Travel

The last shall be first…

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“The last shall be first, and the first last.”  Matthew 20:16

That’s certainly how it was when we went through immigration and customs at the Saipan airport shortly after midnight last night.

Almost 30 hours into the very long day that took us from Edmonton to Seattle to Tokyo to Saipan, Richard and I both fell asleep on the airplane. While we were snoozing, the stewardess handed out the various forms that would be needed upon arrival. Assuming that we were American citizens, she left only one form for us to fill out when we actually needed three. We awoke as the airplane began it’s descent into Saipan and I suddenly realized that we had not done the necessary paperwork yet! Yikes! The steward on board responded to our call but he was hurried and unsure of which documents we needed. We ended up with the correct ones but they were in Japanese rather than English which wasn’t of much help to us! By this time, I was feeling a little panicked and sent a silent prayer upward asking the Lord to smooth our path. His answer was nothing short of miraculous.

As we deplaned, we exchanged the Japanese forms for English ones but that meant that we had to stop to fill them out after we entered the airport putting us at the very back of the long line of people waiting to go through immigration. In our very tired state, we were also unsure if we had filled them out correctly and were definitely feeling a bit intimidated by the whole situation. It was at that point that one of the immigration officials noticed the family with a small baby just ahead of us in line. He took them aside so that they could be processed more quickly and be on their way. As he did so, he asked where we were from and when we told him Canada, he turned the family over to another official and dealt with us himself. He was friendly and courteous and we were through in no time leaving everyone else still standing in line!

As soon as we knew that we were coming to Saipan, I began to research visa requirements. As far as I was able to determine, we would likely be issued a 30 day visa on entry and then, because we’re actually staying longer than that, we would have to have it renewed for another 30 days. We had been advised, however, that we should try asking for a 60 day visa at the airport. I thought it was worth a try. Imagine my surprise when the agent told us that, as Canadians, we are actually eligible for a 6 month visa! Though we don’t plan to do so, our passports now say that we can stay until December!

Passing through customs was just as quick and easy. Within minutes, we were out the door of the terminal where we were met by Helen Ann, her daughter and her son-in-law who welcomed us with beautiful floral leis that smell absolutely heavenly. Our Saipan adventure had begun!

Norman the tree

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When I finished working at the farm yesterday, I came home and planted the flower beds, an exercise in futility perhaps since we won’t be here most of the summer to take care of and enjoy them but I love getting my hands into the soil at this time of year and I want the place to look somewhat cared for while we’re gone.

We love our yard but it will never be the showcase that some people’s are. We don’t stay home long enough, especially in the summer! One of my favourite features of our yard is Norman the tree. Yes, unlike the rest of the trees and plants in the yard, this one has a name! It also has a story.

In the summer of 1994, we were returning from a trip to the Yukon and were somewhere near the BC/Yukon border when a wheel bearing went on the tent trailer that we were pulling. Richard jacked up the trailer, removed the wheel and he and Matthew drove back to Watson Lake, the closest community, to have the necessary repairs done. I waited by the road with Melaina and Nathan.

What does one do to entertain two ten year olds for almost three hours on a hot summer day in the middle of nowhere? Hiking into the bush was out of the question as I didn’t want us to get lost or eaten by bears so we were limited to the road allowance. We went for walks along the highway, endured the bugs, read, played cards, picked wild strawberries and built a fort using trees, sticks and our jackets.

Hundreds of tiny evergreen seedlings grew alongside the road. One of them was a perfect mini Christmas tree shape. Imagine Richard’s lack of enthusiasm when he returned hot and dusty only to discover that, in addition to putting the trailer back together, his wife wanted him to find the folding shovel that was buried beneath everything else in the back of the vehicle so that she could dig up a tree! I know that removing trees from crown land is probably not an entirely legal thing to do but I also know that the ones growing along the road allowance are mowed down from time to time to keep visibility clear for drivers. That perfect little tree wouldn’t survive if I didn’t rescue it! Being the patient husband that he is, Richard indulged this craziness and found the shovel. I dug up my tiny prize and temporarily housed it in the plastic garbage container that we carried in the vehicle. When we camped across the highway from the Liard River Hot Springs that evening, I planted it in an ice cream pail and there it stayed until we got home and it took up permanent residence in our backyard. In the 17 years that have passed, it has grown into a stately and still perfectly shaped tree. I remember waiting patiently for it to get big enough for its first string of Christmas lights and then, in no time, it grew so big that it was too difficult to bother stringing lights on it anymore.

The name was given by the children who were reading a hilarious book entitled The Plant That Ate Dirty Socks by Nancy McArthur that summer. Norman was one of the main characters. I resisted for a long time thinking that my brother, Norman, might be offended. I should have known better! He’s definitely not the kind of brother or uncle who would be upset by something like that. In fact, I think he quite likes the idea. Eventually even I began to call the tree Norman.

