Nothing like a bit of superannuation management to inspire one get back into blogging!
It’s great to be home, apart from the accounting. Over the past few months I’ve gone back and visited most of the places and almost all of the people I missed while I was in Japan. It feels so good. There’s nothing like a smell to provoke memories! Just last week we were in Sydney, and I must say, North Ryde smells great. Who would have thought it?
Having dragged her all around the world, it was clearly my turn. Jodie and I are now living in Melbourne. We’re staying with her parents until we find our own house. We’re hoping to buy but can’t afford it until I find work.
I spent February working on my portfolio. I painted a forest and cleaned up some old projects including the site theme itself.
While it’s great to be home, I’m already missing Japan! I keep putting off contacting our friends. Now the Japanese school year is over I’m afraid I’ve missed my chance for some people. Kaz called me last night to remind me that I’m missing cherry blossom season, and all the partying that goes along with it. Thanks, Kaz! You should come here to enjoy experience autumn in Melbourne.
Please excuse the lateness of this post. I saved it as a draft before leaving Japan, and forgot to publish it! I left on the 20th of December 2007.
It’s amazing to think we’ve been here for (*almost) 16 months. It’s flown by, but at the same time my old life in Australia seems like a dream.
Jodie has done an excellent job selling our furniture. For a while it looked like we’d be stuck with collection fees for some things, but everything was sold just in time. Yesterday four Aussies came to look at the fridge and left with as much stuff as they could carry, including a huge bag full of bedding (the previous tenants left a lot of stuff here).
I’m really excited about going back. Right now the thing I miss most is Pebbly Beach. But I know that I’ll miss a lot of things from here, too. The places in general and all our friends, naturally. I think I’ll also miss being welcomed to every shop, and Hankyu trains!
I rescued another bug from the train today. It was fluttering around terrorising everyone. They really shrunk back from it, as though it was a wasp! When it came near me I put my hand up near the light, and it landed peacefully. I held it until arriving at Ibaraki-shi where I let it go on the platform. It flew straight into a horrified conductor.
At least no one tried to squash it.
Jodie was telling me about some incredible soy milk she had. It came in a small black popper and tasted delicious, despite being unflavoured.
Tonight after eating at the local izakaya we went past a convenience store for dessert. Jodie got banana soy milk; I got the black one. The guys behind the counter seemed to think it was funny.
If only I had read the label! It’s still a bit of an effort. It turns out I bought high-quality black vinegar! But it’s clearly meant to be drunk – it came with a straw and everything. I guess it doesn’t taste that bad, but I had hoped to go to bed soon.
Exactly one year after our first visit to Arashiyama, we returned in pursuit of momiji (red leaves). We saw no monkeys this time, but we had our first taste of winter in its damp (yet very beautiful) gardens.
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