Restless 14 - Back from the UK - The Dogs! - Plans - Website Redesign
Hiking in the Suzuka Ranges recently.
Hello.
Well, we did it. We made it back to the UK. Noa finally got to see her grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, and a few shady characters from my youth :)
It was wonderful. I wrote briefly about it here. I spent most of the time fixing up my parents garden, playing with Noa and her cousins in the parks, appreciating Worcestershire for being the rather nice place that it is - something I failed to do in my youth - and going on local hikes with family. I enjoyed the hiking, but blimey the dogs! Dogs everywhere! Too many dogs and too many passive owners offering a meek, “Sorry, she won’t hurt” half-arsed apology when their mud-ridden mut jumps up and slobbers all over you, then runs off without a second thought for you or the tiny two-year old by your side. I don’t miss the British fascination with dogs. I also took my dad to Villa Park - our first time inside the ground together since the early 1990s, although we didn’t manage to make it to a game due to Liverpool’s FA Cup run. And I finished the trip off with pie and chips. Perfect.
Coming back to Japan, however, was a pain. PCR tests 72-hours before boarding, closed Russian airspace diverting us over North America, then more Covid tests at Haneda Airport (which I’ve heard deals with it better than Narita Airport). We missed our connecting flight back to Nagoya due to the extra procedures and longer flight forcing us to spend a night in a hotel which a local taxi driver couldn’t find despite being less than a kilometre from the airport. That left us with an early morning Shinkansen ride back to Nagoya followed by another train to Chubu Airport to pick up the car and drive home. Noa threw up on the train on the last leg which I presume was due to jet lag and not knowing what was going on with her body clock. Lots of fun!
But that was then and this is now. Daily life has resumed and we are back to wearing those pesky masks (although I’ve stopped wearing them outdoors). Inspired by my growing library of Japanese photo books I’ve been sketching ideas for new walks, hikes, and photography excursions. The temperature has also picked up so it’s time to start walking parts of the Nakansendo/Kiso-ji with Noa as I mentioned I’d in a previous newsletter (Update - possibly starting the day after you receive this). I also plan on rediscovering Nagoya and other cities nearby, especially on the JR Chuo Line. Back in the late 2000s and early 2010s I used to walk the streets of Nagoya searching out nooks and crannies with my camera in hand. I loved it. I had more free time then, more curiosity, more of an imagination. I don’t think that’s been lost, just hidden deep down somewhere waiting to be dug up and put back into use.
But since returning we’ve only managed one aborted a hike in the Suzuka Ranges so there’s plenty of catching up to do.
I’ve spent time redesigning my website. Simplified it but also added more. I’ve shifted things around and changed the landing page to give more of an indexed feel. I want it to be more open and a reflection of my day-to-day life based around being outdoors in Japan. More of a stream of consciousness kinda thing.
By all means get in touch anytime.
Sean.
Some (but not all) Recent Posts:
Hiking: Ryugadake – SeanBreslin.jp
It’s been just over a week since we returned from the UK. Flying back into Japan was a nightmare. If you’re coming back any time soon – especially into Narita or Haneda – stay calm and…
Flight Paths to Home – SeanBreslin.jp
The first time I flew to and from Asia from the UK was in 1995 and on every occasion since the flight path has either been over Siberia or China. Never has it followed the North Pacific, over Alask…
Tōkaidō – Walking West From Toyohashi – SeanBreslin.jp
An uninspiring walk along the Tōkaidō from Toyohashi. Maybe it’s time to ride again.
Adventure: Hiking for Kids in Once a Year Snow – SeanBreslin.jp
Hiking up Mt. Miroku in once a year snow as the leader of a new local hiking club for kids.
Gravel Cycling: Just Ride (then print) – SeanBreslin.jp
Combining the gravel bike and the camera makes riding even more interesting. I rarely come back with any photos that I find particularly interesting but at least it helps me to see. After all, the …
Books Read:
Modern Instances: The Craft of Photography - Stephen Shore
A Pound of Pictures - Alec Soth
Summer - Karl Ove Knausgaard
When We Cease to Understand the World - Benjamin Labutut
A Simpler Life - The School of Life
Photographs That Make You Think: Humans - Henry Carroll
The Ministry of the Future - Kim Stanley Robinson
Read This If You Want To Take Great Photographs Of People - Henry Carroll
Read This If You Want To Take Great Photographs Of Places - Henry Carroll
Spring - Karl Ove Knausgaard
A Notebook for Everyday Adventures - Alastair Humphreys
Contented Dementia - Oliver James
The Way of Zen - Alan Watts