Richard isn’t as fond of Norman as I am. With his lower branches so close to the ground, he’s difficult to mow around. Richard has actually threatened to cut them off a time or two. I may not have been completely serious when I told him that that might lead to divorce but he hasn’t taken any chances! He also complains that I planted Norman too close to the house but his trunk is actually a full 12 feet from the back corner of the garage. Perhaps Richard’s lack of love for Norman goes all the way back to their rocky beginning on that frustrating day beside the highway but I think that that’s one of the reasons I’m so fond of Norman. After all, he’s not just a landscaping feature, he’s part of our family history!

Living out of a suitcase

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Though I still love the title, Following Augustine, I might have called this blog Living Out of a Suitcase since its original intent was to chronicle our travels and it still serves that purpose from time to time.

This week I read an article about a young man who spent six weeks travelling around the world without any luggage. None at all! He took nothing with him that wouldn’t fit into his pockets. I like to travel light but I’m afraid I couldn’t quite manage that! When we leave home, we have several suitcases to choose from but we decided to buy yet another one when we were in Calgary last weekend.

When we fly, we rarely take as much luggage as we’re allowed. In fact, we moved to Japan for an entire year with less than the full amount that the airline would have permitted. We did purchase one enormous suitcase for that trip though; one that probably won’t be used again. Shortly after we bought it, the airlines reduced the maximum allowable weight per bag from 70 lb (32 kg) to 50 lb (23 kg). Filling that enormous bag while keeping its weight under 50 lb was a major challenge. I don’t think they even make suitcases that big anymore. It’s so large that I could almost pack myself in it! Hmm… I’ll definitely have to remember that idea for future games of hide-and-seek with the grandchildren!

where's Gram?

Our most interesting and innovative piece of luggage is the two piece Mountain Equipment Coop backpack that Richard received from his school staff as a retirement gift. Attached together, the two multi pocketed bags are big enough that they have to fly as checked baggage but when separated, the larger wheeled pack and the smaller detachable day pack can travel as carry ons. They were absolutely perfect for short trips within Japan and also wandered Korea, Vietnam and Cambodia with us.

this + this

= this

We bought this set as an early retirement gift to ourselves when we made our first trip to Japan in 2005. They replaced the old soft sided suitcases that we’d been using for many years; some since my university days. Those ones didn’t have wheels which have to be the best addition to suitcase technology yet. The smaller one can go as either checked baggage or carry on and it’s great for overnight trips. The larger one serves us well when we’re away from home for several days.  Together they don’t give us quite enough space for longer trips like our upcoming two month sojourn to Saipan though.

On our recent six week trip to Japan, we took the set of two and the MEC backpack but that proved a bit awkward. Two people trying to push, pull or carry three pieces of luggage through crowded airports and on and off trains is just too difficult. Though the airlines permit international travellers to check two bags each, we’ve decided that the best rule of thumb is one person, one bag. That’s why we went shopping for yet another one similar in size to the larger one shown above.

We may not be willing or able to travel the world with nothing but what we can fit in our pockets but I’m completely confident that with one good sized suitcase each and a small carry on to hold a few essentials to tide us over if those suitcases don’t arrive at our destination at the same time as we do, we could travel indefinitely.

Don’t light my own torch!

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I had hoped to book our tickets to Saipan this week. In fact, I woke up in the wee hours of Monday morning feeling very stressed because this hadn’t already been done. We’re not actually going until sometime in mid June but I like to take care of things like this well in advance. This time, however, our travel plans depend on other people. We thought we had pretty much nailed down the dates that we’d be needed with the missionaries that we’ll be covering for but then news came of a possible youth retreat that they’d like us to be involved in. Not a problem! In fact, that sounds pretty exciting to us but now we have to wait on someone else’s plans as this would involve another person coming from off island to do the retreat.

So what was I doing Monday morning? Fretting. Stressing. Worrying. Wondering if I should simply pick some dates and go ahead and book our tickets.

Then God spoke! No, I didn’t hear a booming voice from heaven but I definitely heard him loud and clear. He could have said, “Be patient you silly, foolish child and let me take care of things or you’ll mess them up for sure!” but he’s kinder than that and perhaps a little more subtle.

I sat down to review the previous week’s homework in preparation for that evening’s Beth Moore Bible study and Isaiah 50:10b-11 jumped out at me:

“Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God. But now, all you who light fires and provide yourselves with flaming torches, go, walk in the light of your fires and of the torches you have set ablaze. This is what you shall receive from my hand: You will lie down in torment.”

