madam striga: Away I go to Tokyo!

It's been a while since I've written. Not because nothing's been happening - it just seems that I need to have myself planted in an airplane seat before I find time to do certain things that I intend to!

You may have seen in a post over the summer that King Diamond was booked to play Loudpark Festival in Tokyo. Talk of negotiations being in the works came out back while we were in Helsinki. I think I can speak for everyone when I say we were excited. None of the band or crew have ever been to Japan so this was an opportunity for all of us to see a new part of the world. I am always very grateful for the opportunity to travel that working for KD gives me. Japan is not somewhere I would ever plan to go on my own, and until now, didn't expect to go with the band. I don't take these opportunities lightly and have become more and more determined to take advantage of them to the fullest. That being said, there was no way I was going to Tokyo for a weekend.

Step 1. Change flight ticket for a later return date.

Step 2. Figure out the rest!

In the past year I have found some great ways to travel cheap. The downside of looking for bargains is it's time consuming. The past few weeks have been eaten up by countless hours emailing and researching places to stay. Just in time to go, I had my accommodations *mostly* figured out, but was happy that when I arrived In Japan there would be a couple days to iron out details while we prepared for, and played Loudpark - not to mention festival staff to greet me at the airport, take me to a hotel and feed me for a few days.

So the days before my departure were filled with the usual packing and preparing, and also cramming in work to launch a collaborative project that I will be telling you all about in a future post. To top it off my niece Christine, who I haven't seen in years, was in PA visiting from Arizona with her fiancé Anthony - so of course despite all I had on my plate I had to clear time to spend with them. I just wish it could have been more! I went to bed Wednesday night with a long list of things to get done the next day… you know, while I wasn't driving home an hour after seeing family, at work during the day, or in class that night.

8:20 am Thursday. Yawwwn, wipe crust from eyes, check email. "Sorry for the result. Please stop taking flight for all crew."

Nooooooooo! Our show was cancelled due to all of our gear getting delayed in transit. (If you want to read the whole story go here: http://www.kingdiamondcoven.com/site/category/news/) Panic ensues. So begins the mental debate: Do I still go? I don't have a hotel - I need a place to stay! How much is this gonna cost? Should I still go? How will I get around? What do I know about Tokyo?? I don't know Japanese!!! Why I bother freaking out over things like this I'll never know, cause deep down I already knew I was getting on that plane.

Which brings me to Friday - departure day. I've had 2 hours sleep and despite yesterday's mixed feelings, I am psyched to be writing from aboard ANA flight NH1. I am already loving the Japanese airline staff. Everyone is so polite and sweet and smiley. Why don't more people smile? It makes even dreadful events like stepping onto a plane for a 14 hour flight delightful - at least for a moment. I've already eaten with chop sticks and even my airline food was well decorated :)

This is going to be awesome!