Happy St. Patrick’s Day from Fife, Scotland.
I’ve managed to conjure up some Guinness to mark the occasion.
Travel
Good morning from a very wet and cold Edinburgh.
I’m on the train heading out to Dunfermline to stay with my mum for the weekend and catch up with my sister and her family.
Enjoyed a really nice evening with a fellow psychologist in Edinburgh last night. The Guinness was epic, though I’m feeling it this morning! 🤣
Good evening from a very damp and cold Edinburgh.
Time for some liquid refreshment.
I’ve had a much better day today
Had a very productive morning in the office and an even better afternoon working from home.
Just back from the gym and now it’s time to pack for tomorrow’s trip to Edinburgh.
📸 Visual proof of just how exhausted I am this evening.
Still made it to the gym though, and managed 45mins on the elliptical. Whiled away the time by watching YouTube videos about life in Tokyo and doing some travel planning for later this year.
Heading into the office after yet another weekend that felt just too short.
Thankfully, this is a three day week for me and then I’m off to Scotland to see family.
Better get cracking on my todo list then!
📆 2024: Week Ten
Sunday, March 10, 2024
An unusual week, this one. I started it in a hospital and I’m finishing it on the sofa. Feeling fine now and looking forward to the week ahead. Wellbeing After Monday’s hospital tests, which all went to plan, I’m now waiting on my next appointment with the consultant to get some answers and a plan of action. I’m not sure how much was physical and how much was psychological, but it took me a few days to feel like my normal self.📸 A mid-afternoon treat: some delicious mini KitKats from last month’s visit to Japan.
Memories of last month’s trip to Japan and my visit to the Miyagi Zao Fox Village.
2024: Week Nine
Sunday, March 3, 2024
After a couple of weeks off due to my visit to Japan, I’m back into the weekly habit of posting an update of the week that was. Travel and adventure The main update here is my return from Japan. It always feels like a wrench to leave Tokyo, but this was somewhat lessened due to my excellent journey home. Though it was far from efficient. I flew with Malaysia airlines from Tokyo to Kuala Lumpur and then from Kuala Lumpur to London.Awake since 5am.
No, not jet lag. At least, not mine.
Husband arrived back from Japan yesterday afternoon and has been wide awake since 3am. Whereas I would read or mindlessly scroll, he’s been up doing laundry and housework.
I’m exhausted just listening to it.
Just when I think I’ve got this jet lag beat once and for all, around comes 4pm.
And my body and brain immediately go into standby mode. I’m just grateful it’s Friday and I could have a fairly quiet afternoon.
Back in the office for the first time since Japan.
And I’m not going to lie, I could feel better. I slept from 9pm until 6am this morning, so it’s not a lack of sleep. It’s a lack of Tokyo!
Wednesday, February 28, 2024 →
Oooof. Battling the jet lag this afternoon.
After several very productive hours - unpacking my suitcase, two loads of laundry, a shower and shave, and a trip to get some groceries - I’ve hit the wall. And not even the prospect of season two of Battlestar Galactica can keep me awake.
I need a nap to keep going, but I also need to set an alarm. Otherwise, I’m going to sleep until sunrise tomorrow.
Stay awake!
Wednesday, February 28, 2024
Landed at Heathrow after a wonderful flight from KL. I slept most of the way, except when I was eating delicious food and chatting with the cabin crew. Though I do wonder why so many of my fellow passengers think it’s okay to be so rude and dismissive to the crew. Blows my mind. And now… a 25mins wait for a train into London. Because god forbid there would be public transport available from when the first flights arrive in the morning.Lounging about in Malaysia...
Tuesday, February 27, 2024
Given I was worried how I was going to spend my layover here in Kuala Lumpur Airport, I’m amazed how quickly the time has gone by. Once I was clear on what terminal I needed to be in (the same one I landed in - yay!), I headed to the Malaysian Airlines lounge and did some work admin (primarily, sorting out my work expenses for this month), cleared by work email inbox, and enjoyed some nice champagne and cheese.Three cheers for Malaysian!
