Jen's Travel Journey to Japan: 2013 Trip - Day 9 - Tuesday

Tuesday, August 27th

I woke up at 4:30 (of course) and got all packed up and ready to head back to Tokyo today. At 7:00 we all went down to eat our last breakfast together. After breakfast my in laws were going to take a walk over to see Kyoto Tower because their flight didn't depart until 4:00 so their motor coach pick up was at 1:30. They had had plenty of time to do some exploring after eating breakfast and packing up. I had a little bit of time so I decided go over to the station and look around at the shops some more (although I could not find the shop that Noreen and I found on the first afternoon in Kyoto - I searched and searched and I just couldn't find it) so I just wandered around the station until the Aeon Mall opened at 10:00 and I ran back to Daiso to pick up some more chopsticks and fans for gifts. Of course, I bought some more things and had to buy a bag to put all of this new stuff into because my luggage was NOT going to fit even one more thing.

My train was departing at 11:06 so, at 10:45 I headed down to the lobby and met up with my mother in law. She walked with me to the station and I still had plenty of time...although I did need to find an elevator (easy) and figure out which floor the Shinkansen track was on and what button was “up” because it was all in Japanese of course! After I figured out where I was going (trial and error on the elevator) I made it to my track and I boarded my train. I had a reserved seat -- front row, which is like the bulk head on a plane so I had extra room for my luggage in front of me. The train ride was fast (pun intended) I used my wi-fi to go device and texted with my best friend Lilly at home and before I knew it we were arriving in Tokyo Station.

Here are some photos I took out the window from my seat on the train.

The hardest part of this entire trip was humping my "way too heavy" luggage! Once inside Tokyo Station I easily found the Keio Line and before I knew it I was on a train headed or Tokyo Disney! The stop was obvious as you pass the beautiful Disneyland hotel before arriving at Mahaima Station. Now here comes the worst part of this day...the luggage humping....I get off the train and go down an escalator to the 1st level and I ask someone who works there how to get to the Hilton Tokyo Bay? The gentleman I asked says you can go way over there up to the monorail (which looked far but turned out not to be) or take a free shuttle bus at stop #2 which looked to be the closer option. I wait for a bus.....one comes and the driver says it’s not going to the Hilton and that I'm at wrong stop and that I should go 7 stops down....7 ….with all of my heavy luggage. So, I drag my luggage and go 7 bus stops down. I'm waiting, and waiting - a bus finally comes that says "Hilton" on it. I find out after humping my luggage up on the bus steps that it's for Cast Members only :/ and the driver says to go back 3 bus stops.....here I go again, humping my heavy luggage ....oh, and did I forget to mention that it's 2:30 n the afternoon and about 105 degrees? Out of the corner of my eye I see a Hilton shuttle ....at the ORIGINAL stop that I was standing at an hour ago....so I run all the way back – dragging my heavy luggage! All this took over an hour ....the monorail would have been abou10 minutes :/

Here's a photo I took of the monorail ...I'm standing at the original bus stop LOL.

I (finally) arrive at Hilton and try to ask if I can check in without Thomas (because the reservation is in his name and his Hilton Honors) and they say I am able to. The very nice (looking) man at the front desk upgrades us to the top level, called the Celebrio Room with free wi-fi and a free mini bar (that was re-stocked daily) and a view that was amazing! Since it took me so long to get to the Hilton I knew that Thomas shouldn't be too far behind me. I unpacked and then I text him and he says he's close by. So, I head down to the lobby. About 10 minutes later he texts and asks me if I'm in the lobby?? I say no because I am already outside waiting for the shuttle.....which is just now pulling up. He says he's in the lobby?? I have no idea how I could have missed him but, ok I go back into the lobby .....no Thomas. He says he's at the front desk.....I say I'm at the front desk….. a minute or two passes and then tells me he's AT THE WRONG HOTEL! Turns out he got off one stop too soon and just had to walk across the street. Once he arrived I couldn't wait to show him our awesome view of Tokyo Bay! He was there all of ten minutes when he looked at me and said "we HAVE to come back here! It's amazing!" I found this to be quite interesting because he's never had that reaction anyplace we've traveled before Japan.

Here's our gorgeous hotel. We'd love to stay there again someday

After Thomas was all unpacked and got settled it was time for dinner. We made our way over to Bayside Station (literally across the street from the hotel) and purchased our 4 day unlimited monorail pass --- that was the longest amount of days we could buy so we ended up buying a 4 day and then another 3 day....and maybe one more ;) we took the monorail over to Ikspiari which is like downtown Disney on steroids. When we get off the monorail and enter Iskpiari we notice there is a TGI Friday’s restaurant directly in front of us. We are both starving at this point and since there is no line waiting to be seated we go in and eat dinner. Our waiter, Jimmy was HYSTERICAL! So funny. Dinner was good (actually better than any TGI Friday’s I’ve had in the states). After we finished eating dinner we wanted to check out Ikspiari a little bit and ended up in this area that had a stage and there was a magician entertaining the crowd. We noticed the Disney Vacation club sales center and went inside. The cast members were great – greeted us with a “Welcome Home” and gave us a tour of the Aulani models - which were gorgeous. After that we went into the Disney Store and then we headed back to the hotel. It was a long traveling day for me and an even longer one for Thomas.

I've got my monorail pass and I'm ready to go!