VM i Japan for GVM/70+, 2017

ab-fodbold

JA: Oplæg

Japan verdensmesterskaber for GVM/70+ april 2017

Vores utroligt effektive amerikanske dansker Kim Bergenser behøvede ikke mere end en mail fra mig, om at vi måske kunne samle nogle spillere til en tur til Japan, før han sendte mig flere mails med forslag – og til sine egne 70+ spillere rundsendte han så med kopi til mig et forslag til agenda, som naturligvis er på engelsk, da ingen af os skriver eller læser japansk.

Baseret på det, undersøgte jeg flymuligheder – og fandt ud af, at SAS har en direkte flyvning til Tokyo de foretrukne datoer 29/3 kl 15:45 (ankomst torsdag 30/3 kl 09:35 – fly tid 10:50) til 14/4 kl 11:40 med ankomst samme fredag 16:05 fly tid 11:25.

Til en samlet t/r pris på SAS go på pt kr. 5.013.

For en sikkerheds skyld har jeg slået op, hvad der tilbydes til den pris – og det er følgende:

    SAS Go
•   24 timers fortrydelsesret

•   Billetten kan ændres, mod gebyr

•   Børnerabat

•   Check ind på sas.dk, på SMS, i lufthavnen eller i SAS app

•   1 stk. bagage á 23 kg per person

•   Boardingkort på mobilen

•   Vælg sæde kvit og frit (bagerst i kabinen)

•   Avis, kaffe og te

•   Mad og en alkoholfri drik ombord inkluderet

•   EuroBonus-point

Det lyder jo næsten for godt til at være sandt, så jeg er begyndt at samle deltagere til turen – mens Kim gør noget tilsvarende i USA.

Målet for os ville være at nå op på 11 spillere født 1947 eller tidligere – dog med mulighed for heri at medtage 2-3 yngre (født 1948-49). Hvis vi ikke selv bliver nok, så overvejer Kim og jeg at invitere nogle fra andre KBU GVM hold.

Men ledsagere, og andre, der kunne ønske at deltage i denne fodboldoplevelse, vil være særdeles velkomne. Send blot mail til mig (aa32@aa32.dk), hvis I er interesseret i at høre mere.

Jeg er ikke klar over, hvor mange billige billetter SAS har (jeg har prøvet med 9 uden problemer), og der vil naturligvis være mulighed for andre afgange begge veje, hvis nogen ønsker at være længere eller kortere væk.

Men Kims flotte udkast ser således ud, og har også info om hotelpriser etc., mens jeg har udeladt hans omtale af USA fly til Japan.

Men her følger Kims seneste udkast til hans medspillere:

Team selection:

We are looking for at least 16 healthy and fit/strong players for our O70 United team to go to Japan to play in the World Champion Ship in O70 soccer 7-8th of April with games starting as early as Friday 3/31 and the Cherry Blossom tournament Sunday 4/2 with side trips to the old imperial city of Kyoto – as well as the harbor port Osaka for more games – as well as a game against our perennial O70 Tokyo Seniors run by our good friend Taka-San.

Sightseeing:

We will also leave time open for sightseeing in Tokyo as well as Kyoto, Mt. Fuji (with a possible extra game here) and the Lake District and thus a tour with duration of just over 14 days from 3/29 to 4/12 unless you of course want to stay on – or go on to other Far Eastern destinations.  While your spouses may be soccered out by the end of the trip, the hospitality by the Japanese teams is outstanding and they will enjoy the games, and the team get together afterwards.  Otherwise we can also arrange for special (pay as you go) ladies excursion from the hotel by hotel bus to explore the sights w/o their men.

Participation:

We expect participation of several Japanese teams, as well as teams from USA, Canada and Denmark (where we visited back in June).  As such we will play in the World Champion ships in O70 during our stay.

PROGRAM/ITINERARY:

The program is still being discussed and finalized with the Japanese organizers – but this is the program I have suggested:

1)      Arrive Narita/Japan Thursday 30th March  PM – bus transfer from airport to hotel needed.

2)      Friday 31st March: Play a scrimmage game as Akita’s University. – Bus transport to/from game required.

3)      Saturday 1st April – Sightseeing in Tokyo. – Walking/using Metro.

4)      Sunday 2nd April Saitamia tournament (45 KM min. from Tokyo) – Metro/Train – with pick up from Saitama station for transport to games and back.

5)      Monday 3rd Sightseeing in Tokyo. – Walking/Metro.

