The first one came and went. My number was not called. I prayed really hard, the next flight was my only way home. Niigata was up on the screen, but no number yet. Suddenly it disappeared. I wondered if it meant that the flight was full and I couldn't get a seat. Then Niigata went up again, I noticed the boarding gate changed.
Just about 10 minutes before departure time, my number came up. I was happy, but a little hesitant. I still had to confirm my seat at the counter. The ANA officer was typing something at the computer. It was taking longer than expected. He had a puzzled look on his face. Was there something wrong with my ticket? My credit card transaction didn't go through? A million questions ran through my head.
I was bracing for the worst. And then, the ANA officer called out someone's name, a Japanese, who had just checked in. Dang, there goes my seat. Stupid guy, why did you have to check in so late and dash my hope at the last minute? I was devastated. But not enough to strangle him.
With a few choices and very little time, I had to decide fast. I could be on the waiting list again for the flights the next day, which was today. The catch was that I had to repeat the whole process and I might not even get a flight again. Moreoever, after checking with the officers, I was told that I couldn't sleep in the airport. I had to find a hotel. After spending so much already, I couldn't afford to spend another night there.
Since there are no buses plying between the Hokkaido and Honshu islands, that was out. I was left with train and ferry. Taking shinkansen would've cost as much as the flight itself. Taking the normal train would've taken almost 19 hours and costing about Y19,000, which was only a few thousand yen less than the previous option.
I decided to take a gamble and go for the ferry instead. And thus began my amazing race. I bought a ticket for Tomakomai, the nearest terminal which could bring me home to Niigata. But after buying the ticket, I was told by the trainmaster that there might not be a next train from the airport since Tomakomai was only served by local trains. I got a refund and asked for an alternative. He showed me how to get to the bus stop.
The bus bound for Tomakomai was just outside the airport, and would be leaving in 10 minutes. But I had to think of a way to get to the ferry terminal from the last stop. I don't even know how long the bus would take, or where the ferry terminal was. But I was already on the bus and could only ask the person sitting behind me.
Unfortunately, he was also a first time visitor to Hokkaido. But he did keep me company while I was anxiously strategising my plans. I had to have a back up plan in case this didn't work. My phone was giving me problems and with my limited Japanese, I couldn't really understand some of the words they speak. It was really a do or die situation.
The last stop was at the Tomakomai train station. I could've gotten a train from the airport using another line, and detour back there, but with the local trains running so infrequently and the day getting late, I couldn't risk it. Upon reaching the station, my new friend kindly asked for a taxi to fetch me to the ferry terminal.
On the way to the terminal, I asked the taxi driver how much it would cost. When I heard Y6,000 I thought I heard wrongly or that he misunderstood my question. The price of a ferry ticket was also Y6,000. He understood my situation and drove quiet fast. And then it dawned on me that he really said Y6,000. It took at least half an hour to reach the terminal.
In my purse there was only enough for the ferry ticket. I asked if I could remit the fare from Niigata when I got home instead. Of course, that was not doable. But I had to try. Then I asked if there was a post office nearby. He said it was not on the way. With no time and little choice, we decided to stop by 7-11 and thank God, the ATM there accepted my post office cash card.
With a little extra money and less worry on my face, we sped off to the terminal. But along the way, he mentioned that there were 2 ferry terminals in Tomakomai, and only one has the Niigata-bound ferry. Both were quite a distance apart. I was thinking, if we end up in the wrong terminal, I would have no choice but to go back to the town and pay him another Y6,000.
Just a few minutes before reaching the terminal, he got a phone call. He was talking to someone who was apparently questioning his choice and if there was really a ferry bound for Niigata that evening. Apparently, my taxi driver had called one of his peers to check out for him after finding out about my predicament. At that moment, I said to myself this was a gamble and there was really no turning back.
We reached the ferry terminal and saw the ship at the dork. The taxi driver was really nice enough to accompany me in and help me get my ticket. Thank God it was bound for Niigata after all! I reached there with only 15 minutes to spare.
Once on board, I was preparing myself for the 18 hours ahead with nothing but the sea around me. Since I paid for the cheapest fare, I wasn't eligible for a bed. But I had my bulky rucksack. That would have to do then.
But as I was about to find my room, I ran into Naomi-san, one of the Japanese students from my uni. Words cannot describe my relief. And she came with a group of friends, some of whom I knew from the volunteer class. I could only say "yokatta, honto ni yokatta". They even invited me to bunk in with them.
So now, I had friends to keep me company and a bed for a good night's sleep. And it turned out that, they also visited the same places in Hokkaido. So we chatted away sharing our experiences while looking at photos.
It was rocky ride, but the sleep helped. Speaking of which, we must've spent the bulk of the time sleeeping. We also played card games and Jenga, yes a challenging one that. And soon we were at the Niigata port. It was a harrowing experience and I still have to go to the ANA office to request for a refund for my unused ticket. But a memorable experience, nonetheless.
Through this trip, I took the airplane and ferry, both of which I never expected to do while in Japan. Some extra pimples popped up and I got a good workout for my heart. I'm still feeling the buoyancy of the ride. I know there is some word to describe what I'm feeling now, it's like being "terayun-ayun", or something to that effect.
I really must get some food and then an early night. This crazy adventure will swear me off any holiday trips
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