Off to an ex-imperial nation
 
Cram the last few things into my trusty and decidedly un-ergonomical black travel pack that's served me since 1996, and I'm set for Japan.

When Maiko left in April, I suggested that she leave some things with me -- that way she'd save on shipping costs while also guaranteeing that I'd visit Japan (and her) before I left for the States. I was supposed to go in May, and then June, and then the typhoon season started in Japan, and then I dithered for forever about going to visit KB, and then I decided not to but figured it made more sense to quit work before going to Japan, and finally here we are, 18 days before I leave Korea, and I'm finally going to Japan. Where it is the dead of night and 81 degrees Fahrenheit in Yokohama (feels like 87 degrees), and where it is hitting the low nineties in Kyoto during the day (probably feels like 100 degrees). And where a typhoon is supposed to hit on Sunday.

Oh, this trip is taking place under the best conditions, alright. I'd like to think of it as a sign -- the next time you have a struggle between your heart and your head, hk, for god's sake, go with your heart and buy a ticket to [     ] already. (KB's country, where it is a delightful 50 degrees during the day in his particular part of town. Damn.)

The typhoon just means a lot of rain for me, which I hope against hope will make things slightly cooler, if nothing else. But dear me, I left town last fall just after a typhoon and headed into DC and One-Armed Maggie's wedding with a hurricane nipping at my heels.  Typhoid Mary, you've got some competition in the natural disaster/fatal disease category (judged together since 1996!).  

All this as a long preface to: possibly no new entries until August 11 or so. I'll see if I can get around to a terminal once in a while, but , you know, between eating deadly blowfish sushi and buying small, irrepressible cute products, I'm not sure I'll have time. In the meantime, stay cool. I'll try not to eat heat either (a cool Korean colloquialism for going just mad with heat).