Ninjacat123 and family travel to Tokyo and Kyoto - LIVE land trip June 28 to July 7, 2024!!​🗾​

[ninjacat123]

I found out about Tokyo Free Guide through my Japan travel group on the site that shall not be named.  You can apply for a guide about 6 to 8 weeks before your trip although I was a slacker and didn't apply till 4 weeks out. Fortunately, I received a response from TFG saying a guide was assigned to me and that I should email the guide within 48 hours to confirm.  I sent my confirmation email and that's how I met Aki.  Our email correspondence has been almost daily and I couldn't have asked for a better guide.  Aki has a tour schedule set up for our first day in Tokyo after we store our luggage at a luggage storage facility that Aki checked out for me.

http://www.tokyofreeguide.org/ 

[ninjacat123]

I also applied for Kyoto Free Guide but have not heard back from them.  I told Aki and he said he owns a house in Kyoto, has lived there 20 years and will be in Kyoto when we will be there. I asked him if he would be available to be our guide in Kyoto and he said yes! He has set up a schedule for one of our days that he thinks will be about 20,000 steps.  Good thing I've been hiking with Sky every morning for two months😁

[ninjacat123]

TFG is not exactly free but pretty darn close.  I will pay for Aki's transportation on our tour and if we stop for a snack/lunch, I will buy Aki's as well. I'm bringing some Benne wafers that are from Charleston, SC for Aki as a thank you gift. From what I've been told, food is a welcome gift and the Benne wafers are special to our part of the US.  If I find out Aki's favorite liquor I will get him a bottle of that as well. 

Right now, I feel like I have a friend in Japan and that is awesome!👏

Edited June 27 by ninjacat123

[ninjacat123]

Had an awesome night watching a wonderful show!!

 

 

 

[ninjacat123]

The lead female was a Carnival performer! Great vocals and performance!!

[ninjacat123]

[ninjacat123]

TODAY IS TAKEOFF FOR JAPAN!! Finishing up last minute things.  Packing bags. Going over lists.  Let's goooooo!!!😻

[ninjacat123]

Moment of kitty zen…

[SenatorsFan]

Hope your travels go well today!😻 How exciting.

[Katg412]

Have a good journey!

[Hogladyrider]

Safe travels...see you hopefully enroute keep us posted!

[ninjacat123]

1 hour ago, SenatorsFan said:

Hope your travels go well today!😻 How exciting.

Me too!! 🤞 thx!!

1 hour ago, Katg412 said:

Have a good journey!

Hopefully we will have no hiccups! Thx!!👏

58 minutes ago, Hogladyrider said:

Safe travels...see you hopefully enroute keep us posted!

I will be posting from the airport club lounge with a glass of white wine in my hand😻 Thx!!

[princess76021]

safe travels!

hugs from texas

[ninjacat123]

4 minutes ago, princess76021 said:

safe travels!

hugs from texas

Thx Princess!! Now our flight out of CLT has been pushed out. As long as we get to Japan we are good👍🥳thx for the hugs!!

[ninjacat123]

We are settled at the American Lounge with some wine and snacks. TSA was easy peasy 👍😁

[luvcruzing]

Have a great trip.  Safe travels.

[ninjacat123]

7 minutes ago, luvcruzing said:

Have a great trip.  Safe travels.

Thank you luvcruzing!!🥳👍😁

[ninjacat123]

Gotta love fresh made-to-order guacamole!!

[ninjacat123]

So we tried to fly standby on the 7:25 flight to LA. Only had room for two. Crossing my fingers and toes that the original delayed flight we are on takes off🤞

[ninjacat123]

We are on our flight!! So far so good!!

[ninjacat123]

Cat and Sky are on (later boarding group) so let’s go!!🛫

[ninjacat123]

Cat and Sky are on (later boarding group) so let’s go!!🛫

[ninjacat123]

We made it to LA and onboard our flight to Tokyo!!!

[ninjacat123]

Our flight from LA was delayed due to air conditioning issues. About 50 minutes late we were up in the air👍😁

[ninjacat123]

Landed at Haneda! Bathroom pics for St Greg and Sid🤣