Back to Japan

After all that fishing excitement we were treated to Chinese takeaway for our last meal in Hawaii. The whole family was there (11 in total) and we squeezed around the table, talking noisily and eating fast. It was a great feeling.

Once we’d said all our goodbyes and everyone had fallen asleep (including Dawn) I finished packing our bags so we were ready to leave at 4:30am.

The cases were overweight and my pre-flight panic had set in which didn’t mix well as we were both so sad about leaving. Everything has seemed so familiar over the last two weeks and I have really felt at home. I love Japan but I’m starting to realize that being a foreigner there means you will never really be accepted as one of them. That is a hard thing to take especially when I have been in Hawaii for two weeks and I’m already an auntie to three girls.

Twenty hours later it was midnight in Japan and we arrived home at my house. It was so quiet. After spending two weeks in a busy, noisy, family house, my apartment felt very empty and quiet. This wasn’t helped by the fact that I knew Minika wasn’t here and I couldn’t go and drink tea with her and tell her all about my trip. This is going to be a hard year!