State Lines

Well, we picked up the RV in Florida on Monday. It is a bit smaller than we thought - not so much storage so Charlie and I are sharing our bed with the golf clubs. Very cute and it will be better on gas and easier to drive than one of those big monsters.

We spent the first night in Ferdinanda Beach in Northern Florida - a beautiful state park called Port Clinch. All white sand dunes and bleached wood board walks, quite beautiful. Total rank amateurs at this RV-ing thing, there was water dripping down the side of the vehicle and we had no idea why. A nice German man came and helped and between them he and Charlie found that our pump head seems to be leaking - nothing too serious we are just economising on the pump use for now.

Did a tour of the historic fort and walked on the beach collecting shells - Isla loved it.

She Loves It.

Hello America!

We made it! We arrived in the Florida late on Friday night, we are here in an Orlando resort hotel for a few days. We were totally disorganised, booking the flight Wednesday night, the RV Thursday afternoon and the hotel just before bed on Thursday night. As soon as it was done we were EXCITED! We have a very loose plan, places we both want the see and which direction we will be travelling in. It is a trip both Charlie and I have wanted to take together for a while, we pick up the RV tomorrow morning at 10am, we have an intensive lesson on how to operate it and then off we go - approximately 6000 miles in the next two months.

We have our first campsite booked for tomorrow night, a national park in Florida, beach front and in the middle of nowhere. There are a couple of major cities we would like to visit but mainly we want to stay rural - trying to get to the opposite end of the spectrum after London for 10 years then Tokyo for a year.

Wooohooooo!

Happy Mothers Day!

Get Ready!

Arghhhhhh!

She already fits in!

Goodbye Japan!

It has been a while since I posted as things have been crazy. I can’t quite believe that our year in Tokyo has come to an end, and in a way I never imagined.

On Friday 11^th March I was home with Isla when the earthquake hit; it was scary – doors banging, things falling out of cupboards, like the ground was rolling. Charlie was at work on the 8^th floor and saw other high rise buildings swaying towards his. He walked home from work and we had a relatively normal weekend, despite the aftershocks. On Monday Charlie went to work and at home with Isla I fielded one call after another from friends leaving Tokyo, some just going south and others back to their home country. A big aftershock at 11am and I called Charlie, we were worried about the nuclear situation so decided Charlie should take some holiday – we booked a flight, threw some things in a bag and headed to the airport for an impromptu holiday in Canada. We were so lucky we had the option to do that, all those poor people who have lost loved ones and their homes are still stuck in Japan.

We were due to leave, me at the end of March and Charlie a couple of weeks later. After a week in Vancouver Charlie headed back to pack up the flat and Isla and I flew to the UK. Charlie is due back here tomorrow – we are very excited to see him.

A sad end to what was a wonderful year – we loved experiencing Japan, and visiting other great places like Vietnam, The Philippines and Australia from there. We met wonderful people and made friends we will keep in contact with and hopefully see again somewhere. I really wish we had the chance to say goodbye to them properly.

We are excited about the next adventure – a month in the UK catching up with friends, onto the US to spend a couple of months exploring in an RV, then Vancouver to find jobs and settle down for a while.

All change again!

PS - This is the link if you want to donate to help the relief effort in Japan:

www.redcross.org.uk/JapanTsunami

In the park with Sasho

On Sunday Charlie played rugby so Isla and I headed out to see our friends Stasy and Sasho at Komazowa Park. Sasho is Isla's favourite friend, she used to shout "Mummy, Mummy" when she woke up, but now I hear "Sasho, Sasho" from her bedroom instead. We had a great time, they chased each other, did some digging in the sandpit and sliding. And the weather was so warm, who would have thought it would be snowing the next day.

PS - I can't believe she kept that headband on all day!

Time Flies

Wow - we have been in Japan for a year now. It seems like hardly a moment ago we arrived here with a little baby in tow, not knowing anybody, a little bit excited and a little bit nervous. Now look at us, lots of friends from all around the world and thinking about saying goodbye. But still excited and a little bit nervous about the NEXT adventure. Bring it on.

A song for a Tuesday Morning