[Travel] Japan via San Francisco

[jakarta]

Hope this doesn't come out too morbid but my Uncle has confirmed that I am the Executor (don't know how that is going to go!) and sole Benefactor of his will. He has a fair bit stashed away as Savings and Premium Bonds etc. but more importantly he owns his house in a village in Cheshire currently worth 250K. He is in his late eighties and doesn't do much anymore, sold his car a while back so his conversations with me are how bad his local pub is as opposed to the one he used to drive to at weekends. No other family to leave it to before you ask.

Anyway this is a long winded way of saying I am probably saying goodbye to my Uncle Warren in the next couple of years and will be in the wholly novel position of having a lot of money. Neither Mrs Jakarta or I are spring chickens but we don't have any children either to leave our cash to so I think a couple of nice post COVID Holidays are due.

I would like to do Japan but not in one flight. Have been looking at San Francisco as a half way stop, a couple of days there then onto Tokyo.

As ever I am asking the great and good of NSC to say if they have done Japan in this way, advice about San Francisco also appreciated...

I should probably check in to my Tokyo Flight in a Mitoma Gameshirt?

Many Thanks

 

[MTSeagulls]

Just don't squander it, follow Geoge Best's advice.

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

Blimey, planning a trip off the back of potentially getting some inheritance money. He might attract a last minute squeeze in a year or two and give it all to her. Or he might even outlive you!

 

[bhafc99]

I’ve flown SF to Tokyo in one hop, and I’ve also done Tokyo Hawaii SF.

Of the two, I’d suggest Hawaii is worth considering, but only if you get away from Honolulu - that’s not worth anyone’s time. But the other islands (all a short inter-island plane ride away) are a different story, with some stunning and interesting spots.

If that doesn’t interest you, then yes, SF to Tokyo is possible, but it’s quite a haul and be prepared for a day or two of jet lag once you get to Japan.

 

[jakarta]

At 86 I think a New Rose is unlikely, especially with the company he keeps...

You are right he might well outlive me but I might decide to blow the money in any case while we are still mobile.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

Why don't you want to do Japan in one flight? Is it the length? It's about 12 hours London to Tokyo. 14 or so from Tokyo to london though(thanks to Russia....)

I don't know what London to San Fransisco is but it's about 9 or so hours from there to Tokyo. If you want to break the flight up it might be better going via somewhere like China or the middle east. I went back to Tokyo via China last summer and it was about 9 or 10 hours to China and then about 3.5 hours from Beijing to Tokyo.

I've not gone through Dubai or Abu Dhabi but that seems to be quite a popular one stop route.

 

[jakarta]

Thanks for advice so far, we are both retired so time is not an issue, just being on an airliner for so long on a direct flight and the chance to look over SF for a few days ( probably won't do it again) before Japan seems appealing.

 

[Springal]

It’d be a very inefficient way of doing it but it time &’money are no issue go for it.

I’d maybe plan a bit of travelling around the West Coast, SanFran itself has some nice areas but last time I went it was pretty run down and overrun by homeless (like a lot of American major cities) - but Napa Valley, San Diego, Big Sur all decent along that way

 

[BiffyBoy100]

As others have said, it’s only about 2 hours difference between London > San Francisco vs London > Tokyo and then you’ve got to do another 9+ hours from SF to Tokyo. The time difference changes will be horrible as well.

You might want to look at 2 stops and hit somewhere like NYC first.

Also worth checking pricing. It was recently cheaper for me to fly first class from London to Tokyo direct than US to Tokyo economy.

London always seems to have better options.

 

[Mr Bridger]

Flair name, can he play left back?

 

[Chicken Run]

Hope this doesn't come out too morbid but my Uncle has confirmed that I am the Executor (don't know how that is going to go!) and sole Benefactor of his will. He has a fair bit stashed away as Savings and Premium Bonds etc. but more importantly he owns his house in a village in Cheshire currently worth 250K. He is in his late eighties and doesn't do much anymore, sold his car a while back so his conversations with me are how bad his local pub is as opposed to the one he used to drive to at weekends. No other family to leave it to before you ask.

Anyway this is a long winded way of saying I am probably saying goodbye to my Uncle Warren in the next couple of years and will be in the wholly novel position of having a lot of money. Neither Mrs Jakarta or I are spring chickens but we don't have any children either to leave our cash to so I think a couple of nice post COVID Holidays are due.

I would like to do Japan but not in one flight. Have been looking at San Francisco as a half way stop, a couple of days there then onto Tokyo.

As ever I am asking the great and good of NSC to say if they have done Japan in this way, advice about San Francisco also appreciated...

I should probably check in to my Tokyo Flight in a Mitoma Gameshirt?

Many Thanks

I’m looking forward to HMRC getting their cut.

Edit btw can i ask why you felt the need to ad the back story when all you wanted was flight information?

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Hope this doesn't come out too morbid but my Uncle has confirmed that I am the Executor (don't know how that is going to go!) and sole Benefactor of his will. He has a fair bit stashed away as Savings and Premium Bonds etc. but more importantly he owns his house in a village in Cheshire currently worth 250K. He is in his late eighties and doesn't do much anymore, sold his car a while back so his conversations with me are how bad his local pub is as opposed to the one he used to drive to at weekends. No other family to leave it to before you ask.

Anyway this is a long winded way of saying I am probably saying goodbye to my Uncle Warren in the next couple of years and will be in the wholly novel position of having a lot of money. Neither Mrs Jakarta or I are spring chickens but we don't have any children either to leave our cash to so I think a couple of nice post COVID Holidays are due.

I would like to do Japan but not in one flight. Have been looking at San Francisco as a half way stop, a couple of days there then onto Tokyo.

