Yokohama

Yokohama is much smaller. This was our last day in Japan and so me and my roomie Clara went with some friends to the Starbucks in little China Town to Skype our friend Genna who had to go home in India because she had malaria. We miss her so much and so it was so good to catch up with her and hear her voice! Then we got lunch in China town and walked around town and had coffee. It was nice to just soak up the last couple of hours in Japan and be in our last international port. I didn’t have any expectations for Japan and I didn’t know what to expect, but it exceeded the expectations that I didn’t have and I really liked it. Japan has so much style! One thing that I loved about Japan was their attention to detail, especially in shopping malls. When you make a purchase they ask you if you want your purchase gift-wrapped? I always say no. If you buy something like stationary without gift-wrapping, they take the paper and wrap it in tissue. Then they fold it into a decorative paper, take a ribbon and make a loop that they stick with a sticker. Then they put it in another small paper sack before putting into a sack with handles and then tape that sack shut. If you have ever seen the movie Love Actually (my favorite movie of all time) and have seen the scene where he is gift-wrapping with cinnamon and holly with candy on top, it was just like that! It made me wonder what a purchase with gift-wrapping would look like.
Speaking of gift wrapping and the holidays, I busted out my Bob Dylan Holiday tunes and we decorated our room with holiday garlands and Thanksgiving is tomorrow! We actually have two Thanksgivings because we are crossing the international date line and will finally be back from the future. For the past few days I have been living in the future…a day ahead of all of you, and as I told my grand dad on the phone, I have known all about your tomorrows since I have already lived your yesterdays. This also means that with two Thanksgivings I will have extra time to think about all the things I am thankful for, but I will share a few with you now. I am thankful for all of my friends and family. I am thankful to have the opportunity to travel the world, to learn and explore. I am thankful for clean water, for food, for shelter, for happiness, for safety, for health. I am thankful for you–Happy Thanksgiving from the Pacific Ocean. xoxo