In the lead up to our trip to Japan, the jacarandas burst into bloom, the band practised and then played at a beautiful spring afternoon party at Wundercliffe. On the last day I printed cards on the back deck and Ruby and Joe came over to say goodbye.

We left the house tidy with clean sheets all round. Roger and Gillian (our houseswapping mates from New Zealand) will stay for a week. We’ll head off to Queenstown in February.

I’ve been keen to travel to Japan for such a long time and now I’m not sure what to expect, but Jordo and I sit here on the plane, on the verge of a month in Japan. At last it is here.

28 October – 27 November 2024