Wishing For A Vacation Rant

It's the year-end. Holiday/vacation time for those lucky people that gets to get away. *envy*

Last year, I had the opportunity to not only enjoy my vacation-to-Japan-since-2002 with the family, I also got to run/jog around several places in Japan, which I blogged about here.  It's somewhere in this blog. Just search for "Head not screwed right" heh heh

For runners, what can be more ideal than combining a vacation with a run or maybe ten! Hahaha

Anyway, a look back to those lovely time I had, enjoying crisp, cool air in Japan... and missing Japan more and more in the process. Sigh. Can't believe it's been a full year since our last visit. We've got another 24 months to go before we step on Japan (Nara to be exact) soil again! *double sigh*

Would you wake up at 5am on your vacation to run in the rain? Plus, would your significant others went out too, to check on your safety? I did and Zaini did too. Although he left me soon after, as he gauged the Nissan Stadium in Yokohama as a safe place for me to run. I wasn't the only crazy one. Bumped into a few runners there doing their morning run too!

It gotta be a 5am run because I need to finish breakfast and get ready to be out by 8am!

 

The day after, I did my run way down in south of Japan. On the island of Kyushu and in Yufuin, to be exact. The autum colours at Lake Kinrinko was (and is!) simply magnificent!

Running towards this lighthouse in Takamatsu, in Shikoku was particularly nice. So nice, I ran twice there! Watched the sunrise during the two runs I did there, as I also need to finish my run early and embarked on a 9am-4pm sightseeing which then continued again from 6pm to 10pm.  Total respect to Raimie for putting up with his parents (walking & sightseeing wise) and tagged along without too much of a grumble. ^^

Running by the Sumida River in Asakusa, with Tokyo Sky Tree was particularly awesome too! I bet Ru would agree with me. ^^

And what do you get when you go out at 5am to 7am there?

Sensoji (this is the Kaminarimon or the Thunder Gate) devoid of tourists or crowd.

Beautiful scenery, of course. And again, no tourists...

The sunrise. Especially nice to view it alongside friendly locals.

Raimie and Zaini had fun sweating out too, like enjoying a few game of ping pong with Minoru-san who generously invited us to his home.

I have to say though, as much as I miss Japan, I do not want to visit the country from now till the end of winter. My tolerance towards cold season is low. *brrrr*

Holiday for us this time? What holiday? School is opening soon! No more waking up at 6.30am! 5.30am routine will be back soon! Uuuwwwwaaa!!!

Oh yeah. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and all that to those who celebrate it. :-)