"My Inspiration of Japan"

By Juliet Lac
July 17, 2010

I started working for All Nippon Airways in February 2009 and a year and five months later, I was one of the chosen to head for Japan for a training program with five other of my colleagues. ANA has a training facility in Tokyoto Otaku Shimomaruko which was opened in year 2000. This would be my first business trip ever!

Two weeks before the trip, I was given a handy guide- a welcome to Tokyo map with subways and train routes. I was told that Tokyo public transportation is somewhat complicated due to different ownership of each line. I was also given a three-page instructions of how to get to our company’s training center (ANA TEC) from Narita and Haneda Airports.  Listed were five ground transportation options; one is to take Narita Express Train; another is the Limousine Bus; and the last but perhaps the most expensive is to take the Taxi.  I studied carefully each of my options then decided that I would take the Limousine Bus because I like sightseeing. A Limousine Bus is a daily airport bus transfer service to the city; its name gave me an impression that it's an actual Limo--you know the long car with a bar inside.   

On Monday morning, July 12^th, my first Supershuttle picked me up at my place to LAX airport. It dropped me off just right in front of ANA at Tom Bradley International Terminal. I arrived almost 4 hours before departure time and I waited until I was the last one to check-in as staff travel on duty. I was confirmed a seat in Economy-class but the flight to Tokyo that day was fully booked, so I got upgraded to Business-class. Wow, I was so excited! It’s my first time flying with ANA and my first time flying in Business.  I jumped up and down like a child running toward the boarding gate and started to stay in the long line for security check.

One of my colleagues was calling after me, “Don’t worry, we won’t be late.”

I turned around and said, “But the line is so long!”

She replied, “You’ll see soon.”

I was still busy talking to my colleague when a security came around to the end of the line and asked if anyone is holding a Business or First class boarding pass.  I quickly showed him my boarding pass and he opened up another line for us to pass.  

I turned around to my colleague and exclaimed, “Wow! I guess you were right.”

We finally all boarded and my seat was 5K, a window seat in the second row of the 2-row business-class section. There, I could only see the back of First-class seats, nothing else.  The toilets were no where near my seat—which was very quiet and relaxing!

After taking off, the flight attendants passed out a welcome non-alcoholic cocktail drink, and then a warm-and-wet towel while I was busy like a bee looking around, grabbing my menu and studying it word by word for a good 10 minutes. The welcome drink is ANA’s original Aromatic KABOSU  made with firmly squeezed fresh kabosu grown in the radiant sunshine of Oita Prefecture, Kyushu.  Its perfect blend of mild tartness and honey-added sweetness offers refreshing relaxation for body and mind. The drink was good, I like it!

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