A few days before leaving Kyoto

When we were in California and Hawaii, I didn’t post as often because I didn’t feel I had so much to say. Now, it’s the same result but the opposite problem: I have way too much to say.

Here’s a thing: we leave Kyoto in three days. Today, when we went to do laundry, we saw that the east entrance to Kenkun Shrine was completely abloom with sakura.

When was the last time I walked by here? Three days ago. There were no blossoms then. When I think that next week we’ll no longer be in this city, my heart hurts.

Here’s another thing: we’ve just booked an apartment in Auckland, for the two weeks following our stay in Singapore.

And another: a piece of my travel writing will be published soon, in an anthology called The Places We’ve Been: Field Reports from Travelers Under 35. I spent some time today approving the edits for the book, and it was like opening a time capsule. When I wrote the piece, we had just arrived in Istanbul; that was in October, before Paris, before Boston, before returning home for Christmas… before my current self, so it feels. At that time we were almost six months into our travels, and now almost another six months have passed. I feel different. New eyes, new thoughts.

Another: tonight I went to the convenience store, looking for dessert. Now I am eating a baked creamy potato with chocolate in it. In fact, it’s delicious.

Another: tonight we saw a woman walking her cat.

 

Another: there are all these things I want to write; stories, letters, my travel diary. At the same time I want to do nothing but paint. And again at the same time I begrudge every moment I am not soaking in the city (or the sento). I am almost looking forward to the 8.5 hour flight to Singapore, because then I’ll have no choice but to write (or sleep, which also sounds good).

But mainly on my mind is: oh, Kyoto.