I’ve been home for a week, and all I can say is that the jetlag is lessening. But it’s still with me.
The first day of a vacation is always magical, because it’s a novel state to be in.
Taiwan is so exciting:
Japan made me want to take pictures of EVERYTHING! I had to show some restraint.
After more than two weeks apart from my daily routines, my life at home in New Jersey felt new and fascinating for a few days after I returned. I think a less-mentioned gift of travel is that it gets us to take a fresh look at daily life.
It feels uncanny to remember what I was doing the week before we left.
I was planting bulbs for spring:
And observing the very first frost of the season (late):
It FINALLY felt like autumn:
I must confess, I still find diner vibes very cool:
This week I was puzzled as to why I had so many singles and $5 bills in my wallet. It’s because I had tabled at a public library’s local author fest and I was slinging chapbooks!
And then Taiwan was warm and mild, and Japan was clear and bright — coldest in Kyoto, but I had packed for rain and it never came.
First week back and I visited The Rossettis again.
We also went to the movies!
(Saw Godzilla in his hometown, too)
My travel group is already listing the things we miss from Japan and Taiwan: fresh breakfast pastries from any convenience store; the many sounds at the train station; bidets.
But I still catch myself in the mornings, thinking, Home is magical.
Laura Eppinger 