RIMB Japan Trip: Days 0-1

Although the trip was advertised as starting on the 9^th, our flight actually departed Changi Airport at 1am on the 10^th of June. Nevertheless, we assembled in school at 6pm to move instruments, although I left the house at 6.15…


Our dear Raffles Institution/Raffles Junior College

When I got there, most of the moving had already been done, and I quickly made sure my stuff was in order, then joined in the waiting for the lorry. The lorry came, was loaded, and went, and we then waited an hour for the buses to the airport.

The band room


Same


Clocktower by night


The three J2s


Bertrand


The lorry


Bertrand and Samuel during our camera flash war


Me during same


Camwhore!

We arrived at the new Terminal 3 at about 9, and found that Mr Oura had checked in already. I was assigned 52K, a right side window seat. After checking in and taking photos, we had some time before we had to enter the airside zone. Paul, Shuotian, Bertrand and I took the opportunity to have some dinner at Swensens, and to cut a long story short, this left me with SG$80 more and Y10000 less than I would have liked. A quick visit to the viewing mall produced only my reflection and a glimpse of 9V-SKA, so I gave up.

The icon of Changi Airport


Our instruments


The three of us friends in Terminal 3


I have no idea what this is, I think it's a ventilation unit.


With our teacher, Mr Takehiro Oura


Paul just after meeting his family at the airport


The Topless 5 from Swensens, 5 scoops for $8.20


Bertrand and Paul happily enjoying their ice-cream


Our flight

At about 11, we cleared customs, then proceeded to gate A19, which is at the south end of the terminal. We made quite good use of the intra-T3 Skytrain, arriving there before the gate had even opened. We passed the time with a game of Munchkin Fu, as well as some spotting, although everything there was a 777-200

T3 Airside


A concourse


Paul and Mr Oura


Feels like the USA


A game of Munchkin Fu


Gate A19

Boarding was called at 12:40. We boarded and swapped seats around so as to sit with our friends. Sadly Bertrand did not get his window seat, but it was night, so there wasn’t much to see. We pushed back a little late, then taxied over the south cross, then up taxiway EP for a runway 20C departure.

Our aircraft, a Boeing 777-212ER, 9V-SRL

The cabin interior (economy class obviously)

The view from my mirror seat

Another cabin view

After pushback and engine start - gotta love those Trent 892s

The takeoff represented the end of 3 years of waiting, and a culmination of our efforts to make a trip happen. We passed over the chalet where we had our RJC band chalet a while back, then over the Meaning of Life, before climbing up to FL380.

As it was an early morning flight, no dinner was served. There was a snack service consisting of either a mango and shrimp sandwich or a chicken roll. I had the sandwich, which I enjoyed a lot. After attempting (and failing) to find anything nice on Krisworld, I then caught some shut-eye somewhere near Sarawak. I think this is the first flight I didn’t even bother unwrapping the headphones, even on a SIN-KUL flight I took I watched a bit of Pirates.

Dimmed cabin lights

The obligatory aircraft toilet shot for A.NET

Dinner

Unboxed dinner

Light on the horizon

I woke up to a beautiful dawn over Manila. Most of the cabin was asleep, however, so I just relaxed and read Sherman’s Lagoon to pass the time. About 1 and a half hours later, breakfast was served. They had run out of the western selection, which was a classic omelette/hashbrown/sausage thing, so I was left with the saba (mackerel) and rice. I liked the saba, and the bread and muffins, but that was about it. The vegetables left a lot to be desired.

Daylight cabin

And then the ocean glows

Shuotian

Later on during the flight

Rather substandard for SIA

Our flight

3 J2s aboard our 777

Unfortunately contrary to my predictions, we landed on runway 6R, not 24L, which means that all I saw during the landing were the sea and the big letters KANSAI. We touched down on the massive aircraft carrier at about 7:30am local time, before taxiing off the runway. There was quite a bit of good stuff to spot even at this early hour, especially since we taxied around the entire terminal to get to the last gate on the opposite side, gate 41.

Spoilers up


Flaps 20, gear down, autobrake 3, continuous ignition on, landing lights on... what are we waiting for?


Runway vacated


RJBB's taxiways


Overview of the longest terminal in the world


ANA's 737-781ER Gold Jet


ANA 767-381ER


Viva Italia


Vive La France


Air China 737


Japan Airlines 767-346ER JA601J

After deplaning, we took the shuttle train to the arrivals counters. Although there was a short queue, we passed through quickly as more counters were being opened. We collected bags and instruments, then passed through customs.

