Business Class To Bangkok

Right now I’m sitting in Business Class on Thai Airways, en route to Bangkok, Thailand. This is my 1st time sitting in the business class section of an airplane, and I gotta say, I love it! (Thanks mom for hooking me up!) The whole process, from waiting for the flight while sipping on fine Japanese beers, to the flight, where the flight attendants are all over you to make sure you are 100% happy, and more importantly, that your glass of wine never finds the bottom (I just finished my 4th glass of wine), is so relaxing and spoiling. It’s a welcomed change from the usual scrambling and struggling in the heat and/or rain to find your destination in an insane city like Tokyo.
After getting back from Nikko, the last part of my time in Japan really flew by. The two items of note were staying with a Kosuke (local guy I met on Couchsuring.com) and of course climbing Mt Fuji (see post). Staying with Kosuke allowed me to get a better glimpse into the everyday life of the Japanese. He was an extremely nice and hospitable guy, and we enjoyed many beers together. After our first dinner of sushi (raw tuna fish – I actually liked it, which is good b/c I’m not normally a fan of sushi at all), he was kind enough to take me to Jonathan’s Restaurant, which is a Japanese chain restaurant, offering many options for the North American palette. In true North American fashion, I decided to gorge myself with a nice fatty dish of hamburger, chicken, sausage, potatoes, veggies and rice. Good way to build up the calories after climbing Mt Fuji. Kosuke also took me to a traditional Japanese bathhouse. That was really cool as well. You start off by finding a mini-shower and tap to crouch down beside, and cleanse yourself (brushing your teeth, soap, shampoo), and finish off by getting into a ridiculously hot bath with jets. I’m a guy who likes his hot tubs hotter than most, but this was the hottest I’ve ever experienced. My skin was beet-red after getting out. There were bubbles everywhere, and I’m pretty sure it was due to the fact that the water was actually boiling. The water also had a purple hue to it, which Kosuke told me is owing to the fact that the water contains numerous medicinal chemicals in it which are supposed to be really good for the skin. All around a great traditional Japanese experience, and my muscles and joints were much happier for it, especially after the grueling Fuji climb.
Overall, I had a great time in Japan, and even though I saw only a small portion of the country, I liked what I saw, and the people are some of the most friendly and helpful people I’ve ever met.