Monomyth: the Return

During the latter half of this hiatus, I was able to do a whirlwind tour of the Japanese mainland. Accompanied by my family, we traveled as far East as Nikko and as far West as Miyajima. The stops in-between were some of the most famed and popular of tourist destinations, including Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Nara, Himeji, and Hiroshima. The timing of the trip couldn't have been better, and we enjoyed mostly calm, clear weather and cherry blossoms without any hassle from vacationing student groups.

We enjoyed exploring the country and its massive transportation network, utilizing buses, cars, trains, planes, ferries and our own feet. Our lodgings ranged in price and luxury from compact capsule hotel to royalty-worthy ryokan. In addition to sight-seeing, traveling without a fixed schedule allowed us to leisurely walk the back streets and get a feel for the culture away from the tourist traps. We were also able to go beyond simple stop-and-stare and instead actively participate in some cultural obsessions such as karaoke, pachinko, and even lunch at a maid cafe. I worked to ensure that we covered a good variety of restaurants and unique foods, and I was elated that my family was willing to try most of what was presented to them - natto included.

The time spent traveling together went by so quickly, it's hard to look back and recall that nearly two weeks had passed. Each day was a new adventure, but one that could never be adequately described by the mere page or two in my journal. I want to thank my family for their bravery, patience, and understanding that made this trip one I'll never forget.

Hopefully this much-needed refreshment will serve to energize my efforts for this blog once again. So thanks for your patience, dear reader; I hope you enjoyed your vacation from subjecting yourself to my ramblings as well!