Sayonara

When we were in Ireland there was a hilarious show on television called "Idiot Abroad" where Ricky Gervais sent his not-so-bright friend to visit the 7 Wonders of the World. This guy isn't the sharpest tool in the shed, doesn’t like the unknown and really doesn’t like to travel. It was pretty hysterical. I actually wouldn’t even let us go out on Thursdays because I had to watch it.

In the first episode Ricky was asking him what concerns he had before going to China to see the Great Wall. His answer was that he was afraid he’d “get a taste for toad”. He was dead serious. After asking what the hell he meant, he explained that he was scared he’d have to eat toad, really like the taste of it and then come back to London and not be able to get it anymore.

8 weeks in Japan and I have found I’ve got a taste for toad. I love their thoughtful culture, their politeness, their orderly ways, their gadgets and ingenious ways of doing everything, their hilarious advertising, the quietness of 15 million people texting instead of yapping on their cells in public, their delicious and visually stunning food, the level of safety they enjoy (girls as young as 7 can be seen going home from school by themselves on the subway in their precious little Madeline outfits), their attention to detail which is seen in every aspect of everything, and don’t even get me started on their fondness for everything made in miniature.

It is a rare thing when I can truly imagine myself living anywhere other than home. Granted, I couldn’t live in Tokyo as anything other than an expat on a very generous expat package- but it is a truly amazing city and we’ll be a little sad to say goodbye.

Thanks for the toad, Japan. It tasted glorious.