San Diego to Anywhere in Asia.

Author Message   Edgar Inocentes Senior Member Username: Traveler88 Post Number: 487 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 99.27.132.96 Posted on Friday, March 19, 2010 - 05:52 pm:    Leland, I will post about March ARB on a different thread. The Andrews news came from the loadmaster after we've already boarded the plane. Two of the original passengers went on to Andrews, but had to be manifested by Travis. However, the March folks did indicate Andrews as their final destination.   Leland Senior Member Username: Leland Post Number: 5978 Registered: 05-2006 Posted From: 98.218.147.237 Posted on Friday, March 19, 2010 - 05:26 pm:    Edgar, thanks for the reports. Interesting and educational. A question about March: Did you have any trouble getting information from them? Did they announced that the Travis plane was continuing on to Andrews before you showed up?   Edgar Inocentes Senior Member Username: Traveler88 Post Number: 486 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 99.27.132.96 Posted on Friday, March 19, 2010 - 05:24 pm:    This is the last entry on this now concluded trip to Asia. Yesterday, our son drove us the hour & 15 minutes trip to March ARB in Riverside for the scheduled Travis flight. Although the recording said a 0730 roll-call, the doors to the terminal didn't open until about 0745. With 15 seats being offered, there were only 8 of us CAT VIs who took advantage of the empty C-17 to Travis, which by the way was continuing on to Andrews. After only an hour or so of flight time, we landed at Travis where we retrieved our car. We spent the night in the Bay area and today we'll take the easy drive back to San Diego. It's been a great trip and we met many wonderful folks along the way. In summary, these were all the stops we made: Travis - Yokota - Singapore - Yokota - Kadena - Kaneohe Bay - Hickam - North Island - March ARB - Travis Again, we would like to thank this board and the folks who regularly contribute their tips and expertise. Without you, Space-A travel will not be an adventure, but a disaster. Thank you, thank you, thank you. We'll see you in Europe in September.   Edgar Inocentes Senior Member Username: Traveler88 Post Number: 483 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 75.32.236.68 Posted on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 - 03:50 am:    We waited at the terminal from Monday night into the next morning. A KC10 only took 4 Pax - no Cat VI. This morning, the C17 with 19 tentative seats selected a couple of Cat VI. My wife & I were #19 & #20. Needless to say, we were not selected once more. I was already on-line with Hawaiian air & ready to purchase our tickets when they announced the continuation of the roll call. This was about 15 minutes after the original one. Some folks did leave the terminal after the 1st roll call. They opened a total of 54 seats, so everyone in the terminal wanting to go to North Island got manifested. Although San Diego is home, we still need to retrieve our car at Travis. Hmmm, March ARB is showing a Travis flight on Thursday with 15 tentative seats. This could be the beginning of another Space-A trip.   Edgar Inocentes Senior Member Username: Traveler88 Post Number: 478 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 173.198.77.175 Posted on Monday, March 15, 2010 - 10:29 pm:    Spring break for the students of Oahu. No DoDDS here. One flight to Travis (4 seats firm) tonight and another to NI tomorrow morning. The board is showing tons of flights to California, including Miramar, on Thursday.   Larry W. Carnes Senior Member Username: Larry Post Number: 1096 Registered: 06-2003 Posted From: 63.20.93.193 Posted on Monday, March 15, 2010 - 06:47 pm:    "Tons of families (with plenty of kids) awaiting for flights out of Hawaii." Spring break for DODDS?   Edgar Inocentes Senior Member Username: Traveler88 Post Number: 477 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 205.172.16.179 Posted on Monday, March 15, 2010 - 01:06 am:    We left Kadena on Friday night, 3/12/10, on a DC-10 with a squadron of Marines from the dessert. A total of 13 Pax were manifested including 2 Cat VI (us). The plane touched down at K-Bay after a 7-1/2-hr. flight to a big fanfare of famiies and friends awaiting the return of their loved ones. The experience was overwhelming, seeing famiies being reunited after a 7-month deployment. There were tears in our eyes as we witnessed the coming home of our warriors. We were the last ones out of the plane, and we were herded on a grassy area outside the terminal since there were other folks in the terminal getting ready to board a C130 for North Island. All check-ins & manifesting were closed when we arrived. All of us rented 2 vans and headed to Hickam. We were able to negotiate the trip price for $60/van, so it wasn't too bad. Once we arrived at Hickam, all flights to Travis started disappearing. Last night, Saturday, 03/13/10, a C17 destined to NI & McChord only took 4 Passengers, Both active duty. This morning, Sunday, 03/14/10, we headed to K-Bay for a 0800 showtime for March & 1000 showtime for NI. The flight to March took only 6 and the one for NI, 39, all CAT III & CAT IV only. So we're back at Hickam billeting, keeping our fingers crossed for more flights to the West Coast tomorrow and beyond. Tons of families (with plenty of kids) awaiting for flights out of Hawaii.   