Konnichiwa! (a Josh blog post)

I recently traveled to Okinawa, Japan for business.  Let me just say that flying halfway around the world is not without minor unpleasantries. Perhaps the worst part of flying to Okinawa was being stuck inside a metal tube for over 19 hours.  My flight to Okinawa consisted of a direct flight from DC to Tokyo, Japan – over 14 hrs of continuous flying and then a “short” 2.5 hour flight from Tokyo to Naha, Okinawa.  That was a long time to be stuck in a plane, but it was well worth it.

My team and I arrived in Okinawa late Saturday night, and first thing Sunday we were out exploring. Since this trip was for business we wanted to take advantage of all of our “down time" as much as possible. Sunday afternoon was spent exploring part of Okinawa off the Marine Corps base where I was staying and working. We explored an area called American Village which is an Americanized shopping and beach area where many ex-pats like to gather. Sunday night our team went to a sushi restaurant not far from base.  I ordered a sushi plate but it wasn’t anything too exotic (other than varieties of fish we don’t have here in the states). The restaurant had sashimi horse on the menu, but I couldn’t bring myself to order raw horse meat.

The work week went by fairly quickly and Friday was soon upon us.  Our exit brief with the base CO (commanding officer) was complete we were done with our business and free to be tourists.  The POC (point of contact) at the Marine base went above and beyond his duties and assigned someone from the motor pool to drive us to two tourist spots Friday afternoon. We went to Shurijo Castle (pronounced Shur’ee) and Okinawa World.  The Castle was amazing – granted that original wooden castle was mostly destroyed during WWII but rebuilt to its original state.  The original castle was built around the 14^th century and served as the center of politics and diplomacy for the Ryukyu Kingdom until Okinawa became under control of Japan.

Okinawa World was more of a tourist trap, but it did provide for some interesting experiences.  The park was set up to showcase the “wonders” of Okinawa.  It had gardens, underground caves, glass blowing, a brewery, and Habu exhibit.  The Habu exhibit is dedicated to one of the islands predators, a tree snake.  In this exhibit I had the opportunity to hold (what seemed like) a large python. I have a new respect for the power of these snakes…just feeling the snake flex was enough to make me wonder if I was going to become an over sized snack.

Saturday was spent on the northern part of the island.  We were able to book a tour trip up to the Okinawa Aquarium and Expo Park.  The aquarium has the world's second largest tank; which held manta rays, hundreds of other fish, and three whale sharks.  Of all the fish and marine life I saw that day, I enjoyed the sea turtles the most. The beach at the aquarium was pretty awesome. On Sunday, I spent most of the day at the beach near the Marine base where we were staying.

My time in Okinawa was unbelievable and it was hard to leave what the Japanese call the “Hawaii of Japan.” I’m going to miss the good food and the laid back feel that emanates from the people who live there.  But at the same time it is good to be back home. I just wish that the jet lag would go away.  Several people have mentioned to me that for every hour of time difference, it takes 1 day to recover.  I'm hoping it doesn’t take 13 days to get back to my normal sleep pattern. 

Kansas Wheat Harvest

Well, I am husband-less for the next week.  Josh is in a far, far away country for work.  He has promised me that he will write a very exciting blog about his travels for you once he returns.  I told him to take lots of photos...the food, the landscapes, the people...everything.  For now, you're still stuck with me.  We've been pretty low-key since my parents visited and without any adventures to write about I've been sitting here, pondering what to write.  Luckily, I came up with an idea.

Every year, at some point between the 2nd and 3rd week of June, wheat harvest in central Kansas kicks off.  You know it's about time to start cutting once the "custom cutting crews" start making their way north from finishing harvests in Texas and Oklahoma.  I love wheat.  Even though its dust tends to make my eyes itch to the point of swelling shut and causing sudden and uncontrollable coughing and sneezing fits.  I love the rustling sound it makes in the breeze and I love the exciting highs and lows of helping with harvest.  Some of my official harvest duties have included:
                                           professional window washing

                                          and expertly driving grain trucks.

Some years harvest goes smoothly and others...it doesn't.  Grain trucks suddenly lose brake power and you fly speeding down a narrow dirt road, across a highway, with a full 18 ton load of grain and come to a stop a quarter mile down the road.  I bawled hysterically after that incident.  My biggest embarrassing harvest oops was during a trip to town to unload a grain truck and on the uphill drive into the west grain elevator, I accidentally killed the engine and rolled backwards down the hill and crashed the back end of the truck into a metal support beam.  Live and learn.  But it's not just the help that gets into sticky situations.  The boss man himself sometimes goofs up.  On rare occasion he may accidentally drive the combine over a ravine and into a giant mud sink hole.  

I hate not being able to be home to help with harvest, but at the same time it's kinda nice to not be a part of the chaos.  Farmers work incredibly hard during harvest, from dawn till dusk.  Please be mindful if you see combines, machinery or grain semis on the road.  And give them a nice wave when you pass them.  Country folk love waving.