My family and I had planned to go to Japan this August, but the plans were changed when my father-in-law was diagnosed with cancer. When my wife found out from her sister, she learned that the doctor’s felt that it might be in advanced stages. So she decided to go to Japan a few weeks earlier. Unfortunately, I could not just leave due to the responsibilities and tasks I had to care for at work… so she left with the kids and I was left alone. But her Dad really needed her as the family business is demanding all of her mother’s and brother’s time and her sister works full-time and also does not live nearby.

So I did the bachelor thing for a the last few weeks. It was strange not to have the kids around… I really missed them. Although, I could enjoy the peace and quiet I felt guilty in a way. I felt very bad for my wife who had to travel alone with the kids. It was very sad seeing them leave at the airport. Their plane ride went well. Now it is my turn, I am writing this on the plane. I am looking forward to getting to Japan to see them. The flight is so far mundane… I slept off and on for a few hours but really could not get to the point of resting. I watched one inflight movie, “Anchorman” which is about a 70s era Anchorman and/or about the supposed first Anchorwoman. It had sone pretty amusing moments, such as the rival anchor teams getting into a rumble. Which was done pretty well… if not totally improbable. The anchor men are walking around looking for a clothing store and end up in some abandoned industrial area. When all of a sudden a rival station’s anchor team rides up on bicycles. They get off and exchange taunts until they decide to settle things physically. Then several other anchor teams appear out of nowhere to join the rumble. One is from the public channel and another is from the spanish channel… they then start producing a variety of weapons, everything from a knife to a handgrenade and then several guys ride in on horses… really well done silliness. Otherwise the rest of the movie was just lame.

I have a seat in the back of the plane in the center section. I am on one end of the row and on the other is a mom and her baby. The baby is only 4 months old, but she reminds me much of my daughter who is now just over one years old. The baby has been quiet most of the trip until now. She is crying, which even though I am wearing earplugs is enough to keep me awake. The mom is caucasian as is the baby… I do not know where the father is… it seems odd for a caucasian woman with a baby to be traveling alone to Japan. But who am I to wonder… at any rate. I am getting hungry now… it has been a while since the last service. Airplane food goes through cycles where it gets better and then worse. It is never good, but this flight it is particularly bad. So I did not eat much of the main meal which is served first. We had a mid-flight mini sandwich which I did eat all of… but that is all so far. I was a little stomach sick this morning before the flight… nerves or something I ate yesterday (McDs and Subway). So I was worried about being ill on the plane as well. Which happened my first trip to Japan and only got worse once I was there.

Once I get to Japan my wife will pick me up from the airport and we will stay at a nearby hotel as the drive back to her parents is a 3-4 hour trip. Since she has been there with the kids for a few weeks already, they are adjusted to the time, but I will be tired and numb from the jet lag. It will be nice to see them… most of my time will be spent watching the kids as my wife helps her dad and family. I hope to take some more pictures, maybe in Yokohama this time (we did the Hakone/Mt Fujii thing last time). But it all depends on her father’s condition. The most important thing is for his recovery.