As ever I am asking the great and good of NSC to say if they have done Japan in this way, advice about San Francisco also appreciated...

I should probably check in to my Tokyo Flight in a Mitoma Gameshirt?

Many Thanks

I'll be your friend.

 

[WATFORD zero]

Hope this doesn't come out too morbid but my Uncle has confirmed that I am the Executor (don't know how that is going to go!) and sole Benefactor of his will. He has a fair bit stashed away as Savings and Premium Bonds etc. but more importantly he owns his house in a village in Cheshire currently worth 250K. He is in his late eighties and doesn't do much anymore, sold his car a while back so his conversations with me are how bad his local pub is as opposed to the one he used to drive to at weekends. No other family to leave it to before you ask.

Anyway this is a long winded way of saying I am probably saying goodbye to my Uncle Warren in the next couple of years and will be in the wholly novel position of having a lot of money. Neither Mrs Jakarta or I are spring chickens but we don't have any children either to leave our cash to so I think a couple of nice post COVID Holidays are due.

I would like to do Japan but not in one flight. Have been looking at San Francisco as a half way stop, a couple of days there then onto Tokyo.

As ever I am asking the great and good of NSC to say if they have done Japan in this way, advice about San Francisco also appreciated...

I should probably check in to my Tokyo Flight in a Mitoma Gameshirt?

Many Thanks

If it turns out he has been somewhat less than honest and it's all going to the cats home, you HAVE to come on here and tell us. NSC Gold material

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Blimey, planning a trip off the back of potentially getting some inheritance money. He might attract a last minute squeeze in a year or two and give it all to her. Or he might even outlive you!

Quite. If I was an 18 year old Cheshire lass I’d get down that local pub right away.

 

[jackanada]

Really don't think you're thinking big enough.
Fly into SF. Look around.
Hire car, leisurely few days exploring broadly along PCH to LA.
Depart LAX.
Oh and if you do stop at Santa Barbara I'll recommend El Superica as a low rent but very tasty taco joint and Shaloubs for steak (my info may be very out of date. The owner was daughter of a cattle magnate and got dibs on the good stuff)

 

[Shuggie]

I’ve done the trans-Pacific a few times from my days in California. First thought is that flights could be horrendously expensive if you come straight home from Japan as they would be one-way.

If I was doing this, I’d get two separate “open jaw” returns:

1. Out: London-San Francisco + Return: Seattle-London
2. Out: San Francisco-Tokyo + Return: Tokyo-Seattle

NB doesn’t have to be Seattle by the way.

You can’t avoid 4 x 8 hour time differences (twice on the way out and twice in the way back) which will be brutal. I would therefore want to stop in the US for several days each way, especially being retired like you. The danger of rushing the stops is that everything would just be a blur of foggy half-memories, sleepless nights and exhaustion.

There’s so much to do and see in all these places that you’ll have no problem filling the time. So, if you’ve got no money worries and no work commitments, just give yourselves loads of time.

The other thing to worry about is weather: Japan is pretty horrible in summer so I’d go during the first autumn international break (or even be away both breaks!).

Whatever you decide, have a fabulous trip!

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Hope this doesn't come out too morbid but my Uncle has confirmed that I am the Executor (don't know how that is going to go!) and sole Benefactor of his will. He has a fair bit stashed away as Savings and Premium Bonds etc. but more importantly he owns his house in a village in Cheshire currently worth 250K. He is in his late eighties and doesn't do much anymore, sold his car a while back so his conversations with me are how bad his local pub is as opposed to the one he used to drive to at weekends. No other family to leave it to before you ask.

Anyway this is a long winded way of saying I am probably saying goodbye to my Uncle Warren in the next couple of years and will be in the wholly novel position of having a lot of money. Neither Mrs Jakarta or I are spring chickens but we don't have any children either to leave our cash to so I think a couple of nice post COVID Holidays are due.

I would like to do Japan but not in one flight. Have been looking at San Francisco as a half way stop, a couple of days there then onto Tokyo.

As ever I am asking the great and good of NSC to say if they have done Japan in this way, advice about San Francisco also appreciated...

I should probably check in to my Tokyo Flight in a Mitoma Gameshirt?

Many Thanks

He's not dead yet - plenty of time to change his mind and find a young "floosie" to squander the cash with.

 

[essbee1]

I would recommend SF as a city. It was unlike any other city in the US and was laid back. Plenty of scope for travelling onwards by car etc.
for a few days.

 

[Guinness Boy]

It’d be a very inefficient way of doing it but it time &’money are no issue go for it.

I’d maybe plan a bit of travelling around the West Coast, SanFran itself has some nice areas but last time I went it was pretty run down and overrun by homeless (like a lot of American major cities) - but Napa Valley, San Diego, Big Sur all decent along that way

Yeah I was going to say similar. My company’s head office is in San Fran. A combination of sky high property prices and opioids have turned it into a dystopian nightmare, people wise.

Tokyo, however, is probably my favourite city on earth. If you have time and money, like good food, culture and general madness and don’t mind getting lost occasionally it’s incredible.

 

[jakarta]

Thanks for all the replies, even the sarcastic ones.

I am now thinking of a final big holiday spending a lot more time on the West Coast of the USA, have been to a few East coast places plus Alaska but never SF etc.

If my Uncles dosh comes through money is not an issue, haven't ever gone First Class anywhere over the past 40 years so I can finally feel what it feels like.

As I have said at 86 and pretty well housebound I don't think any 18 year gold diggers will find him and he doesn't like cats!

Hope to get him down here in the near future to sing SBTS with us but have a feeling I will be learning how to be an Executor fairly soon.

Many Thanks again