Some Random Thoughts from Japan

By Lynne Thornton, guest blogger

Wendy is letting me a “guest writer” on her blog while we are in Japan. I have never done this before and I can only hope that you will enjoy reading this so here goes.

Japan is VERY hot in August. Wendy had warned us of this but it was really the only time that worked for all of us to visit. For those of you that know me well, I don’t do heat well at all. We have been out walking in it for 5 days now pretty much from sunrise to sunset and it has been so great, we have seen so much. Wendy has been an amazing tour guide. I definitely would not want to be here on my own trying to get everywhere that she has taken us.

One of the things that I knew I was going to miss when we came to Japan were the Olympics. I really enjoy watching the Olympics and I set up the DVR at home so that I could watch them when I get home. Wendy knows how the Gymnastic team did but I have asked her not to tell me. I have seen Michael Phelps a couple of times on Japanese TV with Japanese announcers (which is funny at first and then VERY irritating). When we were in Hiroshima & Tokoyo, we were able to watch LIVE Olympics but it was all Japan participants (who knew there could be so many live Judo & Ju-jitsu matches)? I am truly looking forward to coming home and watching the Olympics two weeks late with English speaking announcers.

If you come to Japan, try not to come during their ‘holiday”. This is when a lot of the businesses close down and everyone does the stuff that WE are trying to do. We went to Disney Sea yesterday in Tokyo and there were so many people. We got there at 10am and left at 9pm and rode only 4 rides because of the lines. It was crazy. BUT…at least I am not a Disney virgin any more. Yes, it is true, at the ripe old age of 44, I have made my first trip to Disney!!!!!

Japanese woman are very beautiful AND they don’t sweat (did I mention it is HOT in Japan)??? Yesterday I was watching them in line and none of them were sweating – their hair was perfect, their face was perfect, just absolutely beautiful woman. The craziest part of this is that even in this heat, some woman wear long pants and long gloves to protect themselves from the sun. I guess this is how they stay looking so young for so long.

My last random thought is going to be about Wendy. She is not Japanese but she IS very beautiful. I have been amazed this week at how fluently she has mastered the Japanese language and culture. She has been a terrific host and an absolute perfect tour guide. Yes, there have been some issues along the way, not in her control, but it has been a wonderful week. Wendy and I can get on each others nerves when we are together for a long period of time but we always end of getting through it – we just try and leave each other alone for awhile which is what we ended up doing today. Gary and I took off on an adventure on our own to Fuji while Wendy came back to Nagoya. This gave Gary and I some alone time and it gave Wendy a chance to have her apartment to herself for a few hours without having to keep us busy. It also gave Gary and I a chance to see what we have learned (and retained) from Wendy over the past week of how to get around Japan. I will always remember the look on Wendy’s face when we made it back to her apartment. She was amazed that we had done so well. (THANK YOU Wendy for an incredible time in Japan.) Someday I hope that she will be blessed with a daughter and my greatest hope for her is that she will have a great relationship with her and she will then be able to completely understand the pride of watching your baby girl turn into such a beautiful woman before your eyes. Wendy, you continue to amaze me and I hope you know how much you mean to me and how much I Love You.