Trying to go to Japan... Again

Back in the summer of 2020, we had tickets to go to Japan.  We would take Will back to where he was born and show him around.  Alex had never been anywhere in Asia, so we were also going to take him for the first time.  The Olympics were happening during part of our scheduled trip, so we were going to experience them a bit as well.  But alas, that trip never happened.  

Now, after three years of the pandemic, in the summer of 2023, we are going to actually do it!  This morning we started our journey optimistically by parking near the metro to catch the Silver Line to Dulles.  Because the metro finally goes to Dulles!  

Optimistic Kroboths 

Now, Alex may look a little tired.  This is because two nights before our trip, we had the kids stay awake until 11pm.  Will normally goes to bed like clockwork at 9pm.  Then, the night before, Saturday night, we told the kids that they could stay up as late as they wanted.  This would help them adjust a bit to the time change of +13 hours and it could help them feel like sleeping on the plane.  Alex may have gone to bed around 3am.  

We got to the airport, walked a few thousand steps to get to the airport lounge, and had some food.  When it was time, we went to our gate and boarded.  For the 13-hour flight, we managed to do an upgrade to Polaris.   Here are the boys getting settled in their window seats.  Dan and I were in the middle row next to each other, but we gave the boys the windows so that they could look out as we flew near the north pole and over Alaska.  Alex pushed every button to make sure he knew what they all did and Will got set up with his inflight movies after reading the safety card and finding his life jacket.  

Beginning of the Exciting Journey

We had just pulled away from the gate when the pilot comes on with an unusual announcement.  We had to go back to the gate.  Apparently, they had loaded someone's luggage, but that person hadn't quite made it on the plane.  So we went back and the guy got on.  Lucky guy, right?  We left the gate again, and had more announcements.  Next, we were told that someone had to do a weight calculation for us.  Then we were in line, but there was weather over Wisconsin, so we had to wait for a flight route calculation.  And finally, we took off!  

About an hour and a half later, the pilot comes on with yet another announcement.  Still in his somewhat pessimistic, slightly incredulous voice.  The sensor for one of the waste tanks was not working and claimed that the tank was already full.  This means that the toilets connected to that tank automatically stop working.  This means that the remaining toilets likely won't have enough capacity for the hundreds of passengers on the 13-hour flight.  Conclusion:  We are going back to Dulles.

We made it as far as Canada

It took a while to coordinate the return.  We were too heavy to land at Dulles, so we had to drop some fuel.  Then we had to coordinate a flight path in.  About 4 hours after departure, we finally returned to the ground and ended up back where we started, rebooking at the lounge customer service place.

No Japan today, but we will try again tomorrow.  Flying thru Chicago in the morning and then on to Tokyo.

But hey, in the meantime, we have decent sushi here in DC.  Here is our evening snack after returning back to our house: