So I'm back. From round one.
Just thought I should let y'all know!
Am glad that I made the (fairly forced-hand) "decision" to come home before 第二ラウンド！(dai ni raundo - the second round) with the Beenz . . . . the 11th is almost upon us!

I have lots of photos and some great new experiences. Funnily enough I was in the same places at exactly the same time last year - how things change. Osaka, Kyoto, this time with the addition of Kobe today. It was a very different trip.

This time has taught me something about travelling with others. As did last time. I have a lot to say but a fair bit of it is not on the positive side so I think I'll leave that for tomorrow. Suffice to that things ended on a nice note and I can home to a late dinner with my loving funny - Riyo has evidentally been waiting for her Ice-giver to come home and feed her ice from the freezer at her command. Thanks to my travels with Ara I have learnt a lot about how to choose a travel partner (am looking forward to travelling with Beenz anyway) but I have a lot to thank Ara for . . . without whom the trip would have been very different and maybe more like before. This has been one "interesting in unexpected ways" trip, the experience of which I am thankfully. I am fairly much assured that Ara won't be reading this so I might get into a few nitty gritties tomorrow . . .

I have three nights and two days for organising here before I

Just wanted to say HI.

Thanks to Aliese for many informative emails - I thought that the Steve Irwin one was a joke but even Kumi was able to tell me that it had been on the news here too.
To Midge, am still alive and kicking ~ packing going ok ~ I was surprised to come home and realise how tidy I left my room looking now that I've shut away most off it - a bit worried about opening the cupboard until Beenz arrives with many a space case in hand.

It was also nice to hear Pippa's voice (all the way from Finlandia) tonight for the first time in a long time. Even if all I could do was listen and try to write back quickly hoping she'd comprehend my train of thought through the lack of punctuation.
** To those in the Pippa know . . . Strangely I have been having the same crazy urges to studying print making again and particularly fabric design and the like . . . I was so excited by a lot of the stuff that I saw in Kyoto again . . . It (and the numerous cups of sugar-loaded tea that pass as dinner) had my head racing all night and then again early in the morning with Beatlesque "very ingenious plans" . . . if only I can get them all down on paper and then out in the wider world . . . I think there will need to be a new round of cushion making. But this time I shall selfishly keep all the prettiest ones for myself!!
Also really glad to hear that Pips liked the crazy J-pop CD that I made for her . . . if anyone else wishes to subject themselves to the latest in my J-pop delectations . . . You know where to post a comment!!

BTW . . . must get to sleep - so many errands tomorrow - it's my last weekday left before TRAVELBEENZ extravaganza begins . . . BUT, yes, Aliese and Denni there was only one glove in there on purpose . . . it's not a Japanese idea, simply one of my own . . . please refer to some early post . . . can't be bothered finding and referencing it myself . . . . Exam time . . . mid-july?? Look it up if you please. I decided the whole crazy two glove thing was dumb but I was subverse their weirdo obsession with white skin but disturbing only one glove sets.
Plus I only bought a small number of those pretty buttons and they weren't that easy to sew one right down at the fingertips. Glad to know you liked the package.