Not Made in Japan -- Part I

If there is such a thing as reincarnation I can say with absolute certainty that I did not, at any time, spend another life in Japan.

Now, don’t get me wrong -- my recent two-week excursion to the beautiful land of cherry blossoms and shabu shabu was most enjoyable and creatively inspiring. It coloured my thoughts and fed my imagination plenty. But I can honestly say I had no sense of belonging the entire time I was there. And there are good reasons ... funny reasons ... but you'll need to read on to find out. ;-)

In the next few blogs I’ll share a personal journey (from September 25 to October 10, 2010) that took my partner Lloyd and I to Tokyo, Hakone (Mt. Fuji), Hiroshima and Kyoto. It won’t be a travelog, but more like summary stories of occasions and experiences that left an indelible impression and tickled my funny bone during those two amazing weeks.

So, let’s get started ...

First, why a trip to Japan?

Lloyd participates in an international study group which meets twice a year in different parts of the world represented by the members of the group. Since 2008, when Lloyd started attending these meetings, we have visted the Czech Republic, Bosnia-Herzogovina, Argentina, Italy and Germany. Regrettably I haven’t written about those trips (yet), but needless to say my experiences in each of these unique destinations have left lasting impressions, provided wonderful memories and have, in their own special way, changed my life. And naturally, like most travellers, I felt more comfortable in some than in others.

Since the meetings are far from our home in Southern Ontario we usually extend the trips to include some vacation time. This way we can experience the social and cultural flavours of the area together before and after the actual business portion of the trip. Then, while Lloyd is sequestered with his study group in a hotel or office meeting room somewhere, I get to swan off with the partner program on fun day excursions to museums, cathedrals and other local attractions.

And so it was with Japan. On this occasion, however, we made travel plans with our Dutch friends, Bob and Jo (names changed to protect the innocent), whom we had met through the international group. We planned six nights in Tokyo, including the three-day business meeting, two nights in Hakone, two nights in Hiroshima, and four nights in Kyoto -- a very full trip indeed.

Preparations

The build-up to this particular trip was a little unusual for me, however. Usually I would prepare by reading up on a locale to get an idea of what to see, what to buy, where to eat, and the local culture, etc., and start planning my wardrobe/packing based on the planned activities and the forecasted weather.

On this occasion, however, I had been feeling my “woman of a certain age” status quite profoundly, having negotiated for several months a barrage of anxiety attacks courtesy of my new adventures in menopause. This almost caused me to pull the plug on my travels as self-management was posing an annoying challenge. If I couldn’t control this anxiety at home how was I going to in a foreign culture thousands of miles away? The triggers were unpredictable and this was a source of concern, especially as bouts of panic had pounced on me several times in Germany in the spring. The last thing I needed was to relive that hormonal horror and be a source of anxiety and concern for my travel companions.

Fortunately, a week before our departure, a minor miracle unfolded. After a particularly unnerving menopausal moment at the dojo in the middle of Kata class I decided enough was enough and that I had to get help ... and fast!

So the next day, after an equally unsettling moment on my horse, I carted my mess of discombobulated hormones to a local health store, spilled their confusion into the ether and listened with relief as a lovely, knowledgeable health professional calmly reassured me all was not lost. She placed a small package of blue miracle pills in my hand: "Take these, you'll feel better." Could it possibly be that simple? I wondered.

Desperate and with no where else to turn I made my purchase and promptly popped a couple of pills into my mouth. Hallelujah! Within two hours, all my symptoms were gone! In fact, over the ensuing week I couldn’t have dreamt up a panic attack if I tried! Those lovely little pills provided the peace of mind I needed to commit to the trip ... and enjoy it!

Finally comfortable with the idea of traveling, I was besieged by another conundrum ... I had been so pre-occupied with grappling the menopausal beast that I had not given a moment’s serious thought to researching my destination or, perhaps more pressingly, preparing my wardrobe for the trip.

But that's a story for another day ...

Stay tuned for Not Made in Japan -- Part 2 -- Oversized in the Orient