One of the great things about my flight with Star Alliance is the flexibility. I’ve changed a series of flights twice now and it’s free and easy. But perhaps the most exciting is that in the event that there is an indirect flight you can opt for any duration of layover you wish.This is how I was able to add Addis Ababa and Tokyo to my list as I was going to be touching down regardless.
In Addis I will be staying at a place called the Bethel Guest Home. Not only does it look great but it donates 100% of profits to community development to help poor and vulnerable children. To make it even more of a win-win I booked a single room rather than a shared — I am looking forward to the peace and quiet and it’s a great cause.
I’m also very excited to be going to Japan. A few days ago there was an amazing newspaper article about how everyone in a metro stop teamed up to push a train and rescue a woman who was trapped. The thing weighed 32 tonnes and the woman was uninjured.
This reminded me somewhat of one of the Japanese responses to the Fukushima meltdown of 2011. Hundreds of Japanese retirees volunteered to enter the plant and contain the damage. They believed that the danger from the radiation was far to great for young people to face. What an amazing country and society.
Finally, I just found out that helicopter tours over Tokyo at night start at about $80. Seeing the lights of a metro area of 32.5 million people is a thrilling prospect.
Cheers to layovers!
