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. At the end of WW2 the inhabitants were encouraged to commit suicide rather than surrender to the Americans and get tortured and eaten. They jumped off the cliffs at the souther end of the main island. If you have seen theoriginal color footage taken at the time. I am sure you were moved with mothers holding their babies jumping to th...
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Being back in McMurdo is more of a sensory treat than I expected. I can only imagine what New Zealand will be like. I have my Ice flight on January 30th. It is all subject to change, delays and equipment failures.

I have a lot to do in this last week.

I made freinds with an ex-senior chief from the navy and he said when he left some of the ships he was on he couldn't look back. There have been a lot of people who have left impressions on me here. Almost all of these impressions were generously shared experiences of which I am grateful.

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