Posted in Fiction

Always Glad to be Home…

Posted on by TravellinPenguin

Hi to everyone. I’m back from Japan. Had a wonderful time. The group was good, the landscape in the northern national parks was beautiful. We photographed waterfalls, rivers, lakes, scenic locations with people and quite a few street scenes in historic villages.

The group was fun and everyone got on with each other. We walked a lot. 8000 to 12000 steps every day and I did struggle with that a bit towards the end. All of our steps were mainly on trails. Mountain trails, river trails, up high to view points and down again on uneven ground. I only toppled over once on my way up a rock strewn trail to a lake. 

The food was something else altogether. We ate so much I’m surprised we didn’t just burst. It was almost uncomfortable there was so much interesting and beautifully presented food. 

Two of hotels had onsens which was also lovely at the end of the day. The water was piped in from mineral springs and the temperature was about 40 degrees C. So hot but once lowering one’s self into it the relaxation was the next level. I wish I had something like that here.

Now with the trip behind me I have a couple of thousand of photos to start sorting through. I have cancelled my old Instagram page and set up a new one. The new one is just for photographs taken in Japan and in the future from various places. If you’re on Instagram and wish to see more photos then you can begin following me at:

Wanderlensphotographytasmania

Now it’s almost the end of the year and Christmas is popping up in the shops everywhere I am beginning to plan for 2026.

This blog has been going since 2012 and I’m wanting to continue it but maybe with a few changes.

I’ll be talking about that more before long.

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Did I get any reading done on this trip? Yes, in fact I did get the book The Names by Florence Knapp finished. Did I like it? Yes for the most part. I thought the end was wrapped up a little too quickly but overall I enjoyed the concept.

The concept is what direction will a person’s life go depending on a name? There are three story lines. A boy is born within a family with serious domestic violence. The man regularly beats his wife. The father’s name is Gordon and he wants his son named Gordon. After all his father was named Gordon and so is he. His wife however does not like the name for her son.

In one story line she names him Julian. The next story line is when she goes to register his name her young daughter wants to name him Bear. Mom is angry enough and injured enough by her husband she registers him as Bear. Then last of all she does as she is told and registers his name as Gordon.

The story is told in alternating chapters. Three names, one person, three different lives. Our book group will be discussing this book next week.

Does your name impact the direction your life will go?

Other than that I started listening to a book about a man walking the length of Japan but it was so unorganised I never knew where he was or what he was doing. A bit of history here, an accommodation there. Meets up with a friend. Who? Why? I was often confused, lost and could not get the purpose of the whole trip so it ended as a DNF. I won’t even name the book because I can’t remember. We’ll leave it at that.

Now I need to decide what I’ll dive into next.

I’m glad to be back with my online friends. I did read quite a few posts in the evenings while away though we didn’t have a lot of down time. I’m looking forward to seeing what you guys have been reading. What you’re doing. How your pets are. Lol.

Real life begins tomorrow with the gym again. Lovely to have had a break. With photo clubs, book groups, exercise. Normal food.

Until next week…have a good week. 

A couple more photos below. Click on them to enlarge.

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Author:

I live a retired life in Tasmania, Australia. I love books, travel, animals, photography, motor biking and good friends. I indulge in all these activities with the little Travellin' Penguin who has now shared five continents with me. We love book shops, photography walks and time with friends as all our family is in USA and Canada. I enjoy visitors to my blog so hope you'll stop by.

26 thoughts on “Always Glad to be Home…”

    1. Our book club discussed it last night. In summary most of us enjoyed it. Liked the concept a lot but most questioned was it the child’s name that really determined the trajectory of their lives or was it growing up in a household with such a violent father. We all thought for a debut book it was very good and are looking forward to seeing what else she produces. Our conversation in the group went into so many directiins so it was good on that front.

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    1. Yes, I’ll be adding Japan photos plus others (to give me a break) for months to come as I slowly sort and edit. I think they will be categorised with people, landscape , dogs- haha, and street photography. Had great fun taking them. There is a new feature in photoshop that is fun to use. It removes people. Think of all the people who stand in front of a beautiful building. You can now remove them completely or partially. Not for competitions of course but nice to do when someone walks in front of me just as I press the shutter😃🌻

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        1. I think the only time I would do that is if there was 1/2 a person running by my subject. Or for a specific reason. One photographer I know takes photos of old houses and removes things that are modern. Eg satellite dish on roof or new cables, etc. Then the house looks like it did originally. Just fun to play with.

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  4. Great photos. I am just home from Japan as well, although I was not further north than Tokyo. I recognise the clear air, sky and sunshine though. It must have been a fantastic trip with, I am sure, great photo opportunities.

    As you say, it is always nice to come home. I was away for three weeks in South Korea and Japan. Fantastic trip.

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  5. Welcome home! I’m looking forward to seeing your photos.

    I’m amazed to see that you are about to get right back into the swing of things, I always take about a week to get the washing done, never mind anything else!

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    1. I got home last Tuesday and did nothing until today except as you me tion packing and laundry and playing with the dogs and eating food that wasn’t Japanese. I love Japanese food but after 2 weeks I was ready for Vegemite on toast and a bowl of cereal.

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