Adventure Time!

It is time to travel!  Today we have a leisurely flight out of Naha at around lunchtime.  If all goes according to schedule, we will be just south of the equator a little after midnight, one time zone to the west.

Hong Kong Airlines is a relatively new addition to the Naha International Terminal.  Although we still had one stopover before our destination, we felt better knowing that we weren't having to fly north just to fly much further south.  That is usually the case with travel out of Okinawa: you must first go in the opposite direction to make progress towards something that is geographically south of you.  Despite more than a few flight adjustments that looked less-than reassuring on the in-flight map, we arrived safely in Hong Kong.

A quick pit-stop at the airport reminded us to keep safety first.  

Our next leg was on a much larger plane.  Hong Kong Airlines has a thing for red.  There was a lot of red on this plane, but our anticipation of our next adventure kept us from seeing red.  

I must learn to sleep on an airplane.  If I am absolutely exhausted, I'm sure I can doze off, mouth agape, with the best of them.  This is usually the case on the return flight.  At the beginning, there are too many things to think of, envision, and experience for the first time, such as crossing the equator.

One thing that is never exciting is the customs/immigration line.  Indonesia allows tourists from 63 countries to arrive and obtain a 30-day visa.  Although we flew in from Hong Kong, we noticed more Australian accents as we made our way through the seemingly never-ending queue.  We would learn later that it is a less expensive and shorter flight from Perth to Bali than from Perth to Sydney.  Bali is also known as one of the surfing capitals of the world, which probably also lends itself to Australian holidays. 

Eventually, the line ended, we paid for our Visas, reunited with our luggage, and ventured off to find a taxi. Many people love to squabble over taxis and fees in southeast Asia.  One of the themes of travel to this part of the world is the chance to get something for nearly nothing.  We've heard more than one story about excellent meals to feed a family of four for the equivalent of $15, or having to pay an additional $2 for a room with a window.  At nearly 1am, we did not care a lick about the cost of the taxi.  Our driver knew the name of our hotel in Sanur, which is always a good start to a drive.  Other than that last turn down an unfamiliar and sketchy alleyway, the ride was pleasant and our room a clean and cool place to rest our heads.  Only a few hours before sunrise and new bird species!  Time to sleep.