Delay No More

The train crash wakes me up, I can't remember where I was going, or from where I had departed.

It's dark. It doesn't matter. My finger reaches out and strokes the face beside me.

It lights up – 3:50

That's two hours sleep. Was it dream #134 that woke me?

Beside me is an empty cup that held chamomile tea. They say it helps you sleep, but I still only get two hours at a time.

I make proper breakfast tea, and a slice of sourdough toast, buttered and covered with marmalade.

Now I am more awake than I was yesterday, and my head is clear and full of optimism.

Yesterday, in sunlight too bright, air too cold, and a sea too calm, I took a short walk up to the cliffs with my neighbour and her dog.

She asked me if I had any plans, and I asked her if she could keep a secret. Of course she replied.

I never tell a secret, unless I want it repeated, which can be fun, so I told her my next adventure was going to be in Japan.

Her face lit up, that's wonderful she said, and started telling me everything about her time there, and what I should do.

As with most of my travel plans, I am unaware of what has gone on in my subconscious, and my memories, until suddenly the idea erupts as if it was inevitable.

However, I realise that the origins of this particular decision began with a picture in a book that captivated me when I was preschool.

In this picture, which was rather stylised, was a mountain, snow- capped and majestic.

I was told that it was called Mount Fuji. I wanted to know why the top of the mountain was white. I was told that it was because it was snow. That was it – no reason - no explanation.

Adults didn't have much time to go into explanations with young children in those days.

Life was different. Working hours were long, food was rationed, there was no fridge, freezer, washing machine, vacuum cleaner, or television.

It mattered little, because everybody was in the same boat, and us kids were happy.

Like some kind of delayed gratification, I had been putting off this trip, mainly due to cost considerations. But the itch remained, and was reignited by reading Memoirs of a Geisha, and then last year, my friend and neighbour Peter Spry-Leverton gave me a copy of his book JAPAN.

Step one. Renew my passport..........