...what we have now will never be that way again!

  Nick said "What we once thought we had we didn't, and what we have now will never be that way again".
 AM

In recent times, every morning when I wake to the sun beaming directly into my eyes, I get the feeling that I'm not making the most of my last days in Japan. The psychological warfare being prosecuted on me (and everyone else) by the electioneering cars with loudspeakers isn't exactly encouraging me to leave the house either. I've most spent my days trying to erase every last skerrick of my life in Japan from my flat. My last memories of Japan may, in the future, big triggered by the fumes of toxic cleaning products. My main feeling is of a universe collapsing (see right). My work at ECC disappeared in a puff of nothing and one by one I visit places for the last time. Yesterday it was Life supermarket, tonight it will be a shitty yakitori joint, tomorrow it will be Umeda, on Wednesday it will be Japan. Gone.


PM

Many of my final afternoons and nights have been spent saying or thinking goodbye to people, many of whom I know I will never see again. These people are friends, students, teachers, workmates acquaintances, shop keepers, restaurant workers, familiar faces on the train and people whom I've only just met. I'm very sad about this.  I feel like I'm also saying goodbye to trains that run on time, amazing customer service incredibly safe streets, expert cooks in every eatery, public restraint, riding bikes without a helmet, same-day delivery from Amazon, edible sushi, huge amounts of free time, excellent beers, outstanding supermarkets and a very cushy job. Australia can learn a lot from Japan. But I'm also saying goodbye to earthquakes, being illiterate, incredibly conservative people, naked racism, typhoons, salary-men vomiting into rubbish bins, nuclear power, backward treatment of women, terrible Italian food, ridiculous unpaid overtime, and outrageously-priced pizzas. No loss. I can only hope that Melbourne puts on an amazing show for me. The most important thing though, is that Rosie is there and I'm here - so I'm ready to go!