It’s amazing how that happens; how God seems to know exactly what we need to hear and when we need to hear it! It’s so easy for me to want to take things into my own hands, to light my own torch and try to find the path on my own but God was reminding me to trust in him and to wait on his leading. So now there’s a highlighted note to self in the margin of my Bible study workbook:

Don’t light my own torch!

Instead, I’ll wait (patiently, I hope!) until we’re given a better idea when we need to be on Saipan and then I’ll book our tickets accordingly.


Walking around the world

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English countryside

I went for a walk in the English countryside this afternoon without ever leaving home! Yesterday, it was scenic Argyll in Scotland and perhaps tomorrow I’ll choose a segment of Italy’s Appian Way, the most historic road in the world.

Scotland

How is this possible? It’s easy with virtual walk DVDs from VITA Digital Productions! My sister got several of them for Christmas and after using them for the past three months, she loaned them to me. I rearranged the basement so that its tiny TV is right in front of the treadmill and off I went!

I’ve walked well over 200 miles since the beginning of September, many of them on the treadmill. That can get really boring but with these videos, time flies by and I hardly notice how far I’ve walked. Most of the videos are filmed at approximately 3 miles per hour, a little slower than I usually walk but that doesn’t seem to present a problem. It just gives me a little longer to notice details along the way. Argyll is actually one of VITA Digital’s Virtual Jog/Bike Ride videos so it was filmed at a much faster speed but even that seems to work. It’s a wee bit disorienting when the film speeds up on a downhill slope but so far, I’ve managed not to lose my balance!

All of the videos were recorded with natural sounds so as I walk, I can hear birds singing, water splashing or cars passing by. Some also have a music option so if I choose, I can put on my virtual earphones and listen to that instead.

I love visiting new and different places and have always considered walking the best way to see the sights but until we pack our suitcases again and head off to another foreign land, these DVDs will help satisfy my gypsy longings. In fact, I’ve already ordered four more of them. Soon I’ll be able to look down on the Mediterranean as I stroll the Isle of Capri or Italy’s famous Amalfi coast. I’ll also be able to go for a nature walk that will take me through all four seasons in 60 minutes but most of all, I’m looking forward to Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia. I won’t be able to stop for tea at Ronnie and Myrna’s but maybe I’ll walk by their house and see Lindy’s boat anchored offshore!

Eventually spring has to come, the huge drifts of snow will melt away and I’ll be able to spend more time walking outdoors again but until that happens, I’m going to enjoy walking around the world in the comfort and safety of my basement!

Isle of Capri

 

Jet lag

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Yesterday was 33 1/2 hours long! We woke up in Japan at 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning. Our plane left the runway exactly 12 hours later and 9 1/2 hours after that, we landed in Vancouver. It was a somewhat turbulent flight and although we tried to nap on the plane, we weren’t very successful.

When we landed in Vancouver, it was Tuesday morning again! I find it hard to get my head around but having crossed the International Date Line, we had gone back in time! Funny, we didn’t feel any younger!

My theory is that the best way to combat jet lag and get back into a normal routine is to stay up until a normal bedtime regardless of when you arrive somewhere. That meant staying awake for another 12 hours! We finally fell into bed last night and didn’t wake up until after 9:30 this morning! I’m sure it’ll be a few days before the effects of our super long day wear off completely but with the help of a bit of coffee, I’m managing.

Saying good-bye was hard to do especially since we don’t know when we’ll be back in Japan again. The most difficult part was leaving the four little children that we’ve become so close to. All under the age of 3, they will have changed so much by the time we see them again.

We had quite a send-off at the airport. We originally thought that we’d be making our way out to Narita by train which would be doable but not easy with all our baggage. Our friends wouldn’t hear of such a thing, however. Instead, we piled into Smoky and Ikuko’s little car with their entire family and all our luggage. On the way, we stopped at a highway rest stop where were met by Seiko and her two children!

Now we’re back in Canada enjoying our Vancouver grandchildren including Nathan Michael (Nate) born to Matt and Robin on February 15 while we were in Japan! He’s adorable, of course, and he and his big brother, Sam, don’t seem bothered by the fact that Gram and Grandpa are a wee bit tired.

Repacking

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We’ve been living out of suitcases for the past month. It hasn’t been as difficult as it might have been because we’ve been blessed to be able to use Pastor Steve and Shelley’s beautiful house as a home base and have only taken our smaller suitcases when we’ve left here to go to Osaka and to other homes in this area.  Our time here is running out, however, and the time has come for a complete repacking job.

We have four nights left in Japan. We’ll spend the first two with Seiko, Atsuo and their two boys (our Japanese grandsons) then move back to Smoky and Ikuko’s for the last two. Again, we’ll take only our smaller suitcases to Seiko and Atsuo’s but I want to have everything ready for our flight back to Canada today as we’ll only stop here for a few minutes to pick up the rest of our baggage on our way to Smoky and Ikuko’s after church on Sunday. We’ll go to the airport from their place on Tuesday.

