Flaming Bullet Tour (2004-08-17)
Now that the Olympic Games is on, die-hard Japanese soccer fans will go the extra length to watch the matches. Just like the 2000 Sydney Games, a travel agency has again organized what's called the "Flaming Bullet Tour" this year. People who participate in this tour basically race from one airport to another to catch flights which will eventually take them to Athens to watch one match played by Japan's soccer team in the preliminary round and rush back home as soon as the match is over.
For about US$2500, participants will spend twenty three hours in the
air on three different planes to Greece (via Bangkok and Dubai),
followed by six hours on a bus to the stadium where the soccer match is
being held. After the match, they will return to Tokyo via the
same route, only to spend an additional three hours on the
planes. These travelers don't stopover anywhere, eat all their
meals on the planes and have no shower time during the entire four-day
trip.
The journey is monotonous and draining. And the hardest part? Japan lost in both matches against Paraguay and Italy.
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