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Showing posts from December 23, 2012

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 am back from my hiking and camping trip on the Appalachian trail in North Georgia. I went solo. They call it hiking, but it is really mountain climbing. When you are on the AT and you see a mountain ahead, you can be pretty sure you will be hiking to the summit. One of the benefits of winter hiking is that you can see the mountains more clearly since the canopy is not obscuring them as much. The area has lots of black bears. I have to admit I thought a little of them. Although, I certainly did not get preoccupied with the thoughts of bears. I slept long and hard. I awoke about 3:00 AM by a large tree falling in the forest. I guess I was supposed to be there to hear it fall. I am sure no other human heard it. It was rainy, and cold about half the time, but absolutely manageable. I did some night hiking as well. At some points, the fog was so thick I had a hard time seeing the trail. It was a little bit extreme and a very good way to spend Christmas.
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