Last stand on Wounded Knee?

Twisted my right knee about a week before flying out, still quite sore and swollen. I requested aisle when I checked in with Singapore Airlines, luckily they were able to arrange ailse seats for both legs of my flights. This made it much easier to get up and stretch my knee when needed.

The flight was very turbulent between Brisbane & Singapore, tea splilling from cups and food trolley moving unaided. Plane was full, but got some sleep in 15-30 minute batches. Arrived at Terminal 3 instead of T2, which meant we didn't have to change terminals for the next leg. Shops were just starting to open, browsed a bit and sent a few emails, while keeping a wary eye on the 3 armed guards who kept circling us.

The Singapore to Osaka plane was pretty empty, nearly 2 spare seats for every passenger. Stretched out and slept most of the way.

Arrive in Osaka, photographed and finger printed with all the other "foreigners" entering Japan. Mostly from China, Hong Kong & Korea, Malaysia, and a fellow from Greece with whom I chatted while wating in line.

One woman caused a bit of commotion, being quite rude to the Customs clerk who indicated which counter she should go to, she just started calling him an idiot and worse. No one knew what she was on about, the guy's job was to make sure the queue kept moving. The consensus in the line was that she should be refused entry, some who had been in the same seating row as her, were joking in favour of her being shot.

Anyway, I got through custom very quickly, no extra bag check this time, so I was out the gate 20 minutes before I was due. Met up with Bob and got the same bus to Osaka as last time.

This time the bleak industrial landscape didn't take me by surprise, in fact it was rather comforting & familiar, it confirmed that my 2008 holiday in Japan had really begun.