Japan Airlines CGK-NRT JL 720

PROLOGUE 

I planned to take a vacation trip during my last semester holiday on December-February, which I desperately need as a plan to escape and refresh my mind from my architectural-design-studio-life back at the uni that took so much money pressure and stress #archstudentlife. It actually starts from when I was searching for ticket fares (not in purpose) to some destination that I would love to visit by a travel apps during my "spare time" (pfft, lets say the time when I was totally confused with my studio-project-thing and desperately looking for an escape).

Then I searched for flight to Tokyo

I don't have any high expectation to go abroad during holiday because it takes so much cost for it (especially the flight fare). Surprisingly, I found a full service airline that cost the same as the low cost one to Tokyo, that is Japan Airlines. I actually heard it from my mom that they were offering a promo price to Tokyo during the winter time, and it turned out real. The promo flight was offered for the morning flight only (7 am), so it was estimated to be arrived at 4 pm Tokyo time. After I asked to my family about this trip plan, they were all agreed to go for a vacation to Tokyo, so then I booked the flight.

THE TRIP

We went to the airport at 3.30 am as we should be checking in at 5 am and my home is about 50 km from the airport hahaha. Fortunately there's no traffic jam yet (yeah who on earth would go to their office or school at this time), so we managed to get into the airport at 5 am sharp. I asked the check-in counter officer what type of fleet that will served my flight, and it turned out to be 767-300, which I never flew before, so I get more excited to this flight.

The boarding room is full of either Indonesian tourist that will have a vacation trip to Japan or Japanese expatriate that lives in Indonesia and wanted to go home for winter.

JAL Boeing 767-300

While waiting for the boarding, I read the headline of one of the Japanese newspaper that there was a snowstorm the day before we went, and it shows that the road in Tokyo is fully covered in snow. Fool me, I was so excited seeing this news because I was looking forward to see snow in there (as a person who lived in tropical area with 2 seasons only and same temperature throughout the year, this excites me) without knowing that it was actually horrible hahahaha

Then the boarding call announced on time

JAPAN AIRLINES
JAKARTA (CGK) - NARITA (NRT) / JL 720
BOEING 767-300
JANUARY 20TH 2016
ETD: 6.45 am
ETA: 4.00 pm Local time
SEAT: 57K

We were greeted by the flight attendants that already took their position inside the cabin. They show us where our seat is located. I was in the back row, so I get on the plane earlier than others. The flight attendants were very helping to the passengers.

View from my seat

Legroom (I'm 168 cm)

Then we were given a bottle of water (for some kind of welcoming drink I guess, or maybe some refreshment) by the FA while they were checking for the cabin and the passenger itself. Not much longer after the last passenger hopping in, the plane was pushed back, then the safety video was showed on the PTV.

It was interesting to hear the announcement that was spoken in 3 languages, including Bahasa Indonesia! Later did I know that they also had Indonesian FA on board for flight to/from Indonesia. 

The plane then was taxiing to runway 25R. Luckily, the plane was hold for not a long time, even though it was the "rush hour" in Soekarno-Hatta that morning. Then the plane took off.

Taxiing to runway 25R

Banking to the North

Morning Sun

As the plane were climbing and heading to the north, the sun was coming through from the east. It wasn't the calming-early-morning-sun-ray actually, as it was already around 7.30 am as the plane climb up the sky.

Then the FA started to do the morning service. They gave us some snack and drink, which I thought was only the "starter" meal for the breakfast service. Then there was nothing after that. So, I thought the snack was the meal for that morning hahaha (still hungry though) (of course -.-) (I'm not eating breakfast before okay, chill out.)

The Morning Snack

It was consist of Senbei (Japanese Rice Cracker Snack, mixed with some dried anchovies), a bread, and choice of drinks (I chose Apple Juice) (Looked like energy drink or beer) (No I don't drink alcohol lol)

There were nothing much after that, I scroll through the PTV and watch some movies. Mostly Japanese movies and drama (Dorama, Japanese Drama), but there were also some western blockbusters movies. What sucks is they didn't have any English subtitles for their Japanese movies (or it was just me that didn't find the subtitle option). Oh, they were also offering wifi on board this 767-300. I forgot how much would it cost, because I didn't use them anyway (it cost my whole monthly pocket money. No, just kidding). 

The cabin that afternoon

Clear Blue Sky

What I realized is, during the whole flight (from the morning service until lunch time), the FA were always went through the cabin, offering us ocha (green tea) refill periodically, and always on the same gesture. That time I realized what people thought on airline forum all of this time was true, that JAL FA looked a little bit like a robot :| Well, it was still nice though. 

Longer I realized, I was already halfway to Tokyo

Above Taiwan

They started the Lunch Service 2 hours prior to arrivals. So I had to wait until that time so I could finally eat. It was consist of 2 choices, but I forgot what the choices were. As I remembered, they offered 2 kinds of meal: Japanese style or Western style. What I chose is a rice meal (Japanese Style) that was consist of Minced Beef and Chicken, also scrambled egg and topped with red pickled ginger and edamame. They came with soba (Japanese buckwheat noodles, eaten with some soba soy sauce), salad, fruits, bread roll, miso shiru (soybean paste soup with tofu and seaweed), 2 pcs of Yakult (Japanese dairy product, similar to Yoghurt. Also widely known in Indonesia), and choices of drinks. Yeah. I know that was so much food in one tray. 

It was delicious (of course, plus I was very hungry at that time, so everything would be fine and good for my belly). No longer after that, they gave us the last shot: Ice cream for dessert. I didn't took a photo of that, as I was too busy craving the solid-as-rock ice cream so I could eat it (I'm not that patient). 

At around 3.30 pm local time, the plane started to decending

As seen on PTV 

Notice that the spoiler is up while decending

It was near dawn when the plane arrived (sun sets at 4.30 pm), so the sun rays brought some beautiful golden color inside the plane.

Banking to the right

The light's play inside the cabin

Slowly the land is visible from above, and showed the view.

Where's the Snow??

I was confused as I saw the land view from above and there wasn't any snow covering the land. Even a bit. Did the newspaper said that there was a snowstorm just happened yesterday? 

Flaps Down

Touch Down!

We were arriving at Terminal 2, the home base of Japan Airlines. As we landed, we knew that we were in their habitat.

Terminal 3 for LCC (Low Cost Carrier)

Wild Japan Airlines appeared

More Japan Airlines

Surrounded by Japan Airlines (finally saw Boeing 787)

After the plane park safely, we disembark from the plane to the terminal building. What I realized is, Narita's Terminal 2 is SOOO long, it was so far from where the plane was to the Immigration counter. The signage is a little bit confusing at first (because there were a transit entrance point that were mistaken by the people as the immigration counter). Along the way, I took some photos of the airline that doesn't exist in Jakarta 

Plane in frame

Finally met American Airlines Boeing 777-200!

After we went through the immigration, took the baggage and through the customs, we bought bus ticket to the hotel on Shinagawa area. It was freezing outside (pardon me, I'm just a little kid coming from tropical country where 20 degrees on daily basis is considered cold). 

That's all my Trip Report for this time! Hope you guys enjoying it :)

Stay tuned for more post about my journey