6)      Tuesday 4th – games against TAKA’s Tokyo Seniors – No doubt at the Olympic training ground – which we can reach by Metro or bus.

7)      Wednesday 5th bullet train to Kyoto AM – to play Kyoto Seniors that afternoon.  – To check cost of Japan Rail card from 5th April through 13th April.

8)      Thursday – 6th  side trip from Kyoto to Osaka to play the Osaka Seniors.  Can be done by 30 min trainride from Kyoto to Osaka.

9)      Friday – 7th sightseeing in the Kyoto area – by metro/bus/walking.

10)   Friday 7th evening Shinkansen (bullettrain) back to Tokyo.

11)   Saturday  & Sunday 7-8th Ichihara/Chiba tournament . (We suggest we find a better hotel in the Tokyo Bay that the hotel we used to stay in – as long as we can get busses to transport us to from the games)

12)   Monday  9th sightseeing the Lake District and Mt.Fuji. (any hotels to recommend in this area – Japanese style preferred) – bus tour may be required, as looks like no suitable train schedule.

13)   Tuesday  10th soccer game against Mt Fuji seniors.  To be confirmed. Back to Tokyo Wednesday 11th AM.

And if people can extend their stay:

14)   Wednesday 11th bullettrain to sights in Japan. (Best suggestions of sight to see?) or return from Japan to your home destination – or other Far Eastern destinations.

15)   Thursday 12th  – ditto

16)   People will either start going home Friday 13th or over the weekend of 14-15 April.

I will come back with some suggestions to sights to be visited 14-16 outside Tokyo by Shinkansen (Bullettrain).

As stated this is a preliminary schedule and I am sure changes will be made.

ACCOMODATION – AIRBNB could be a possibility, but due to Japanese customs and language – I feel a joint 3 star hotel costing around $85/100++ where we all stay and depart for the games together makes sense:  – Don’t try to rent a car and drive around in Japan unless you speak Japanese.

I am looking to make a 20-25 rooms group booking for hotels in Tokyo, Kyoto and back in Tokyo for our team and the Danish team from AB we played twice I Copenhagen.  Very nice guys.

Budget cost per room $85/100 per night for double occupation.  So for a budget point of you $700 pp with 2 sharing for 14 days.

Japanese Rail Card.

The excellent Japanese Rail card for 7 days of unlimited travel of all Japan Rail trains and Shinkansen (bullet trains) could be booked from Wednesday 7th through Wednesday 14th April if that is your chosen time for departure.  Cost $272 for regular $353 for 1st class. – Price may fluctuate with the US$ @ Jap Yen exchange rate.  (The Shinkansen regular class is very nice).  For more details see:

https://www.jrailpass.com/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc

Metro:

Other than the Japan Rail Card, Japan Rail also run an efficient circular line around Tokyo, which stops at several Metro stations – where debit cards can be purchased for easy use at low cost.  You can easily travel by Metro around Tokyo (and Kyoto) as signage will also be in English inside the trains.  If you know how to read a Metro card, you will not get lost.

We also intend to invite our O65 NC United to join us.  But if you want to without any obligations at this moment your space on the team, let me know.

Tour Deposit:

Later on some pre-travel deposit will be required to cover for tournament expenses, gifts to hosts, and other related up front expenses.  Like for Copenhagen we don’t expect this to exceed $100 per player.

FOOD/DRINKS ETC.

Food and drinks – which you will need in any event even if you stay home, will be for your own account.  We hope to get breakfast included in our hotel prices.  Calculate with lunch around $10-15 and dinner $15-20 per person excl. drinks – and some of the joint team parties may cost more pp – but you can also stuff yourself on excellent Noodles for $7-8 and even get a decent Sushi for $10-15 etc.  Beers are about the same as here in the USA and they mainly drink refreshing lager/pilsner beer although microbreweries are coming up.  Sake will of course be served at the team dinners.    Like hotel calculate with around $700 pp for food.

SIGN-UP TERMS:

If more than 16 players sign up, we reserve the right to make a team selection based on – not only your soccer skills, but also your social skills – so we bring a good squad who will enjoy the Japanese hospitality and the team parties and going out as a group and generally having a grand time – and perhaps like in Denmark a lot of walking when we go sightseeing.  If our Los Angeles group don’t bring the California plague which Don Newton spread to all his LAX players,  who then passed it on to most of us in Copenhagen – we will also get fit and strong – but in any event when you book your air-tickets we recommend you also buy a travel insurance policy in case of any problems cropping up.

Should the O65 team join – the chances of course are higher than all gets to play.

John Andersen