CoffeeStudyTalk

I had a seven (7) hour layover and took advantage of the Narita Airport - Travel Pay Lounge in Terminal # 1 next to Gate 26.  You can check out their website for more info on what they offer and it's a very good deal if you have a lot of time to wait between flights. For 1200 Yen ($12 USD) you can stay in the Lounge for the entire day.  The unlimited free coffee, water and soft drinks is well worth the price, but what really makes the Lounge worth it for me was that I can stretch out in a comfy chair and just relax.  Outside in the terminal there are too many people going to and from places so its a very noisy and hectic environment.  You have to always remain mindful of where you are as I had several people bump into me and one lady in particular speak to me in Chinese that I was in her way. I got a lot of reading done and the time passes more quickly that way when you are relaxed and not self-conscious of your environment.  Because I already had a bowl of ramen noodles for lunc

Equipment:   Boeing 767 Route:  MNL --> NRT They used a 767 for this route and while their plane and decor seemed dated, it's well maintained and they have everything you could want from touchscreen entertainment system, USB charge port and excellent food & service; all in Economy too.  The food is probably the best so far that I've had on Economy fare, mostly because they offer Asahi Beer.  Flight was also silky smooth with no turbulence and arrived early giving me an extra 30 minutes in Japan.  I will probably try to travel more often on JAL whenever I can.  It now makes sense why JAL flights are so popular.

I just got back from Manila on my second International Trip of 2017.  It was an awesome and eye-opening experience.  It was my first time venturing outside of the relative comfort of Japan or Korea and the Philippines seemed like a logical choice because everyone speaks English, which did help make things a bit easier to navigate the city and culture. Day 1 - Going to MNL I opted to fly with Delta as they still fly 747's as I like the charm of the older planes.  Most everyone else use 767, 777 or A330's, but there is just something about a 747.  This also maybe the last year Delta flies the 747.   After almost 18 hours, made it to Manila!  Then an intense 2 more hours enduring the famous Manila Traffic arrived at the Hotel.  I was too tired to eat and just had a couple Johnnie Walkers.  To my surprise the price of JW Blue Label is a mere 700 PHP ($14 USD) compared to JW Black @ 350 PHP ($7 USD).  But after doing a few taste tests, it tasted almost the same as JW Black and didn