The L-o-o-o-o-n-g Way Back to Japan:   We went to the Springfield airport on April 2nd for our trip back to Japan.  The plane from Springfield was delayed, so we were not able to make our flight from Chicago to Narita.  I thought, “Well, we’ll just go on the next flight,” but then was dismayed to hear that was the last direct flight that day.  When I asked about indirect flights, the fun began.  First, I was asked, “How about Mexico City?”  Go to Japan through Mexico City?  I don’t think so!  However, I was glad to hear that there was one other flight—through Frankfurt, Germany!  I’m not a whiz in geography, but even I know that Germany is the opposite direction of Japan from Missouri.  We ended up having to reschedule our flight to the next day, and even then we had to go through Korea to get to Fukuoka.  By the way, we left for Japan on the 3rd of April, which was the 39th anniversary of our arrival in Japan!

Ken Board, Japan