fashion robot games (日本 3)
I didn’t set out to have a specific experience in Tokyo. I just wanted to run into whatever 日本 had to offer. Somehow, this day filled with all the typical Japanese things you see in popular culture in the US.
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arabian rock
I hear Tokyo doesn’t really have bars like the ones in the US that are just bars. They more closely resemble restaurants that serve drinks. These bars are often themed. Hiccup and Sister wanted to take us to an Aladdin themed bar in Shinjuku called Arabian Rock. They had been here once before. I’ve since read online that it is one of the wackiest.
peaceful out (last day in 日本)
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We got out early on our last day and rode once more to Harajuku Station. This time instead of turning into the chaotic and colorful shops, we went the opposite direction, across the bridge, and into the woods.
honored dog & fish feet (日本 2)
**My intention was to publish updates every night in Tokyo. However, I met some challenges. One was the struggle to find consistent internet with my gaijin iPad. The other challenge was exhaustion after running around Tokyo from 8A to 12A everyday. Sleep won that battle. I offer a thousand apologies for any inconvenience or anxiety this may have caused. Also, I can avoid the mess of a rush job like my last post. Further apologies offered.**
On our second day in Tokyo, we met up with our friend Hiccup and his Sister who lives in Japan. It’s amusing being so far from home and see people you know. Something is familiar, but in the wrong setting. It added to the jumble that is Tokyo, throwing me off a little more. Sister showed us around to some crazy fun sights.
| We headed out to Yokohama to go to the ramen museum. First we made a stop at the famous Shibuya Station statue of the faithful dog Hachikō. This Akita Inu met his human, a professor, at the station daily as he came home from work. The professor unexpectedly passed away one day and never returned to meet Hachikō. Still, Hachikō waited everyday at Shibuya Station for nine years feed only by kind commuters. This loyal dog still shows up in popular culture almost 80 years later. |  |
日本へようこそ！
| We are finally on our trip to Japan! I’ve dreamed of this for as long as I can remember. It’s hard to believe we are here, but there are constant reminders that we are “外人” (foreigners). We spent our first day re-learning how to turn on lights and get on trains. |  |
2 son drive
Once in a while we head down to Tucson to visit good friends, Rachel and Robin. Rachel and I were in college together in Chicago and since discovered several parallels in our lives. We both live in Arizona now and ThePilot and I enjoy a drive down to Tucson to see them. Rachel is a photographer (Urban Abstrakt Photography) and always takes amazing pictures of us.
Last month we planned a drive down on a weekend that happened to coincide Tucson’s Pride weekend. I have never been to a Pride event in Arizona before this one. Arizona is too hot in June, the typical Pride month, to hold an outdoor event. They are smartly held in cooler months so no one dies of excitement.
One of the best things about any Pride event is the diversity within the LGBTQ population. We’re not all the same. Some of us stand out. Some of us look like you. We all have families and dreams and are deserving of love and dignity. I also love seeing all the colors and smiles!
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welcome to the new 20s
| Uncle$am is my best adventure friend. Although we happen to be blood related, we have a historic bond that goes beyond the inadequate title of “brother.” We have jumped out of planes, been tattooed (permanent ink), and run from madmen armed with poles. The last one landed Uncle$am in the hospital with a broken arm (You thought that was a joke?). |  |
| Needless to say, a tea party for Uncle $am’s 30th birthday would fall short of epic aims. So when his wifey, PeaceLovingYippie, told me she wanted to surprise him with a “Zip Line & Dine” event at the US National Whitewater Center in Charlotte, I knew we must. I heard people say that 30s are now the new 20s and I wanted to welcome him to another year with a fun adventure. |
wowi (last day)
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| I woke on our 3rd day in Ka’anapali to discover I had been tagged for time in the Westin pools. After a quick sip of coffee, we had a quick dip in water. To me, it’s a little unnecessary to have a pool in visual range of the ocean, but the intricate circle of water and falls on the Westin grounds were too intriguing to resist. It has a curly slide and it’s waterfalls hide tunnels that lead to the other sides. If the ocean tide had not also been in audible range, I could have stayed there awhile. Also, we were about to have an exciting day. |  |
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wowi (day 2)
We had big plans for our second day on Maui. That called for a big breakfast and an early wake up. I am not a morning person, but I am easily enticed by food. The Pilot had me up and going at an hour that regular folks have breakfast.
 morning on Ka’anapali Beach |
Today we decided to brave the climb up Haleakalā, one of the many volcanoes that form the islands of Hawai’i. When you consider the 19.6k ft of Haleakalā which is under water, this mountain is taller than Mount Everest by almost 700 ft! I say climb, but I really mean that our rental car did most of the work.
wowi (day 1)
| A surprise summer solstice celebration brought us to the beautiful and fun Maui. This was my first time on this island. I couldn’t wait to see the ocean and feel humidity in the air. Also, I had heard Maui was a bit busier that Kaua’i, but not as busy as Oahu. I was curious to see how the islands were different. Mostly, I was sure that I would take any Hawaiian destination, anytime. |
 high view of the sugarcane fields as we flew in to Maui |
| When we picked up our rental car we were given a map of Maui. On the northwest and southeast corners of the island there were red lines on the map that said “Do not drive between these points. Driving on unauthorized roads violates car rental contract.” |
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| I saw this warning and my brain immediately said, “I want to go to there.” |