Farewell Miles – A Mileage Burning Party with All Nippon Airlines, Thai Airways and Asiana Airlines in Business Class (with a BMI Leg)
Featuring the ANA International 787-8.
- Oh BMI *shakes head* (The Introduction)
- The Off, Birmingham Airport, Birmingham Airport to Frankfurt with BMI for Lufthansa
- Hotel Savigny, Around Frankfurt
- Frankfurt Airport and Meeting the 787
- Frankfurt-Tokyo Haneda with ANA’s International 787
- The Strings by Intercontinental, Tokyo
- One Time Exception: Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building – THIS SECTION
- Tokyo Haneda International – Hong Kong International with ANA’s 777-300
- Crown Plaza Causeway Bay (Happy Valley)
- One Time Exception: An Emergency Camera Clean…
- Hong Kong to Seoul with Thai Airways International
- Ramada Seoul Dongdamun
- One Time Exception: Jongmyo Shrine
- Seoul Incheon to London Heathrow with Asiana Airlines
- Wrapping up
Ok, it’s time for a One Time Exception – And I’ve had to cut it down a tiny bit due to the sheer amount that I’ve written before. In some ways, it’s not a bad thing as it’ll cut the size of the report down by a few pictures. Enjoy!
One Time Exception: Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Lookout, Shinjuku
Price: FREE.
There are two major lookout points in Tokyo. The classic tourist trap is of course the Tokyo Tower. The other (and slightly less known lookout point) is The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.
Now if you’ve noticed in the tagline, there is one lovely thing about this place – it’s free! And for Tokyo, it makes it one of the best bargains going. However, you do need to cross halfway across the city to get to it, and if you’re lazy, a subway change or two, which can add to the costs on your Sucia/PASMO card.
Once you get to the building, take exit A3 (not A4 like I did and hike around the block once), and follow the signs. Oh, and for those lost in translation: The Tokyo Tourist Board is here – and are helpful to Gaijin who act lost trying to find the elevator upwards ;).
In the building, there are not one, but two observation decks, opening at different times. On my visit, I arrived in time for the North tower.
A quick assent up 45 floors, and once again, I was up in the Sky. Well. Sort of 😉
And the views? Well they’re not brilliant heading into Tokyo itself, but the views out of the city towards Fuji-san were… amazing at dusk:
Here’s a selection.
There are a load more images on the Photoblog – http://www.photoblog.com/kevincm/2012/03/13/tokyo-metropolitan-building-north-tower-observatory.html
Now, I fall into the other tourist trap, the Tokyo Tower, which whilst had better views of the city, it didn’t feel as friendly as the Metropolitan building – mainly due to the opportunities that Tokyo Tower were taking to drain your wallet. There are pictures from that, but I’m working through the trip report. Follow me on Twitter and you’ll know when the pictures from the Tokyo Tower are out!
Right, enough of the on the ground stuff. I think it’s time to get back in the air – after all this is a Travel Blog ;). Tune in next time when I see what ANA’s service is like on a Regional Run in Business…
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