The long-haul flights are finished and they were wonderfully uneventful. The Manila airport was very busy and everything at the airport moves in slow motion. There were three different security checks. Everything had to go through x-ray upon going into the building. Then after passport control there was a second security checkpoint where everything went through the x-ray machine once again. Then at the gate, there was a third check, this one no more thorough than the previous check. Three times to unload all the pockets, take off the shoes, and get patted down because the suspenders beeped. I got the the airport about two hours before the flight and waited in line to get the luggage x-rayed, waited in line to check in, waited in line to go through passport control (a very long wait), waited in line to go through security, and waited in line to go through the final security. By that time the flight was boarding so I walked on and got into my seat about fifteen minutes before they closed the front door. The flight left on time but arrived in Tokyo about twenty minutes late.

I had two things I wanted to do in Tokyo. First was to pick up some Japanese candies (successfully done), and to buy a little pocket digital camera (also successfully done). From there I took a quick look in the Northwest Business Class lounge because Ty is flying back from Singapore through Tokyo today as well. I didn’t see him, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t there. The flight left on time and arrived in Portland about a half-hour early. I was the fourth person off the plane and breezed through immigration. My suitcase arrived and I proceeded straight through customs and rechecked the suitcase. Now I’m at the gate waiting for my flight to Salt Lake City. I’m back on this side of the ocean but it’ll take longer to get from Portland to Pocatello than it takes to get from Tokyo to Portland!