THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5TH – FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6TH: NASHVILLE TO OKINAWA, JAPAN:
This has turned out to be quite the trip!
After sleeping for 2 hours, I got up at 2:30 am to get ready for the trip to the airport and my first flight on what Delta is calling and “around the world ticket!”. I originally only had one trip planned before Christmas and that was a quick weekend in Okinawa with Canadian country music entertainer Jade Eagleson. He is performing at the Camp Courtney Holiday Festival.
Then about three weeks ago, I got a phone call from the U.S. Ambassador to Finland requesting entertainment for a couple of events coming up in December as well. After a week long mad scramble to find a great entertainer who was not already booked, Carlene Carter was locked in. A ” tentative trip to the DC area with Susan Bellamy for the amazing Wreath Laying Ceremony at Arlington Cemetery also became reality. So instead of Christmas shopping I am flying from Nashville to Okinawa to Helsinki, Finland to Washington, DC to Nashville — all in 11 days!
When I arrived at the airport for check-in, I had a feeling I had forgotten something really important. I am usually right when I have that premonition. Just could not figure out what it was! Check in was easy and I had a few minutes to go into the lounge and answer emails. We departed to Minneapolis on time and instead of sleeping as I wanted to do, I worked the entire trip. Landed on time and headed straight to the lounge. While walking there, I realized what I had forgotten. Lindsey prepares a “Road Book” for me for each trip with print outs of all the forms I need and other important information. I left it laying on a table where I had been adding info at midnight! Had to call her and get her to scan the important items and put in the server. Then she contacted Carlene’s group to have them bring the book to me in Finland on Monday.
Had about 2 and a half hours in the Lounge to work before boarding the flight to Tokyo Haneda. This is the flight I take on a regular basis and one reason so many people fly it is because it is the new aircraft with the individual private compartments. When I got on, I realized the boarding pass I printed out yesterday was not the same seat on the boarding pass Delta gave me! Delta didn’t bother to tell us that they had an aircraft change and not a good one! It was the oldest plane I have seen for an international flight in a decade. I talked to the flight attendants and even a pilot and they all expressed their shock that this old aircraft still was in operation. They had not been informed of the last minute change either. The pilot said it is the last remaining aircraft in their fleet that has not been reconfigured. There was a plane full of angry passengers because the seats are more expensive on the new aircraft. Obviously Delta was not offering any refunds for the change. It was honestly the smallest seat I think I have ever flown in a business class cabin! The paint was scratched off the area around me. The pilot assured me the plane was mechanically safe and the flight attendant assured me that it was equipped with WiFi but did not know if it would connect!
Fortunately — or maybe unfortunately, WiFi worked. I worked on my phone until the meal service was completed and then brought out the laptop for several more hours of work. Tried to sleep for three hours but had too much going on in my head and only slept off and on for 2 hours. Got in another 2 hours of work before the meal service and an on-site landing at Tokyo Haneda.
I will have about 3 hours before Jane’s group arrives from Toronto. Then we have to re-check everything And go to the domestic terminal for a 3 hour flight to Okinawa. We won’t land until after 10 pm and won’t be at Lodging until close to midnight. There are 25 mph winds and rain all night in Okinawa so a little worried that we will be able to land at all!
Landed early in Okinawa and I stored my bag and went shopping for Green Tea Kit Kat. Retrieved my bag and walked over to the ANA counter to check it in for the domestic flight.
Jade’s flight was delayed and the arrival board never showed that it had landed. But they finally arrived at 6 pm instead of 4:55 pm! Took them to the Domestic counter to check in and then we took the shuttle bus to Terminal 2 and checked in for the JAL flight to Okinawa. Only had a short wait before boarding and I planned to sleep all the way – 3 hours of bliss. HA! There is rain and strong wind – gusts up to 40 mph – so we bounced all over the sky almost the entire trip. We finally landed – with all our luggage and gear – and Dureil and Mika were there to meet us. Very impressed that the “boss” came out to meet us so late at night. Jade and his guys are awesome and Dureil and his staff are amazing. Except for the fact that the rain seems to be hanging around, it’s going to be a wonderful event. I was here a few years ago with Aaron Tippin and it was a rain out. ☹
After 3 am now and I’m going to bed.
