Takes Two, Three and Four

Take Two

Date: Sunday, November 14, 2010

Time: 9:00 a.m.

Place: Kadena AB Passenger Terminal

Luggage: Same as yesterday

Attendance: Again, everyone.

Outcome:  Success!  We got on that plane that was headed for San Antonio.  We were the first name called, actually.  You know, since we missed it the day before by a stinkin' seat.  Today, though, we emerge victorious!  However, knowing that this plane was originally supposed to leave Friday and it is now leaving on Sunday, we remain skeptical.  Will this aircraft actually get us home?

We gather our things and head through security, then to the bus to get out to the aircraft.  This is all, of course, a logistical nightmare when traveling with two infants.  Nightmare.  Nevertheless, we get on the bus, then get on the plane, climbing the ladder from cargo to the main deck while each holding a baby and trying to protect Adam.  Nightmare. 

Crew guy: "Where are y'all headed?"

Alan: "San Antonio"

Crew guy: "Oh, that's where we're all from."

Alan: (refraining from responding, "No shit.") "Well, is this plane gonna get us all the way there?

Crew guy who shouldn't be allowed to speak: "It is now."

Ha.  Once we took our seats, we sat there on the plane for at least an hour while they tried to get the engines started.  Great.  I think that probably isn't a good sign.  Eventually, however, they got them started and we were off.  A little while later, we stopped in Osan, S. Korea, but didn't get off the plane.  I think we were there for two hours, then we were off again, headed toward Yokota AB, Japan.  The plan was to spend the night in Yokota and take off the next morning.  So we made the mad-dash to billeting.   Did I mention that Yokota doesn't allow cabs to run on-base and the shuttle was off for the night, resulting in a WALK to lodging.  About 15 minutes.  Stupid Yokota.  Luckily, they had availability for us and we got a really nice room, actually.  To bed we went.

Take Three

Date: Sunday, November 14, 2010


Time: 9:00 a.m.


Place: Yokota AB Passenger Terminal


Luggage: We consolidated and did away with the rolling backpack.  Adam wasn't pulling his weight.

Attendance: Again, everyone.

Monday morning, we show up for the flight, check our bags, purchase our meals and wait to board.  There's a playroom at the Yokota terminal, so the kids are (relatively) happy.  We wait and wait and wait.  Then we hear what we knew we would hear all along, but were praying we wouldn't - a rumor that the plane is broke and it could be a week.  Crap.  So Alan immediately calls to get us another room for that night and we check the board for other flights heading out.  There are two on Tuesday that we'll try.  We head back to the room - walking again because it would be almost an hour wait for the shuttle. 

We spend most of Monday watching the television channel that shows outbound flights.  We notice that the two we were going to try are changing and they eventually disappear.  Tuesday we don't see anything for the rest of the week going to the States and we don't know anything about the plane we came in on.  So, we decide to bite the bullet and purchase commercial tickets out of Tokyo.  Surprisingly, they weren't as expensive as we anticipated.  Still a lot of money, but it could have been worse.  We're all set to leave Wednesday evening, which would put us in San Antonio on Wednesday evening, due to the time change.

After making that purchase, we decide to walk to the BX to grab some (cheap) lunch.  While we're there, we see a few of the guys on the crew of our plane.  One asks what we decided to do and we told him we bought tickets.  Then, Alan asked the question we almost would rather not have known the answer to: "What was wrong with the plane?"  As it turns out, there was no safety issue with the plane and we could have made the trip to San Antonio just fine.  It was a matter of convenience.  The Auto-Pilot Stabilizer wasn't working, so the pilots would have to manually fly the plane and they just weren't willing to do that.  I know the mission comes first and we're just catching a ride, but really?  The mission must not have been that important if the Auto-Pilot Stabilizer delayed it.  Meanwhile, 40 people were left stranded .  The part was due to come in on Thursday and they were shooting for Thursday night take-off, at the earliest.  We definitely didn't want to wait until Thursday night, so we made the right decision (plus, Mom & Dad were begging us over skype to just get on a plane). 

Final Take

The rest of the trip went exactly as back-up-planned.  We rode the shuttle to Tokyo, flew to LAX, then flew to San Antonio.  The babies did amazingly well, all things considered.  They mostly slept on the plane rides and Anaya only blew out two windows with her screeching.  Everyone was a trouper, but Audie gets the "Best Traveler" award because he was such a little champ.  

It's nice to be back in the States, but let me tell you people: Nothing beats flying an Asian airline.  Even if you aren't flying first class.  They helped us carry bags, they carried a baby if it was needed, they gave special kid and baby meals, they had baby beds on-board that attached to the wall, they brought hot water to make bottles with, they smiled and cooed at the babies any chance they got - they can do service like no other.  And what did we get from United?  A broken stroller that will hinder us for our entire stay.  Thanks, a lot.  You just made my life even more difficult.  Welcome home.  

It was a long trip and I'm glad it's over.  On the plane, when we landed in San Antonio, Adam mentioned something about wanting to sit by the window when we went back to Okinawa.  I told him I didn't want to think about that.  It's just too much.  A line from Mr Potato Head in Toy Story 3 comes to mind: "You have no idea what I've been through tonight."