Time. Precious Time.

I left Australia on the Friday the 21st,
Took the flight first to Kuala Lumpur, then to Narita.
The airplane from Kuala Lumpur was half empty, with over 90% of its passengers Japanese. So, that was what the news was about - the number of overseas tourists to Japan dropping to less than half.
As the plane approached Narita, the inside of the cabin began to warm up.
That's right. Japan was in late Spring, beginning of Summer.

Being in Japan I noticed that the train was still a lot faster and the service was more frequent than Australia. Toilets are auto-flash of course, these electric appliances with extra features but no-energy saving features, most escalators still operating but no lifts for disabled persons.
Sure the lights in the shops are rather dim, (so they say, but to me it's bright enough) and probably many people must be finding the post 3/11 life hard.

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The day I arrived in Japan was warm and sunny.
All I did was talking to mum, eating and resting.
Well, there was no Internet connected and the books I brought from Australia were fairly boring. (I had the high expectation since the authors are fabulous writers.)

The next day, the rainy season kicked in.
Then came the typhoon No.2. Doh.
Indeed it rained all the way through while I was in Japan.
The only other day that didn't rain was the day of my departure.

You see, with the incessant rain and no Internet,
I had more intimate time with my family.
The late night talk with mum in the futons laid side by side, accompanied by the sound of rain quietly pelting the roof,
and the walks we had and the shopping in the rain. How stupid it was, walking with umbrella open, fighting the merciless wind!
But, tell you what, it was beautiful. The flowers and trees were beautiful.
Actually most photos I took in Japan were of flowers and trees, because I didn't take any short trips.

During those two weeks I was with mum, I didn't use a mobile phone.
I could only use Internet at home for the last 4 days, using it only for e-mailing most of the time, which was reminiscent of the life 15 years ago.
It wasn't convenient, but wasn't too inconvenient either.
It made me think of how the human interaction was more direct and poignant in pre-Internet era.

But it wasn't that bad. We Japanese should be saving more electricity and transferring that extra electricity to where it's needed, such as hospitals and nursing homes.

I came back to Australia, to Ian, on the June the 4th.
I was glad that I went to Japan - but I am so glad to be back in Melbourne.
I appreciate my luck of seeing my family well and safe, that the home-coming wasn't heart-wrenching. It pained to think about those who are less-fortunate and having to go through the traumatic time.

God, how lucky I am alive.
Everyday, every minute is so precious,
because you'd never know where and when it ends.

Remember in the morning,
how beautiful it is just to feel your heart beating still,
see your loved one's face next to you,
hear the sound from the backyard and such.

Time I have now is god's blessing. (Saying that I'm an atheist.)