Some additional members of the TODAY team touched down in Tokyo to cover the Olympics over the weekend, including Al Roker, who documented his long and somewhat complicated journey with his signature patience and good humor.
"On the way to JFK, the beginning of an odyssey to Tokyo. Here we go!" Al narrated his first video which he posted en route to the airport on Saturday. Enthusiasm was still running high as he made his way through the airport in New York with fellow TODAY co-host Craig Melvin and executive producer Tom Mazzarelli.
"We are getting ready to go, baby! Woo-hoo!" Al said. "Tokyo, here we come!"
The beloved weatherman took fans along on the trip, posting videos of both take-off and landing, and using the hashtag #letthegamesbegin. He noted that once they landed they would need to go through customs and "COVID protocol."
"We’ve past the first hurdle on the way to clearing the airport here in #tokyo," Al captioned another video. In the short clip, he, Craig and Tom are in line as they wait for what Al called "more COVID stuff."
"So close," he added.
"Not even close," Craig joked in response.
The men went on to take saliva tests for COVID-19, and Al showed viewers how the test results pop up on a screen as they come in. Unfortunately, Al's initial results were inconclusive, unlike Craig's and Tom's.
"After running the #antigen version of the #spittest twice with inconclusive results, the nice folks here are doing a #pcr version that will take another :90," Al updated his followers. "Even though they insisted on staying, I bid farewell to @craigmelvinnbc and @tmazzarelli We’ll meet again, don’t know where, don’t when…."
Finally, after four hours in the airport, he tested negative and made it through customs.
"Success!!!" he gleefully posted. "On my way to our hotel and join my @todayshow compatriots as we bring you #todayattheolympics"
"YAY!!!!!! we can’t wait," TODAY co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, who's already in Tokyo, commented.
Some 22 hours after his initial video, Al shared another video from the balcony of his hotel room.
Over the weekend, Hoda Kotb also shared some updates on Instagram from her journey to Tokyo.
"I'm dressed like the athletes!" she joked, showing off her red, white and blue Polo quarter zip.
Hoda also posted a picture of some traditional green tea she was served on the plane as they got ready to land.
Let the games begin, indeed!