Tuesday, February 27, 2024
Just landed in KL… And I have to gush about my flight with Malaysian Airlines. I don’t think I’ve had a friendlier or more attentive crew on any flight. They were incredible. Add to that some delicious food plentiful champagne and a comfy seat and I was all set. The seven hour flight from Tokyo really flew by. I’m going to gloss over the vile man behind me, whose body odour wafted in behind him as he boarded and whose snoring was audible over my Bose noise-cancelling headphones.A day of flying ahead...
Tuesday, February 27, 2024
About to board the first of two long-ass flights today. First, Tokyo Narita to Kuala Lumpur. Then a six-hour layover, followed by KL to London Heathrow. And while I can’t wait to enjoy some of the famous Malaysian Airlines hospitality, all I want to do as soon as I board is get some sleep. Last night brought little to no sleep, so I’m a bit destroyed this morning. Still, I made it out to Narita single-handed, navigated check-in and security and found my way to the JAL lounge for some breakfast.The morning after our last big night out in Tokyo and…I’m dying 🤕
But it was such fun, I’d do it all over again. Except I can’t. Tomorrow’s flight to Kuala Lumpur is at 10am so I have to get the first Narita Express train. At 5:55am.
On a surprisingly quiet Shinkansen back to Tokyo.
Funnily enough, having Vietnamese for lunch.
Gorgeous little place in the centre of Sendai.
A deliciousus matcha latte here in Sendai.
Just what I needed after wandering around town this morning.
Went to the Miyagi Zao fox village and saw some foxes! 🦊
Beautiful to look at but you can imagine how the place smelled! Up in the mountains, covered in snow. A lovely experience but now it’s time to warm up in an onsen. ♨️
Sendai, from above
Friday, February 23, 2024
Thanks to my friend’s status with the local Westin hotel, we have a room on the 34th floor here in Sendai. And the views are absolutely spectacular. After a quick rest and a shower to freshen up, we’re taking advantage of the hospitality of the executive lounge. I’m a sucker for a self-pour beer machine, and the one they have from Asahi is great! Throw in some nuts and decent wifi and I’m a happy guest.Time to brave the elements and go cause some mischief in Ni-Chome!
Rainy days in Tokyo
Thursday, February 22, 2024
I have to admit that today’s weather put a bit of a dampener on things, so I didn’t get to do as much as I’d planned. We enjoyed a coffee and a wander around Meguro this morning. We visited the Traveler’s Factory shop,home of my favourite notebooks, but I didn’t buy any. I have a significant backlog to work through back home. It was still lovely to see what was on offer, and I bought The Frank Flyer a new penknife.Wednesday, February 21, 2024 →
I’ve no idea what we’re going to get up to in Tokyo today.
The weather is a bit rubbish, so that might limit our outdoor wandering. But if there’s one thing Tokyo isn’t short of, it’s umbrellas! I’m sure we’ll survive.
I have quite a few things left on my list fort his trip - and this and Monday are my last full days in Tokyo - as I’m spending the weekend up in Sendai. But first, some more coffee and a nice hotel breakfast to get my brain in gear.
Wednesday, February 21, 2024 →
Nobody needs to see another photo of me in the bath!
Unless it’s in a beautiful onsen in Hakone, Japan. This has to have been the most relaxed I’ve felt since… the last time I was in an onsen. An incredible experience, one I’ll miss terribly once I return to London.
Birthday bonuses ♨️🗼🥂
Wednesday, February 21, 2024
I spent my birthday today split between Hakone and Tokyo. And it was fabulous. I started in Hakone with a soak in the hotel’s amazing onsen. It was everything I could have hoped for. Nice and quiet, boiling hot, and with a wonderful view of the hills overlooking the hotel. Afterwards, a delicious breakfast and a train back into Tokyo. A couple of hours later, I was sitting down to an incredible afternoon tea at The Tokyo Edition where everything was delicious and presented with panache.Bath time
Monday, February 19, 2024
Yesterday I spent a good chunk of the afternoon, soaking in a local onsen here in Shinjuku Tokyo. It was just what my tired and jetlagged body needed. I could switch off completely - free of my mobile phone, and any other devices - and just focus on relaxing in a series of different baths, a sauna, a steam room and then some more baths. Half-way through the experience, I put on my fancy onsen “pyjamas” and headed down to the restaurant where I enjoyed a delicious pork Katsu curry and a bottle of Asahi alcohol-free beer.