Stylish air vents


China Eastern A319-112


RJBB_TWR


Our bird, Singapore Airlines Boeing 777-212ER 9V-SRL


And again

We assembled outside arrivals, performed some checks, then boarded 2 buses to take us around. Our guide, Akiko-san, greeted us warmly. Curiously, we never saw her for the rest of the trip, until the flight home. We passed over the bridge connecting the aircraft carrier to the mainland, and entered Osaka.

Baggage claim

The arrival hall


Big screen TV


Mr Jee and his SLR


We have truly entered the land of the rising sun


Osaka-shi


An array of unconscious people including Paul...


Samuel...


Bertrand (semi-conscious)


and Shuotian

I fell asleep around this point, and woke up as we were nearing the town of Nara, famed for its Deer Park, as well as Todaijin temple, with the largest bronze Buddha in the world. I found the place to be a very interesting one, with its intricate sculptures and cute deer. Unfortunately we did not have much time, but I found the experience to be an interesting one.

Parallel parking of buses


Nara Deer Park


Doe, a deer...


A large wooden gate to Todaijin


Closeup


3 of us at the gate


There are two huge wooden statues in the gatehouse


Another gatehouse


The actual temple itself


Same


Again


Paul and Shuotian


The architecture of classical Japan is amazing. The temple was apparently burned down twice and rebuilt, this one's more than 300-400 years old


Various RI kids playing with incense


Paul and Shuotian


This is the biggest bronze Buddha in the world


One of his disciples


Paul, Shuotian and a monk


A model of the first version of the temple. By this point Shuotian was commenting on the similarities to Jade Empire


This hole is apparently the same size as Buddha's nostril (or at least the statue). If you can crawl through it you get good luck and health. Most people tried, I posed but didn't, seeing as how it took 4 people to push and pull Shuotian through


Myself next to the hole


Paul went through


Apparently this monk never finished his training, he was too lazy, so he's made to sit outside


The lawn outside the temple


Paul and the lawn


The lake


Oh deer

My camera died at this point, so hopefully I get Paul's photos

We headed for lunch, which was a quick buffet in Nara. I love Japanese food, even if it’s not the completely traditional variety. We then headed back to Osaka to find the Osaka Toin Senior High School for an exchange.

The city area of Nara

This was a good place for lunch, buffet-style with rice, soba (which was to become common during our trip), meats, omelette, saba, ice kachang etc

The band is very large, with 175 members , 5 of whom were baritone saxophonists. Japanese bands do live up to their reputations of being good, they certainly did not disappoint, even when sight-reading The Merry Widow. One of the baritone saxophonists was, as he himself put it, crazy. We were also conducted by the principal clarinetist of the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra.

This is one out of two of the main rehearsal rooms of the symphony hall

Old Glory, as it were

Nice welcome

My best friend and I

2 horny guys

You can clearly see the effort put in by the band to welcome us. Apparently my fellow "crazy Japanese comedian" baritone saxophonist was responsible for this

3 Japanese band girls

The sign for the band building

After the exchange, we had dinner, meeting an ex-RJC Japanese teacher on the way to the university where we had dinner. We did a nice, loud, Singapore-style Yam Seng for the Japanese band, then proceeded for dinner. I served as an amateur translator for some people, and even managed to crack a few jokes (about Samuel) in Japanese. Bertrand went one step further and started flirting with one of the girls.

We presented the saxophones with an RI polo T-shirt as a parting gift. On it, we wrote the Chinese words for Singapore and Japan on it, with a large heart. We then headed for our hotel in Osaka, the New Hankyu Hotel.

Paul and I with the principal clarinetist of Osaka Philharmonic

Night view of Osaka

Our bus

Osaka by night

My impression of Japanese students has not changed. For some reason they seem to regard anyone who can speak the most basic of Japanese as wonderful people, and I was a little embarrassed. They are also friendly and courteous, and I think Singaporeans do have a lot to learn. So far, I am enjoying the time I’ve spent with RIMB, especially the 3 of us from my batch. I think tomorrow, in Universal Studios Japan, will prove to be a fun-filled day as well.

Another thing, our hotel is opposite an 8-story high electronics superstore. I hope we get the chance to go there, Mr Oura did mention the place to me a while back.