< Notes...

Came across a blog, and some entries on it about Japan, and was “forced” to reminisce about our own trip. We adored Japan, and truly can’t wait to go back.

“It really isn’t hard to forge connections with people. More often than not, I have found myself laughing with a complete stranger in spite of our lack of a common language. I have been invited into people’s homes based on gestures alone. I have negotiated prices by showing banknotes and adding or removing some until we agreed on the value. And more than once, finding myself broken and in despair, the glimpse of a child’s smile helped me to mend.”

I have been mulling a note about our trip to Japan in 2024. It will come. Meanwhile this article I found poked my memories’ nest, and my ageing heart picked up some extra beats.

➝ Via Kottke.

“Walking into many of the nation’s air traffic control towers is like stepping back in time. Technology from the 20th century is still very much in use today — including, yes, floppy disks, paper flight strips, and computers running Windows 95.”

Wait, what?! My only reluctance to travel is air safety, but I didn’t know about this, which is mind boggling to me. Now I can’t unsee. 😳

This is a few days old, but still wanted to reflect it here. Pocket, which I have used extensively during travels, will be gone, so will Glitch, which I have never used. Oh well, it is what it is.

If someone asks “what’s the meaning of life?”, they will find cliché answers, well reasoned ones answers, etc. But nothing explains it better than what this guy did.

“I discovered that no one had ever gone to every country in the world completely without flying [in one unbroken trip].”

Now, if doing what you want, and makes you happy (without harming others) isn’t what life it all about, I don’t know what is.

It is impossible to encapsulate Japan in just one picture. Or in thousands. So, instead, I am going the stereotypical route in just one click (which I took).

Nothing I could write can describe what I feel for that country, and it’s people. Japan is absolutely amazing in the whole sense of the word, and I can’t wait to return again!

次の月、私は日本に行きます。日本の文化や風俗をもっと勉強し、また東京、京都、大阪の観光スポットやアクティビティの場所を調べました。とりあえず、どんな提案があっても聞いてください。

This week recount, starting Friday 6 October 2023.

• Pickup my friend (but brother in reality) Martin at the airport. He will stay with us until Tuesday, 10 October.
• Took Martin around town all Saturday, watched movies at night.
• Went to Saint Augustine, “the oldest continuously inhabited European-established settlement in what is now the contiguous United States” on Sunday. Watched more movies at night.
• Took Martin even more places Monday morning, went to The H for dinner. Yes, you guessed it, more binge occurred at night.
• Went for breakfast at Chick-fil-A, lunch at Don Julio, and then talked to Martin non-stop till it was time to take him to the airport. We had lots to catch up. Still have much more.
• Missed my friend all night.
• Worked mostly on Ubuntu related tasks the rest of the week, till today.

We got to experience for the first time dry heat while in Las Vegas. Though it was much hotter than our local temperatures, I have to say I would prefer dry heat any day. Kind of miss it, actually! 🥲

Back at home. Awesome vacation, with no much else to say (you know, “What happened in Vegas, stays in Vegas”, LOL). Only less than a week off, but adjusting time is still needed. Ah, must be great been able to have an endless vacation…