Let it begin...

I'm wearing sneakers that I did not intend to bring in the first place. My other pair would have been so much cuter. I had a little bit of a late start this morning. I was perfectly on time (so uncharacteristic of me, right?) but the MTA was not. (So uncharacteristic of them, right?) I was stuck at Canal Street on the A train for a while but still made it to the airport with plenty of time to spare. I scored a seat in the upper deck of the plane ... my perfect little business class oasis. (Just like Graham had mentioned.) Unfortunately, that oasis was two hours delayed which caused trouble in Tokyo. My friend suggested that I start flirting with a pilot so that I could have a place to stay the night. Unfortunately, those handsome pilots were heading straight to Manilla. Ha ha ha.
Here I am, all bathed and wrapped up in my Japanese robe at the Narita Port Hotel. Sleep in a real bed came as a welcomed treat because the next time that I get real sleep will likely be on an overnight train on Saturday night. "No Sleep 'Til BROOKLYN" [Beastie Boys reference] ...or... Bangkok, in this case. An unexpected Japanese slumber. And an unexpected shiver as well. I dressed for 90° Bangkok weather, certainly not 32° Tokyo weather.
Using a bidet was a first-time experience for me today. And once one experiences such a thing, how can one ever go back? So, I get it. Japanese people are clean; I love that! But what's the story with the surgical masks distributed at the airport? I'd be happy to partake but, in addition to protecting oneself, I feel as though it's also a bit of a statement.
This morning, I have to figure out how much sightseeing I can fit in before my evening flight to Bangkok. Let's hope that there will be room on tomorrow's flight for an eager traveler ready to get to his destination. The complication is that there will certainly be others who were displaced from the missed connection who will also be on the standby list for the next flight. Unfortunately, there's only one flight per day.
When are my feet and ankles going to deflate? They look (and feel) like marshmallows. Perhaps when I replace that not-the-right-pair-of-sneakers, I'll have to shop for one size larger.