Edgar Inocentes Senior Member Username: Traveler88 Post Number: 470 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 61.12.235.133 Posted on Sunday, March 07, 2010 - 09:00 pm:    Leland, It pays to have friends or relatives around. My wife's nephew is stationed here, so someone drives us around. Saturday was a gorgeous day, but Sunday through Thursday will be rainy and dreary. Perhaps just like London. No flights to the US Monday & Tuesday.   Leland Senior Member Username: Leland Post Number: 5878 Registered: 05-2006 Posted From: 98.218.147.237 Posted on Saturday, March 06, 2010 - 09:30 pm:    Edgar, thanks for great reports. Don't forget to include how you get around on Okinawa. I'm sure you are not going to just sit around the base.   Edgar Inocentes Senior Member Username: Traveler88 Post Number: 468 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 61.12.235.133 Posted on Saturday, March 06, 2010 - 09:11 pm:    03/6/10 - Okinawa Early morning roll call yesterday at Yokota for the PE flight to Okinawa. Twenty seats originally posted and we were # 20 & 21. Luckily, that number was extended to 35. Whew! It was supposed to depart at 0930, but was delayed for 3 hours. The flight was diverted to Misawa because of air traffic in the Tokyo area. In Yokota, the people count was 2 more than what was listed on the Seattle manifest. A manual count was made not once, not twice, but more than 5 times by several people. Flexibility is the name of the game. So, after a 2-1/2-hour flight, we landed at Kadena where the pax terminal folks showed extreme efficiency. Very impressive bunch of folks. Kudos to all! We consider Okinawa the jewel of the Pacific. It’s a beautiful island and for retirees like us, the military support is tremendous. We have complete access to everything. The only drawback as discussed previously on this board, is the pain in getting passports stamped when exiting Japan. Nothing beats Yokota’s Japanese immigration for convenience. Anyway, we are gaining weight just sampling all the good food available off-base. No California rolls here. It’s the real McCoy. However, with the exchange rate of Y87 to $, everything off base is expensive, just like Europe. But, again the plane fare was free so it’s all relative. We’re not sure how long we’ll be here, but for sure it’s going to be an enjoyable stop.   Edgar Inocentes Senior Member Username: Traveler88 Post Number: 466 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 203.105.88.77 Posted on Thursday, March 04, 2010 - 11:53 am:    Thanks Denny and thank you John D. for compressing everything into one report. 3/4/10 – Yokota We took advantage of the $5 (one way) shuttle to the New Sanno Hotel at 0930. With the exchange rate of Y87=$, it was a bargain. The weather was much nicer than Singapore but cloudy and dreary all day long. The trip was a little over an hour. John Morrow, whom we met in Singapore, joined us on this trek where we saw some hidden temples and interesting and beautiful gardens in the middle of the city. John, by the way, spent a month touring Kuala Lumpur and Thailand. Lunch was in a very tiny restaurant across the street from a bakery which consisted of Chahan (fried rice), Gyoza, Ramen plus Kirin beer for John. I think John’s tab for the ramen & beer was only Y600. John went on and took the subway for the Tokyo tower, while Brenda & I decided to take the same bus on its return trip to Yokota at 1330. This gave us an opportunity to walk around the base then on to dinner off-base. Overall, it was a very productive day.   Denny Knott Senior Member Username: Degause01 Post Number: 1266 Registered: 07-2005 Posted From: 98.183.26.167 Posted on Thursday, March 04, 2010 - 02:07 am:    Edgar/Brenda, hope you are having a great trip...keep the info coming.   Edgar Inocentes Senior Member Username: Traveler88 Post Number: 465 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 203.105.88.77 Posted on Wednesday, March 03, 2010 - 11:40 am:    Wednesday, 3/3/10 Yesterday, we sampled all the good food this country had to offer. I felt like Anthony Bourdain. We went to a typical market where all sorts of food and dry goods were being sold. We visited one of the malls for a quick window shopping, although Brenda couldn’t resist just window shopping. We also took the MRT to Orchard, the high-end shopping district of Singapore. Last night, we ate at a hole-in-the wall restaurant where only locals eat. There were plenty of fresh sea foods available plus all the fresh fruits & vegetables to choose from. No wonder we haven’t seen any overweight Singaporean. One thing we noticed though, napkins aren’t available for eating customers. You have to bring your own. BTW, this place is really a melting pot – Chinese, Malays, Indians, Indonesians, Filipinos