Returning

We’re leaving Japan early. Who knew this Chinese year of the Fire Horse, the notorious chaos-bringer, would have war up her sleeve? Or did I tempt the fates by declaring that this year would be the best ever?

Back in January, in an uncharacteristic fit of nonchalance, I scheduled us to leave Japan on day 89 of our 90 day tourist visa limit. A risky move because things can always happen, but I was swayed by an irresistible business class fare on Vietnam Air, picturing us lounging and being fed grapes on a sixteen hour flight back to France. Decadence. Caution, meet wind. I booked it.

But the risk metrics of a couple of months ago look positively quaint now. Vietnam imports all of their oil and they’ve said they’ll have to start canceling long haul flights starting in April. They need what oil they have for more important things, like agriculture and electricity. Then friends, a French/American couple, got stuck in Vietnam when their Mideast based airlines cancelled all flights and their visa was running out. The French embassy was happy to help get an extension; the American embassy basically said FU, which is very on brand for this administration. They had to go to Bangkok and wait out the travel chaos there. Two weeks later, they finally made it home to France.

My former blitheness was looking downright balmy. We took theirs and others’ cautionary tales to heart. Being stuck while simultaneously running afoul of our tourist visa is not a plot twist I care to experience, especially with such ample warning.

We spent a few days thinking of other possibilities and other trajectories in the region as a plan b. But it kept coming back to one thing: Fire Horse be damned, there is another chaos demon loose in the world, one who is hell bent on distracting us from his numerous crimes. Who knows what’s next? We decided to head home.

Booking a flight amidst this global shock was, shall we say, challenging ? That sweet business class fare (thankfully, refundable) will now get you coach on a few select days. Other days are double that. With much reluctance, and second guessing all the way, I booked a direct flight. Best I could do was in two weeks’ time, which is to say a whole month early. I cancelled all our other arrangements. The next day, the universe reinforced my decision, I got walloped by food poisoning. There’s nothing like a few days of fever and the accompanying nastiness without familiar foods to make you say there’s no place like home.

Still, we got to spend two months exploring and soaking up Japan. I can hardly complain because it wasn’t three. We got to stay long enough for a change of seasons, long enough to see the cherry blossoms. Plus, home is France, for which I am grateful.

We also got to spend a month in Kanazawa, long enough to feel deeply immersed. On our last visit to our favorite coffee shop, the woman we’d been chatting with regularly gave us a going away good-luck charm. The word frog in Japanese is kaeru, which is also the verb meaning to return. A vow.

May you all find yourself exactly where you need to be right now, whether home or away. And keep the chaos demons at bay!

Cheers,

Maer