Memories

Places I Want to Return
 
Japan
In the early summer of --, Wen and I went to Japan. It was our first trip together, and we sorta 'backpack'. If you could call it 'backpack'. Put two spoilt city girls together for a trip to a city ... I wouldn't really call it backpack. At least, we didn't have packbags on our backs. We had those kind of luggages where you have to roll on the floor, and the trip was totally free and easy. We got the plane tix, booked the rail pass on the internet, as well as all the hotels and inns. Actually, Wen planned everything. I just tagged along. :P
 
We went to two places. Tokyo and Fukouka. Japan is beautiful. The trees are beautiful. Strange, what I can remember are the trees, the shrines, and the long walks we had. Walked we did, to see trees, trees and more trees, till Wen complained even. They're all the same aren't they? All green ... just trees. But I differ. I love trees. There's just something about a tree. They are all different. The colour and roughness of the bark. The smoothness and the different texture each tree has. The height of a huge tree, with emerald green leaves. Or a small crooked wizened tree, leafless and fragile against the oncoming storm. In Japan, the trees are all a marvel. They are trim and cut into symmetry, not a leaf out of synch. It's kinda artificial, but there's also beauty in that. Of course there are the 'rough' ones, and the contrast is something which you can spend moments just staring and wondering. Sometimes a tree looks imposing, other times it may look sad. Yet other times there is a breath of mystery about the tree, waiting to tell you its story. The trees have stood there for ages and ages, time passed, and we are just pawns in the world. I'm sure the trees have stories to tell if you put your ears into the wind, perhaps you can hear the trees wispering. I love trees. :)
 
The shrines are beautiful because of the trees. The greyness of the stone walls and stairs, the rich redness of the roof and the pillars. And the lush greeness of the beautiful trees. Sometimes they'll throw in a lake. Sparkling white and blue in the dim greyish sky. I could just walk and walk, staring in open amazement about myself. All those trees. Young, old, new, artificial, real, cute, huge. Mmmmm ... :) Wen was so tired of walking, but I could just get lost in the midst of the town, or the park, or the shrine. It's really beautiful there. I must go back. soon. :)
 
We were supposed to take the rail from Tokyo to Fukouka and as it was a 7 hour journey, we planned to take it at night so as to save one night's room rates. And of course after we dragged our luggage out from the ryokan to place in the lockers in the train station, going tiptuptiptuptiptuptippertupper along the paved walkway past closed shops in the morning ... we found that ... ooh yes ... the bullet train does not travel at night. Great news for two lost gals who did not know Japanese and ... now had no room to stay for the night. Thanks. Well, we still did our day sight-seeing, and Wen did have a friend there, who managed to help us get booked a room back at the same ryokan we stayed. So in the evening, after a long day tour of Tokyo city - it's imperial palace and shopping malls ... we went tiptuptippertuptippertuppertippertup back to our ryokan, passing again all those closed shops. Gee ... the people must be wondering what all the din was about. It was about 30 minutes walking distance, and a hell lot of noise we made rolling our luggage along the paved pavement. heh..

But it was fun. :) There are so much stuffs to write about the trip ... but it's just too long to say all. And it's too long ago. What's left now are just memories ... and photos. And a wish to return there sometime ... maybe soon.

Trees ... they're really important you know. :)