Sayonara!

The transition of solitude, calm and peace of Bali to constant companionship, busy and hectic schedule was a bit of a challenge to start.  Not knowing my travel mates well, and figuring out where I fit in this new dynamic.  We came from different prior travel experiences – though the common bond of international travel helped.

It was Leo's idea to give me this mini shrine from Fushimi Inari.  Later, he felt that his hives, stomach issues, lightheadedness might be affected from having taken this shrine from a Temple.  In this photo Leo hold his evil eyes for protection from any bad energy!!

Both Sony and Leo were pretty amenable to camping out with me in a western style hotel even though their comfort level was in a natural setting outdoors.  So I am grateful for that.  My heartfelt thanks for Sony for caring about how I was managing, for making so much of this trip come together on a daily basis, for hanging back with me on the bikes, for a worthy component in scrabble, for teaching me all about the “freebies,” Japanese bathhouse etiquette, the in depth conversations about life, love and travel and much more.  You'll be glad to hear that Japan is elevated to a 9 rating.

To Leo for encouraging our meeting in Japan, for making the trip come together, for musical quizzes that only you and I know the answers, for spirited photo competitions, for your willingness to play scrabble, for my winning massages, for the gifts from Mongolia , China and Japan …makes me wonder about the origin of those gifts, and for his fine cinematic choices and for navigating us from place to place.

90 minute bus ride to Osaka
2.5 hour wait
3 hour Jetstar flight to Taipei

Osaka airport was wide open.  Deserted.

Actually kind of spooky...

like twilight zone

eery

4.5 hour wait in business lounge

10.5 hour flight Taipei to SFO

international terminal Taipei

10.5 flight, two meals, 5 hours of sleep, 1/2 movie on Air China

Ah, arrival in SFO at 6:37pm.

Dylan and Susie met me with the third suitcase which we check in, head to have a baileys then off to board the plane.

Virgin First Class offered free wifi so I skyped with Tony.  Man, some stuff is super cool!  I worked on the blog in the air.  Very cool.  Flight was another 2 hours...

It was such a beautiful day, I rode my bike and took these Seattle photos to remind myself and others what a fabulous city we live in!

to round off my day in preparation for work on Monday after arriving late Friday night, got my haircut into a new style.  What do you think??