So, everything is folded and sitting in piles on the bed and now it’s a matter of figuring out what goes in which bag. Instead, I’m procrastinating and sitting on the computer! It really isn’t that big of a job. We travel light and I know there’s enough room for everything. We’ve picked up a few mementos and gifts to take home with us but we’ve also unloaded the gifts that we brought for people here so it should even out.

We’ll be carrying an extra box back but that’s because we did some shopping for Matt and Robin while we’ve been here. Having lived in Japan for two years, there are things they can’t get at home that they wanted us to pick up. Their box is already packed though. Now it’s just a matter of getting our own stuff organized. So why am I still sitting here? Why am I procrastinating?

I’m looking forward to going home and especially to our ten day stopover in Vancouver where we’ll meet our new grandson who was born while we’ve been here but perhaps I’m also a little bit sad to see our time here coming to an end. I do love Japan and it’s going to be hard to say good bye again. We have to leave so many special people behind!

Crowds and quiet

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Over the past couple of weeks as we’ve revisited many of the places that we enjoyed during our year in Japan and explored a few new ones, I’ve been reminded how fortunate we were to live where we did. Funabashi is part of the greater Tokyo area but our students often referred to it as the countryside. To those of us who are used to the wide open spaces of the Canadian prairie, it is extremely urban but compared to the crowds and bustle of Tokyo proper, it’s definitely more peaceful. I loved being close enough to enjoy time in Tokyo but was always glad to return to the relative calm of our quieter neighbourhood.

Last night we had supper in downtown Tokyo with a friend from church who chooses to commute two hours to and from work each day in order to enjoy living in Chiba which is even further out than Funabashi. In addition to the more peaceful lifestyle, lower housing costs also draw people away from the city centre. We’ve been told that it costs less to rent an apartment in Funabashi than a parking stall in downtown Tokyo!

This week we’ve both immersed ourselves in the heart of the city and sought out quieter spots. It’s actually quite easy to do both. The day before yesterday, we walked through the bustling shopping districts of Harajuku and Shibuya and crossed the world’s busiest pedestrian intersection but we also strolled the wooded grounds of Yoyogi Koen. Today we revisited a smaller park in the area where we lived. I love the vibrancy of the world’s largest city but I’m glad I didn’t live in the middle of it. I also need time in more tranquil places.

Reflections

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When we taught English in Japan, most of our fellow teachers were the age of our children. Many of them were here for a year or two before returning to North America to establish careers or return to school for further education. Others moved on from our English school to other employment here in Japan. We were a bit concerned about a few who seemed to be in a rut, staying on at MIL only because they didn’t know what else to do with their lives. Today we had lunch with one of the young men that we taught with and were excited to hear about his plans. After five years in Japan, he’s on his way back to America to enter grad school.

After lunch, we headed out to the temple town of Narita to revisit one of our favourite spots. To me, the Buddhist temple, Shinsho-ji, dedicated to Fudo Myouou, the god of fire, is representative of the spiritual darkness that blankets this land but the grounds, especially those furthest from the temple itself, are an area of great beauty and tranquility. We’ve visited in both spring at cherry blossom time and in the fall when the trees were clothed in autumn splendor. Today, with many of them bare and only the earliest blossoms bursting forth, the look was somewhat starker but no less beautiful. Pathways circle three ponds with water flowing from one to the next. Without the colour of cherry blossoms or autumn leaves to focus on, my eye was especially drawn to reflections on the water.

A Tokyo stroll

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Our main reason for wanting to return to Japan was the people. Over the past couple of weeks we’ve reconnected with quite a few former students and colleagues as well as our wonderful church family. We’ve also had plenty of time to revisit favourite places in and around Tokyo and to explore some new ones. We continue to be amazed at how easily two hicks from rural Alberta manage to navigate the world’s largest city. Even when we get on the wrong train, as we did this morning, we manage to find our way.

We spent much of this afternoon strolling through Asakusa. The district’s big attraction is its Buddhist temple, Senso-ji, but we’d visited it before and have seen enough temples to last a lifetime so we spent our time exploring Nakamise-dori, the shopping street leading up to the temple where everything from junky tourist trinkets to genuine crafts are sold. We also wandered many of the little side streets surrounding it. After awhile, I’d had enough of shops and crowds so after relaxing over coffee at a nearby Starbuck’s, we went for a long stroll along the Sumida River. So relaxing!

As we walked, we had a good view of the newest structure on the Tokyo skyline. When complete, the Tokyo Sky Tree will be 634 metres high; the tallest tower in the world. It’s main purpose will be radio and television broadcasting but it will also house a restaurant and observation tower.

In spite of yesterday's snow, there are flowers in Tokyo in February!