remaining boxes (that we had sent at the airport) were delivered. After playing at the park for a few minutes, Brett and I unpacked boxes, etc., until the curtain people came a little after 5 p.m. They took precise measurements of all of our windows, we chose a fabric, and by about 6 p.m., the entire drapery issue had been resolved, including how much it would cost. They told us it would take a week to make the drapes (apparently dreading our response) and were pleasantly surprised when Necia expressed her surprise that it could be done so quickly. At the time off writing this post, the drapes are already hanging throughout our house, and they are beautiful! We are really excited about our drapes. (Again, pictures will come later.)
Then, after the drape people had left, it was time for dinner, and then it was bed time for the weary, jet-lagged travelers. (When you travel to Japan, your body wants to go to bed really early and wake up really early.)
In short, we got virtually all of the bothersome issues related to moving in to our house accomplished in one day. This was a truly remarkable example of Japanese efficiency!
Now, if only we could get our shipment to show up! (It arrived in port a week before we got to Japan, and now, 3 weeks after that, we still haven’t seen it!) The shipping company took our money and refused to pay the steam ship company, who, until a couple of days ago, had been holding our things (which law entitles them to do). Fortunately, the steam ship company broke protocol and contacted us directly to tip us off to what the shipping company was doing to us. But it now appears that everything has been resolved, and our things are finally scheduled to be delivered to us sometime on Wednesday or Thursday of this week. (Brett is most excited for his music equipment, and Necia is most excited to see what this house looks like with the proper furniture in it. Again, we will post some pictures later.) But as a final note, it has been great to have Brett’s dad around, because if we have ever needed something (i.e. fingernail clippers, a colander (Ziploc bags with holes cut in them don’t really work that well!), a vehicle to get to Costco, a mixing bowl, a potato peeler, a knife, a cutting board, etc., etc.), Brett’s dad has been able to come though. Thanks again, Kent!
Above all, we are happy as ever here in Japan. Life is great, and we are so excited for the many adventures which lie ahead!
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