Twenty days in Australia, seven in Viet Nam, and here I sit Sunday morning snug under cozy covers trying to remember it all. I've spent the last 10 days re-adjusting to life in Japan: to re-acclimate to frigid temperatures, to remind myself what it's like to work, and to routinize daily life. My first days back in Aomori were a bit bizarre. I felt split in two, physically in Japan, but mentally still adrift - floating weightless on soft undulations, sipping mango smoothies, and staring into starry nights thinking simultaneously of a gazillion things and nothing at once.
The ultimate highlight was not an event, rather, it was the luxury of taking TIME: to stop, observe in detail, and look at life's mysteries on a micro level. I didn't experience any grand epiphanies (that I'm conscious of anyway), but, my senses were swarmed with new sights, smells, textures and tastes. Australia not only has the greatest number of beaches in the world, but they are all amazing! I found out that Phu Quoc's fetid fish sauce (an island south of Viet Nam and Cambodia) falls into the same category as durian on Viet Nam Airlines, meaning, it's banned for its malodorous nature! Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) has the softest silk I've ever touched, and I took advantage of this, buying souvenir scarves and a tailor-made ao dai. The food met and exceeded my expectations. In Oz M.S. and I had the world on a platter: Indian, Moroccan, Thai and Turkish feasts are most memorable. In Viet Nam, cilantro, fresh dragon fruit and papaya (all non-existent in Aomori) consumed me, and I ate whatever I could get my hands on!
Continuing with the topic of consumption, it almost killed me. In a flash I'd magically metamorphose from a frugal female to a frivolous fool! I somehow convinced myself I needed a custom-made cashmere suit, 3 pair of sunnies, and a new leather wallet. I wouldn't say there were no boundaries, but I nearly crossed them when I shoe-horned my heels into some fancy dancy crocodile kicks!
I didn't be-bop to blues at the Woodford Festival, but I did jam in a djembe session. I didn't ride an elephant in Viet Nam, but I did rent a rocking cool motorbike one day! There are a good 2-3 hours worth of anecdotes to share, but one specific coincident I must write here and now. First, a bit of background information:
In August 2003 I went to Kansas City for the JET program departure orientation. There I met Christina from Nebraska, who was also headed to Japan. We had a nice chat, but didn't exchange contact information because we were being placed in polar opposite locations. And really, what was the chance we'd meet again, or so I thought. That winter S.R. and I planned a trip to southeast Asia, traveling through Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. We spent a week in Phuket taking PADI scuba courses, and there, randomly, I saw Christina! We took a few dives together on the Phi Phi Islands, exchanged stories of our experiences in Japan, and departed once more without a thought to future correspondence. Then, as previously mentioned, on my most recent trip to Viet Nam I spent a few days on Phu Quoc island. It's a quaint un-discovered gem, but on the verge of massive tourist exploitation. There again, M.S. and I decided to go scuba diving. That morning of, our dive masters were making the rounds picking people up in a rickety van, when all of the sudden, yes you guessed it, there was Christina again! For a second we stared wide-eyed at each other in disbelief, but the silence was soon broken with a gasp and an "Oh my something-or-other!!" This time we did exchange e-mails, but who knows, we'll probably unknowingly find each other once again in two years time! For now, I'm left pondering the meaning of it all, if there is one...
Sorry, no photos for you in the foreseeable future! My camera's got a mind of its own and it's decided not to cooperate in downloading to my Dell. Other disagreeable devices include: my snowboard (I snapped the Burton binding yesterday), my laptop (refuses to play CDs/DVDs), my mobile phone (mysteriously stopped working this a.m.) and occasionally, my shower! Though technologically far advanced with electronics, Japan fails to accommodate fierce winters and I'm often left with frozen pipes!
That's it for now - much love to you from your popsicle in Japan.
