Sayonara USA!

Well, here we are, seated in the JAL lounge, ten minutes before boarding our flight to Japan. The old apartment is empty, our things are in storage, and we’re packed and ready. A few final thoughts:

Did we overpack? Probably. But maybe not. My pack is 40 lbs. I seem to have clothing options from trekking in the foothills of the Himalayas to dining at a Michelin starred restaurant in Tokyo. And I packed a tie. A necktie! Why did I pack a necktie?! If I really NEED a necktie, I’m sure I can buy one, and very cheaply. But I have a necktie. We’ll see how all this goes, and what gets sent home, and what seems to be missing.

Here’s another story of God laughing at me – last night, our final night before leaving for a year, we stayed at Amy’s sister’s place. I was about to brush my teeth before going to bed, and I knocked my toiletry bag (and all contents minus the toothbrush) into the toilet. Apropos of the name “toiletry bag.” That’s a few months supply of toiletries down the drain – literally. In all honesty, most of the contents dried off easily, including the bag. However, about 30 Q-tips got soaked. There were no survivors.

Lastly, I’m thrilled to say I finally severed my relationship with Time Warner Cable of NYC. Like an old girlfriend, we had some wonderful times together. Quiet nights alone, a lot of laughs. But Time Warner Cable, you were often mean to me. Unreliable. You didn’t even show up sometimes. You lied about your credentials. But I just couldn’t be without you. Not anymore. It was a rocky twenty years, Time Warner Cable of NYC, but I’m over you. Goodbye.

Alright, they just announced boarding… Next stop, Tokyo!