[In English]
Re: A “Heart-pounding” Half a Month Journey to USA & UK
From July 22 to Aug., 05, we (my wife and I) had an exciting and thrilling journey to USA and UK. The main purposes were two; one is to attend my niece’s wedding in CA, and another one is to visit Hardy’s Cottage, the birthplace of my favorite English novelist, Thomas Hardy. Since I’m not necessarily a frequent flyer and all the places that we planned were quite new for me, I had to prepare the detailed itinerary for the individual tour, spending no less than 2 months. Of course, I knew it very well that we may encounter many troubles and get a cold sweat at each time. But, once we started the tour, we had to meet tens of thousands “heart pounding” experience from first to last…I had to think several times that all is over with me. I’ve been continuing panicking whatever I did. When I am even-minded, I can manage to communicate through my poorest English, but when I met troubles and happenings, I was just like an infant boy who has started speaking language, especially in UK. It was so hard for me to be able to understand what they say in Queen’s English.
I was nearly in tears when I saw my niece’s happiest face, with her loved one at the wedding. I was impressed a lot to know that so many of her and his friends and their family celebrated them in heartfelt manner. Congratulations, Riina & Stephen!
I was so happy to get to the writer’s birth cottage, and the stage place (Poole) of my favorite novel. The atmosphere of the Harbor, the Church and the street of that “Havenpool” (actually Poole)
never betrayed my image on the short story.
It was windy and rainy all the day, very chilly there.
We had a railway strike in England when we headed to Southampton. Not knowing how to get the destination, we had to ask many people’s help. In the case of not only this happening but also many other bafflements, all were very kind and gave us suitable advice.
The journey’s expenditure must be very costly due to depreciation of JPY, and we had to pay some “waste”, too. However, I think this unfruitful money may be a sort of “learning cost”. I would rather say that I was able to acquire a lot from many kind-hearted local people who helped us during the long journey. Thank you very much, all!!
[In Japanese]
タイトル: アメリカとイギリスへの“ドキドキ”半月間の旅
7月22日（土）から8月5日（土）まで、私たち（妻と私）はアメリカとイギリスへとても“刺激的”で”ドギマギする”旅行をしてまいりました。 主な目的は 2 つありました。 1 つはカリフォルニアでの姪の結婚式に出席するため、もう 1 つは私の大好きなイギリスの小説家、トーマス ハーディの生家である「ハーディズ の小家屋」を訪問するためです。 私は頻繁に海外に出かけているものではありませんし、計画していた場所はすべて私にとってまったく新しいものであったため、今回の個人ツアーの詳細な旅程を 2 か月以上もかけて準備する必要がありました。 もちろん、さまざまなトラブルに遭遇し、その度に冷や汗をかくかもしれないことは重々承知していました。 でも、いざ旅が始まると、最初から最後まで”何万もの「ドキドキ体験」”を強いられました…「もう万事休すだ」と何度も思いました。 何をするにもパニックになり続けました。 私は、平穏な状況ではつたない英語でも何とかコミュニケーションをとることができますが、トラブルや出来事に遭遇すると、（特にイギリスでは）まるで言葉を話し始めた幼児のような状態でした。 イギリス の英語発音では何を言っているのかを理解するのはとても大変でした。
結婚式で愛する人と一緒にいた姪の最高に幸せそうな顔を見たとき、私は（感動のあまり）泣きそうになりました。 多くの彼女と彼の友人、そしてその家族が心から祝福してくださっていることを知り、とても感銘を受けました。 おめでとう、リイナとスティーブン！
私の好きな作家の生家、そして私の大好きな小説の舞台（プール）に行くことができてとてもうれしかったです。 あの「ヘブンプール」（モデルの町はプール）の港、教会、街並みの雰囲気等、いずれもがその短編小説のイメージを裏切ることはありませんでした。
一日中風と雨が降り、とても寒かったです。
サウサンプトンに向かう途中、イギリスで鉄道ストライキがありました。 目的地に着く方法がわからず、私たちは多くの人に助けを求めなければなりませんでした。 今回のことだけでなく、その他にも色々と困った事がありましたが、皆さんとても親切で適切なアドバイスを頂きました。
円安の影響で旅費はかなりかかったはずですが、加えてそれなりの「無駄」も支払わなければなりませんでした。 しかし、この実らないお金も、ある種の「学習コスト」なのかもしれないと思うのです。 むしろ、長い旅の間、たくさんの親切な地元の方々に助けていただき、多くのものを得ることができました。 皆さん、本当にありがとうございました!!