and others. It’s amazing how Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Hindus and others co-exist without any difficulties. We decided not to travel to Manila during this trip, although the plane fare to Clark on Tiger Airways is only $85 US. We were not ready for the even hotter weather that awaits us there. As we speak, we’re on the same DC8 that brought us to Singapore on Monday, this time bound for Yokota. As usual, service is excellent. Hot meal, snacks, and on with the 3rd movie. What a way to travel! Also, no airport tax unlike flying the Patriot Express. Landed at Yokota at 1815 and did the usual customs & immigration drill. Checked in at the Kanto Inn, had dinner and doing laundry now. We’re looking forward to seeing some of mainland Japan before we go on to Okinawa on the Patriot Express on Friday.   Edgar Inocentes Senior Member Username: Traveler88 Post Number: 464 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 58.185.31.55 Posted on Tuesday, March 02, 2010 - 10:07 pm:    Nelly, we're scratching Manila this trip. Too much going on there. Perhaps next year.   Nelly Senior Member Username: Nelly Post Number: 950 Registered: 07-2005 Posted From: 90.198.227.20 Posted on Tuesday, March 02, 2010 - 05:38 am:    Good report Bro, I guess that you guys are close to homeward bound and its only a three and half hours flight to Clark or Manila. Good luck on your travel and hope to see you there at the terminal. I will be following your space a route in a few weeks.   Edgar Inocentes Senior Member Username: Traveler88 Post Number: 463 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 218.186.8.245 Posted on Monday, March 01, 2010 - 09:35 pm:    Monday, 3/1/10 I’m typing this report high above the air at about 30K feet on a DC8 bound for Paya Lebar (Singapore). No, wireless is still not available in-flight, in case you’re wondering if I’m actually connected to the internet, but rather a cut & paste exercise. We got out of bed at around 0300 then headed to the Yokota terminal for a 0415 roll call. Taxi cabs are not allowed on base & the shuttle run doesn’t start until 0600, so it’s the old “drag the bag” routine from the Kanto Inn, a15-minute brisk walk, so there’s our exercise for the day. Again, there were 32 open seats on this flight, but only 20 folks showed up early this morning. This DC8 is configured with about 8 pallets of cargo forward and 32 seats aft of the plane. Hot breakfast & a snack for the 7+ hours flight time. Also, 3 movies included. Can’t beat the price of this journey. Landed at Paya Lebar at 1230 local to a hot (30 degrees Celsius) weather. We were bused to a small AMC terminal where Singapore customs & immigration are co-located. From there a taxi ride to Sembawang to meet with an old shipmate, a $20S fare. My friend insisted that we stay at his 4-bedroom apartment not far from the Chong Pang district. The only drawback – no internet. My laptop could sniff several wireless access points, but they were all locked. Oh well, you can’t have everything. Tuesday, 3/2/10 Anyway, last night, we took the bus & MRT. My friend showed us how to use the excellent public transportation of Singapore. We also visited the market and where the locals normally congregate and enjoy Singapore’s local cuisine. We retired early last night and just to give you an idea of how HOT it is here, we took a cold shower which was really a warm one. It was refreshing and invigorating. No need for a hot shower here. More to follow.   Edgar Inocentes Senior Member Username: Traveler88 Post Number: 462 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 203.105.88.246 Posted on Sunday, February 28, 2010 - 10:44 am:    My wife & I have made plans to travel twice a year – Feb/Mar to Asia and Sep/Oct to Europe. In the past, North Island’s space a gods have made it possible for us to fly out of our own backyard. However, this time, it was famine. No scheduled flights over the weekend and into the upcoming week to anywhere in the Pacific. There is one flight to Europe mid week, but we’re set for an Asia trip this time. Where in Asia? Well, wherever flights are available, that’s where we’re heading to. No particular itinerary. Miramar has a Travis bound flight on Sunday, but we didn’t want to waste any more time so we decided to drive to Travis and trek California’s freeway for the 8-hour trip. We left San Diego Friday night (Feb 26) and finally arrived in the Bay area at around 0430. Two flights to Yokota were showing on the board. The 1st one with a 0840 show time with 10 seats and the 2nd one with a 2050 show time with 19 seats. Well, Plan B did work. Only 7 passengers showed up (5 Cat VI) and we were airborne on a KC10 at 1130 for the 12-hour journey. Landed at Yokota and with very few passengers to process, it was a painless procedure going through customs & immigration. We had dinner at the chow hall then to billeting. Plenty of room at the Kanto Lodge so we’re settled for the night until tomorrow’s roll call at 0415 for the Singapore flight. To all our space-a friends, Brenda & I are on the road again. More to follow.