It’s school holidays, and peak sakura (cherry blossom) season, and I’m trying to get to Tokyo. Direct flights from Australia are either expensive or nonexistent, so I’m flying to Japan with Garuda via Tokyo. While check-in at Melbourne Airport is busy, it’s also friendly. I’d checked in online 48 hours ahead to ensure I was seated beside my teen daughter, but the staffer at the airport says there’s no need to stress.