VIRUS DIARY: A really, really, REALLY long Olympic journey

SOMEWHERE OVER THE PACIFIC (AP) — My location was Haneda Airport in Tokyo. My destination was the Main Press Center for the Olympics — also in Tokyo.

Turns out the quickest route was through Seattle.

Let me explain.

Among the requirements to cover the Tokyo Olympics were two negative COVID-19 test results within 96 hours and 72 hours of travel.

This wasn't easy to begin with. The 96-hour test would have to be on Sunday, July 18, right about the time the final group in the British Open was on the sixth hole. I missed the Open for the first time since 1996 — Tiger Woods’ last major as an amateur — because of the UK quarantine laws and the difficulty of getting home and tested in time for the Tokyo flight.

I made it through the Sunday and Monday tests, both results were returned on Wednesday, my flight was Thursday. Life was good.

I thought my flight from Atlanta was 11 a.m. It was a 11:39 a.m. No big deal, right? I’ve spent a lifetime erring on the side of being early rather than late, so I never gave this another thought.

Then I landed at Haneda.

The quarantine employee looked at my boarding pass, my 72-hour test result and her log. She called her supervisor (bad sign). They called another supervisor (really bad sign). They took me to a room for questions, and I finally realized the issue.

The negative test is required within 72 hours of the flight leaving for Japan. Mine was 72 hours and 39 minutes. There was no budging.

Their recommendation was to call the clinic — it was 2 a.m. in Jacksonville, Florida — and “negotiate.” When I called that night (Friday morning in Florida), the clinic said no go.

I asked about taking the test at Haneda — another test was required before entry, anyway. They said I technically had not...