And just like that, 30 days has passed since we left Dubai and got on the plane to Japan. And now we’re back.

I’ve been dreading the flight back – 11 hours of straight flight from Narita to Doha (Qatar) is a pain in the butt, literally. And with a very active toddler and sitting on economy? It’s not the best experience in the world. Thankfully, Benjamin was sleeping 9 hours out of the 11!

Mom tip: before a long flight, have your toddler run around like crazy at the airport. Never mind you’d have to run after him like mad. But of course you already know that, right?

Just as packing things to go is tedious, packing things to go back is more challenging. There’s that baggage limit hovering over your head as you hold another piece of souvenir: should I buy this? Is the weight worth it in case we exceed our limit and asked to pay at the airport counter?

I am not happy to have not brought as much Japanese chocolates as I’d like to. Have you tasted Japanese chocolates? They’re the best! It’s for friends and not for my sole consumption so relax. 🙂

Then there are important memorabilias I need to bring back to Dubai.

We went to the in-law’s house where we left our stuff before our big relocation seven years ago and picked up personal things that I sure don’t want to be lost or eaten by insects in that seemingly abandoned room upstairs in that house: I found our graduation certificates in big heavy folders, more old photos. My wedding dress! All this time I thought it was in my parent’s house and I found it in one of the clothes cabinets at the in-law’s. I don’t have any plans what to do with it (it doesn’t fit anyway, in case you were curious just like my daughter who cheered, put it on! put in on!) but I know I would like to keep it, for whatever reason. Maybe to remind me it was not a dream that I had a smaller frame before, you know?

Also? I found HANDWRITTEN letters in a box! Those were letters I got while I was in school from 1996-2001, that time when email and instant messengers weren’t popular. No Facebook too.

One day, I’d like to sit down and read those letters one by one. I’m sure I’d laugh and I’d cry, most probably giggle.

So, now that I finally have a proper internet and a working PC, I would like to keep up for the lost (blogging) time – I have so many things I’d like to write so please just be there, ok?

Part of me is relieved we are back in our airconditioned house in Dubai – I don’t care how hot it is outside as long as I am not sweating when I’m inside the house. I get cranky when I’m hot and sweating! Summer in Japan is tough.

Anyway, how is your summer going so far?