Honshu and Okinawa

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I am back. I spent 10 days in Japan, 5 days for work on the main island of Honshu and 5 days of solo adventure in Okinawa. Travel is so invigorating dispite the uncomfortableness. Jetlag, anxiety, crowds, and other discomforts aside, it is mind-expanding and rewarding. Work went well. I flew a new airline (Skymark) from Tokyo to Naha. I am always wary of strange discount airlines and all the traps they set. However, I had a great expereince with "Sky". I was actually shocked. Super easy checkin at the airport, no extra fees even with extra luggage. The primary mission in Okinawa was to visit the Peace Park and the suicide cliffs of Okinawa. From what I understand, at the end of WW2 the inhabitants were encouraged to commit suicide rather than surrender to the Americans and get tortured and eaten. Besides other types of suicide, they jumped off the cliffs at the Southern end of the main island. If you have seen the original color footage taken at the time, I am sure you ...
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I went up to the ham shack last night. The 20 meter band opened up and the next thing I knew I has working the pointy end of a very large pile up. We did do some rag chewing and some of the contacts were especially fun. I will have to spend some more time up there. We have another 2 day weekend coming up for new years. I am going to volunteer in the galley, cleanup around the ham shack, and work on my movie.

This photo of a skua and her chick was given to me by a co-worker. The orca picture was taken last year in the shipping channel. The shipping channel is a cut in the sea ice made by an ice breaker in order to get the supply ships (and others) to the ice pier here at McMurdo. The Swedish Ice Breaker "Oden" is cutting the shipping channel this year. We are still hoping the sea ice will breakup and move out leaving a liquid McMurdo Sound.

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Anonymous said…
That's a big fish, huh!
GM
2:01 PM
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Honshu and Okinawa

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Image
I am back. I spent 10 days in Japan, 5 days for work on the main island of Honshu and 5 days of solo adventure in Okinawa. Travel is so invigorating dispite the uncomfortableness. Jetlag, anxiety, crowds, and other discomforts aside, it is mind-expanding and rewarding. Work went well. I flew a new airline (Skymark) from Tokyo to Naha. I am always wary of strange discount airlines and all the traps they set. However, I had a great expereince with "Sky". I was actually shocked. Super easy checkin at the airport, no extra fees even with extra luggage. The primary mission in Okinawa was to visit the Peace Park and the suicide cliffs of Okinawa. From what I understand, at the end of WW2 the inhabitants were encouraged to commit suicide rather than surrender to the Americans and get tortured and eaten. Besides other types of suicide, they jumped off the cliffs at the Southern end of the main island. If you have seen the original color footage taken at the time, I am sure you ...
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