You were in a magical space between places that wasn't supposed to exist and doesn't exist anymore. It wasn't really Japan or anywhere else. And I'm extremely envious.
My first thought was no, you were In Transit. But its an intriguing enough question that I tried to see what the Travelers' Century Club has to say (thinking their members had long ago thrashed out a response), but as far as I can tell , they have no criteria, I don't think you even have to deplane. So to paraphrase Joe Friday, the fact is ... you met the love of your life in Japan.
Back at ya --- I have an Irish passport that states I am an Irish citizen, but I have never set foot in the country -- transit lounge or otherwise -- how does that make any sense?
Le coeur a ses raisons, as the French say…On my way to India in 1981, the BA jet stopped in Doha for a couple of hours. I went to the duty free and bought my first calculator (never seen one before). I now claim I was in the Gulf. Just watched James May in Japan. A Brit abroad. Enjoy the Land of the Rising Sun.
An uplifting memory of love at first sight. We have to love how that eventually ended up!
We were in Mauritius and South Africa recently and landing early morning on our way there, we had a 9 hour wait in Charles de Gaule 2 airport where Joy, my partner, has had several layovers over the years.
In planning this trip, when I asked if she had been to Paris, she had an ambivalent answer- 'well yes and no'. She had never been out of the airport.
So, having been to Paris back in 2005 for a visit when my son Marc-André was studying in Grenoble, I knew how easy and fast getting around Paris can be. So I planned a quick but memorable little sightseeing tour for us.
From CdG2 to Paris using the RER B train and then a few Metro lines in Paris we took in, poor old Notre Dame Cathedral being rebuilt, la tour Eiffel and l'Arche de Triomphe and we were back to CdG2, all in 5.5 hours. Oh, and a little souvenir shop and a pain au chocolat, croissant and a café très fort at la patisserie, with the pigeons. We had a good laugh.
Very 'exciting' sitting at an outside tabouret table with the pigeons de Paris!
But really, we had a great time, walked several kilometres with our too heavy carry-on backpacks in frigid cold Paris that day. (No more lockers for bags in an airport of course)
Every Parisian we spoke to, asked directions from, 'mais vous êtes Canadiens!?, all were more than helpful.
So yes and no landing for layovers it may not count as 'being' in that country. I suppose technically you are not in the country until your passport is stamped.
Yet when one does have a layover and has the time, take a little memorable day trip.
I had quite a lively discussion with my friends Niall and Richard about this conundrum, including what do we count as "countries". In the end, I concluded that counting airports is more representative of where I travelled. (155 so far)
If the answer to the question of "where did you two meet?" is Japan, then, yes, you've been there. For those of us for whom vending machines are the most memorable part of that refueling stop, the answer ought to be different. So unlike you, I've never been to Japan.
Speaking of places we've been, I believe you omitted Jakarta from the list of datelines on that trip.
So far, I have had people say, no, an airport ramble is not equivalent to visiting a country, not unless you’ve cleared customs, but what if you did but then just overnighted in an airport hotel? Others have said yes, and Vlad says any airport visit works, which is how he’s got to more than 150 countries. Suzanne actually had a rule that you needed to stay overnight in a place to count, which I always though was a little sad since she was one of the few people I knew who had been to Albania—except that by her rule she hadn’t. She spent a day there but returned to Serbia, where she was living at the time, that night.
You were in a magical space between places that wasn't supposed to exist and doesn't exist anymore. It wasn't really Japan or anywhere else. And I'm extremely envious.
You should go to Japan sometime, though.
Thank you for sharing this 🩷 powerful reminder that we never know who is around the next corner in life. Safe travels
Great story. Thanks for posting.
Well....when you put it that way.
My first thought was no, you were In Transit. But its an intriguing enough question that I tried to see what the Travelers' Century Club has to say (thinking their members had long ago thrashed out a response), but as far as I can tell , they have no criteria, I don't think you even have to deplane. So to paraphrase Joe Friday, the fact is ... you met the love of your life in Japan.
Back at ya --- I have an Irish passport that states I am an Irish citizen, but I have never set foot in the country -- transit lounge or otherwise -- how does that make any sense?
Delightful story Paul. Best part of my morning. Thank you.
Sweet! Yes, it counts!
You certainly were in Japan. It's where you were re-born by meeting the love of your life. A great story, as always.
Le coeur a ses raisons, as the French say…On my way to India in 1981, the BA jet stopped in Doha for a couple of hours. I went to the duty free and bought my first calculator (never seen one before). I now claim I was in the Gulf. Just watched James May in Japan. A Brit abroad. Enjoy the Land of the Rising Sun.
Immigration officials may say that you weren’t in Japan, but everyone else will say that, most definitely and happily, you were.
Konnichiwa,
An uplifting memory of love at first sight. We have to love how that eventually ended up!
We were in Mauritius and South Africa recently and landing early morning on our way there, we had a 9 hour wait in Charles de Gaule 2 airport where Joy, my partner, has had several layovers over the years.
In planning this trip, when I asked if she had been to Paris, she had an ambivalent answer- 'well yes and no'. She had never been out of the airport.
So, having been to Paris back in 2005 for a visit when my son Marc-André was studying in Grenoble, I knew how easy and fast getting around Paris can be. So I planned a quick but memorable little sightseeing tour for us.
From CdG2 to Paris using the RER B train and then a few Metro lines in Paris we took in, poor old Notre Dame Cathedral being rebuilt, la tour Eiffel and l'Arche de Triomphe and we were back to CdG2, all in 5.5 hours. Oh, and a little souvenir shop and a pain au chocolat, croissant and a café très fort at la patisserie, with the pigeons. We had a good laugh.
Very 'exciting' sitting at an outside tabouret table with the pigeons de Paris!
But really, we had a great time, walked several kilometres with our too heavy carry-on backpacks in frigid cold Paris that day. (No more lockers for bags in an airport of course)
Every Parisian we spoke to, asked directions from, 'mais vous êtes Canadiens!?, all were more than helpful.
So yes and no landing for layovers it may not count as 'being' in that country. I suppose technically you are not in the country until your passport is stamped.
Yet when one does have a layover and has the time, take a little memorable day trip.
Joy and I are very happy we did.
Have a wonderful time in Japan.
I had quite a lively discussion with my friends Niall and Richard about this conundrum, including what do we count as "countries". In the end, I concluded that counting airports is more representative of where I travelled. (155 so far)
If the answer to the question of "where did you two meet?" is Japan, then, yes, you've been there. For those of us for whom vending machines are the most memorable part of that refueling stop, the answer ought to be different. So unlike you, I've never been to Japan.
Speaking of places we've been, I believe you omitted Jakarta from the list of datelines on that trip.
Enjoy your return to Japan!
So far, I have had people say, no, an airport ramble is not equivalent to visiting a country, not unless you’ve cleared customs, but what if you did but then just overnighted in an airport hotel? Others have said yes, and Vlad says any airport visit works, which is how he’s got to more than 150 countries. Suzanne actually had a rule that you needed to stay overnight in a place to count, which I always though was a little sad since she was one of the few people I knew who had been to Albania—except that by her rule she hadn’t. She spent a day there but returned to Serbia, where she was living at the time, that night.
A beautiful story!