Rough Schedule (旅程概要)
The Day One (July, 22 [Sat.]): My Hometown; Japan
Departure （出発）
The Day One (July, 22 [Sat.]): Glendale in LA, CA; USA
Rambling along the street of Glendale, CA （グレンデールの街、散策と夕食）
The Day Two (July, 23 [Sun.]): Ventura, CA (1 of 2)
Rambling along the street of Ventura, CA （ベンチュラの街、観光）
The Day Two (July, 23 [Sun.]): Ventura, CA (2 of 2)
Eve Dinner Party among All the Attendees for the Wedding （結婚式前夜の出席者夕食会）
The Day Three (July, 24 [Mon.]): Santa Barbara, CA (1 of 3)
Sightseeing in Santa Barbara （サンタバーバラの街 観光）
The Day Three (July, 24 [Mon.]): Ventura, CA (2 of 3)
Wedding Ceremony at the Beach of Ventura （ベンチュラの浜辺での結婚式）
The Day Three (July, 24 [Mon.]): Ventura, CA (3 of 3)
Wedding Party at Pacific View Tower （パシフィックヴュータワーでの披露宴）
The Day Five (July, 26 [Wed.]): London (1 of 2); UK
Sightseeing in London (1) （ロンドン観光(1)：大英博物館、アビーロード他）
The Day Six (July, 27 [Thu.]): Cotswold, Bibury, Bourton-on-the- Water, Stow-on-the-Wold
Sightseeing in Cotswold Area （コッツウォルズ地域観光）
The Day Seven (July, 28 [Fri.]): London (2 of 2)
Sightseeing in London (2) （ロンドン観光(2)：国会議事堂、ウエストミンスター寺院、バッキンガム宮殿、トラファルガースクエア他）
The Day Eight (July, 29 [Sat.]): London → Portsmouth → Southampton
Sightseeing in Portsmouth & Southampton （ポーツマスとサザンプトン観光）
The Day Nine (July, 30 [Sun.]): Dorchester & Poole
Sightseeing in Dorchester & Poole （ドーチェスターとプール観光）
The Day 9: Dorchester & Poole
I have been eagerly hoping to visit the stage of T. Hardy’s novel, “To Please His Wife”.
The atmosphere of the Harbor, the Church and the street of that “Havenpool” (actually Poole)
never betrayed my image on the short story.
It was windy and rainy all the day, very chilly here.
The Day Ten (July, 31 [Mon.]): Southampton → Brighton → London
Sightseeing in Brighton （ブライトン観光）
The Day Twelve (Aug., 02 [Wed.] ): LA, CA
Sightseeing in LA （ロサンゼルス観光）
The Day Thirteen (Aug., 03 [Thu.]): USA → Japan
LAX （ロサンゼルス国際空港）
The Day Fourteen (Aug., 05 [Sat.]): Our Home
Coming Back to Our Sweet Home （無事我が家へ帰って来ました）
Re: Our Sweet Home is the BEST!
The long journey was over. We were able to come back safely to our home early this morning for the first time in half a month. The first things we had to do were to open all the windows for letting the fresh summer wind into the rooms, and of course to wash “thousands” of clothes sweated during the trip.
How comfortable lying down on my bed with naked, being blown with breeze from the window! What a wonderful time for the bad boy being able to smoke without any hesitation is!
Our home is the BEST for sure!!!
半月間にわたる長旅を終えて、５日（土）に無事帰宅できました。真っ先にしなければならなかったことは、すべての窓を開けて夏の新鮮な空気を部屋へ取り込むこと、そして旅行中汗にまみれた数多くの衣服を洗濯することでした。裸でベッドに寝そべり、窓からのそよ風に打たれることはなんて心地よいのでしょう！そして、（大悪オヤジのボクにとって）気兼ねなくタバコが吸えることは最高です！
何といっても「我が家が一番！」
OH MY GOD!!! I would never have dreamed of meeting Yoshi and Kaoru a second time in my life after seeing them board the train in Ventura to Santa Barbara on the way to a wedding. A day or so later I was waiting at the station in Ventura for the train to take me to Burbank airport for my plane trip to Anchorage Alaska when who do I see but Kaoru and Yoshi arriving and waving at me, there to take the same train to LAX. And when they told me that they were going to UK, I was astounded. These two very special human beings from another world who were in my world and yet going to another world. OH MY GOD. I was amazed that they were on their way with just a couple of luggage pieces, heading out to explore and make a big dream of theirs come true. I must say that I will always think of them as a divine inspiration to be excited and courageous and accomplish any ambitions in my own life. Many blessings to Yoshi san and Kaoru san!!!
Mr. Mike Valdez
Many thanks for your nice comment to my small album.
During the long journey around US & UK, we were helped by a lot of kindhearted people, including a nice gentleman from Alaska. Thanks to your sincere help, we were able to visit Santa Barbara, as scheduled.
As you kindly said so, and as I may have repeatedly said so, too, I think it a miraculous encounter to happen to meet you again at the same platform on 25th. I really think that it was one of the best and unforgettable memories for us during the trip. Thank you very much, Mike san.
If you have any chance to visit Japan, please inform me of your schedule in advance so I can prepare something in return as a token of my gratitude.
From Yoshi
Aug., 07, 2023