Jude
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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7TH – PERFORMANCE AT CAMP COURTNEY HOLIDAY FESTIVAL: Definitely did not get enough sleep last night but also didn’t get enough of my work done! Was able to grab a packet of oatmeal from the Grab N Go Breakfast in the Main Building Lobby and ate that while getting dressed for the day. Lobby call was at 9:50 am and everyone was ready to go. We had a great driver – “Kenny” – who gave us some good info while we were driving to Camp Courtney. Unfortunately, it is still pouring rain and windy. But no one has cancelled tonight’s show. Even if the rain stops by mid-afternoon, I’m worried that it will be too muddy for many people to attend. As usual, the production company had everything set up and ready for the guys when they arrived. It continued to rain off and on throughout sound check. Once sound check was complete, we went to the AFN station for Jade’s interview. AFN taped it for later broadcast on their website. We only had about 2 hours back at lodging before leaving for dinner and the performance. I walked over to the main building and printed out the lyrics to “Twelve Days of Christmas” since those are in the road book I left in Nashville! Lobby call for dinner was at 4:15 pm and we ate at Ocean Breeze. It’s a good restaurant and has a nice performance room where I’ve had lots of different artists perform throughout the years. Everyone enjoyed the meal and we left for the venue exactly at 5:30 pm as scheduled. Traffic was worst than anticipated and a 30 minute drive actually took us 45 minutes. By the time we arrived, Jade did a quick interview with the base Public Affair Office and the guys got set up on stage. Dureil’s bosses – Mike and Ed – came by to say hello to Jade as did the Commanding Officer Colonel Nation and his daughter. All such nice people! Jade took the stage at 7:05 pm and I walked out front to listen to the sound and take a few photos. It was extremely muddy and my shoes were covered with mud when I finally cautiously made my way backstage again. Had to go into the restroom and wash them as best I could. About 7 songs into the set, Jade told the audience he needed their help. We picked 12 people out of the audience and brought them on stage. There were several young children and I made sure they were first and fifth in the lineup for “12 Days of Christmas”. A Partridge in a Pear Tree and 5 Golden Rings are the easiest to remember in the song! This went over great with the audience! Back in the 90’s, The Forester Sisters did this in all their shows on the numerous trips we made overseas to entertain the troops. It was always a big hit! After the group sang, we gave them each a cap that Jade had specially made for this trip. Although the audience was small, those who attended loved his show. There were also some “special” guests in the VIP tent – the Mayor and Police Chief of the town. We made sure everyone received autographed caps. Jade was going to go to the tent and say hello after the Meet and Greet, but the dignitaries had to leave before he finished. He has such a great voice and is a very talented entertainer. He won “Rising Star” at this year’s Canadian Country Music Awards. Check him out on the internet. The Meet and Greet was great. Even the General’s wife and family attended although the General was out of town. Jade took photos with about 100 people and signed caps for everyone. We made a quick stop by the Shop Ette on Camp Foster before arriving back at lodging at around 10 pm. I was in bed by 11:30 pm although I left a lot of work waiting for me on Sunday morning! SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8TH – DAY OFF IN OKINAWA: Woke up at 6:00 and started working. Had a text from Jade at 7:30 who was also already awake. He asked about the possibility of performing again tonight because the rain is gone and it’s a beautiful day! I had thought about that last night because the reason we stayed over today is in case last night got rained out and we would need to perform today. I knew it was a very full lineup for today but asked Dureil anyway. He would have loved to accommodate but said it was too late to add Jade into today’s already packed schedule. I sent everyone a list of “suggestions” as to what they should do today because I need to work! Hate that I can’t go with them but am sure they will have a great time without me. I will meet up with them for dinner tonight at HamaZushi – my favorite conveyor belt restaurant at the American Village. I had planned to jog but have so much work to catch up on I decided just to use the bands and do a quick in-room workout. Took a break at 1:30 pm to walk to the Exchange Shops in search of a nail salon to repair one nail. They had a salon but couldn’t take me until tomorrow! Stopped by the restaurant and got a “to go” meal so I could get back to work. Although I worked non-stop until 4 pm, I still didn’t finish everything I needed to do! Left lodging at 4:30 pm to go to American Village in search of nail salons again. After walking around in circles listening to Google maps, I finally found someone who spoke English and got directions. Found 2 salons but both said they couldn’t see me until Monday! Hopefully Helsinki’s Salons will be a little more accommodating! Jade and his guys went somewhere called “Okinawa World”. Never heard of it but they had a great time going in caves and having their photo taken with a huge white snake wrapped around the four of them! I decided to try to walk to Hamazushi and wait for them there. Again Google maps was wrong. I asked directions and it was only a few blocks away. We all met there and had the conveyor belt sushi which is so great. You pay by the plate and even with the mound of plates we had from eating so much plus adding drinks, soup and dessert, the bill for all 5 of us was less than $95!!! My favorite restaurant in Japan. Got back to the hotel by 9 and was in bed by 10 pm with a 2 am wake-up call. So glad I got to meet Jade, Matt, Chris and Matt and work with them/ Super nice guys and talented performers!
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