I have arrived safely. Got up this morning at 3:00 to catch the flight and nearly missed it anyway. It is a special flight and they did not make allowances for the usual crowds in the airport at that time. Nearly got lost in security.

When I checked in the woman at the desk offered me a seat by the door. I thought I would have some great leg room. When I got to the plan there was leg room to spare but the guy in the seat next to mine looked like he was 4 feet wide. And the door had a huge bulge on the inside, I guess for the emergency chute. If I had stayed there I'd have had no leg room or shoulder room. Fortunately the cabin attendant saw the difficulty and moved me to another seat.

The meal will forever stand out in my mind as the epitome of how airlines get it wrong. The entre was some kind of rice, meatball, and shrimp thing and was too hot to eat. There was a pasta and vegetable salad that still had ice crystals on it. No one in their right mind would ever expect a gourmet meal from either airlines or hospitals but they could at least try. The food was tasteless and the textures were all wrong.

We rode the shinkansen (bullet train) home and were welcomed with open arms but the Tsuksni clan. I handed over my presents, which were a surprise and apparently perfect, we shared a small meal, and then I headed off for a nap. I'm feeling much better but could use a full night's sleep.

It's nice to be back.