a rainy-day walk in aihara

Wednesday, July 26:  Today is the first day I have off from work after our last day of classes on Monday.  On Tuesday, we had to go into the office to clear out all our belongings.  After doing that, a group of us — Rob, Joe, Tobi and me — had lunch together at Jonathan’s.  The rest of the crew, the five teachers who will return to the university in September, had a meeting about the fall semester, so they couldn’t come along. This was to be the last time I would see Joe and Rob.  I would see Tobi on the day of our apartment inspection, when we planned to share a taxi together to Fuchinobe Station.

On Tuesday afternoon, I spent the day packing my belongings into two big suitcases that I’ll send via delivery service to the airport on Monday, July 31.  Those two bags will be held at the airport for a week as I travel around Japan.  All I’ll carry for my week of travel is my carry-on bag.  Carrying a week’s worth of clothing in one carry-on is something I’ve never done before.  A light packer I’m not!

Graham and I had arranged to meet at Aihara Station this morning to take a walk through some wooded paths in Aihara, just a couple of stations from Fuchinobe. It is forecast to rain, but ever hopeful, we go ahead and meet anyway.  As we walk to the Family Mart to have a coffee before our walk, a steady rain begins.

Aihara Station

We are both dressed for the rain, so we decide to go on our walk anyway.  Shortly after getting on the path, we see a brown speckled creature hopping into the grass.  I try to capture the frog with my camera, but he’s too clever for me.  He’s quick to move into camouflage mode among the dried leaves and grass.

a frog in the grass

Before we reach the forest, we come upon some well-tended community gardens and a field of wildflowers.

community garden in Aihara

fronds

community garden

the rainy day path

signpost

wildflowers and colorful houses

raindrops on flowers

rainy day yellows

 

We continue our walk through the woods and gardens and stop to admire views of colorful Aihara along the way.  Walking along the slippery slopes in the rain might be refreshing if it weren’t so hot.

Graham loves getting out in nature and, coming from Britain as he does, loves summer.  He and I have had an ongoing battle during the last two months as temperatures have climbed in Sagamihara.  I hate heat and humidity and prefer cool or even cold weather, while Graham adores the humid heat.  He even loves sweating! We joked often about our love for opposite weather extremes.   There is no way to change someone’s mind about how they feel in certain weather; neither of us has had any hopes of changing the other’s mind!

field in Aihara

We find a spider web glistening with raindrops in the community garden.

spider web raindrops

community garden

field of dreams

I still have a lot of packing to do, so we decide to head back to the station, passing by the cute houses in Aihara.  One has some onions hanging outside in a mesh bag and a bicycle parked in the carport.

mesh bag of onions

bicycle at a house in Aihara

Some houses even look like mini Italian villas.

an Aihara villa

After our walk, we ride the train together in our wet and muddy shoes to Graham’s stop at Sagamihara. I continue to Fuchinobe, where I still have to ride my bicycle home in the rain.  I spend the rest of the afternoon packing my two suitcases. In the evening, I go out for my last dinner at Kiyariya.

I must have every last thing cleared out of my apartment by Tuesday’s inspection, so I have to hand off things to my colleagues who are staying, or dispose of them.  On Thursday, I’m scheduled to go into Tokyo to go over my students’ grades with our Program Coordinator; after the meeting Graham, Paul and I will go to Vinul’s in Ueno for tapas and wine.  From Friday to Sunday, I’m going north of Tokyo to visit Nikko, a World Heritage site.  On Monday, my bags have to be ready for pickup, and on Tuesday, I’ll leave for my one-week holiday!

My time in Sagamihara is coming to a close.

Steps today: 13,148 (5.57 miles).