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Every adventure has to end, so on Saturday afternoon, November 24, we got on the Narita Express, then boarded planes for the US. CJ wasn't feeling well the night before and I was worried about the long flight, but his breathing was clear and he was a trooper during the 23-hour journey.

No kidding, no matter how we fly, through what airport, non-stop or direct, it takes nearly 24 hours to get to and from Japan. Maybe it's because Tokyo is so far from Narita airport, or international travel always means getting to the airport so much earlier, or the transfers are just getting more miserable, I don't know. All I know is that it took 22 hours to get to our hotel in Shibuya, and 23 hours to get back to our house.

CJ and Maki were sick on Sunday and Monday, but by early Tuesday morning, both were hungry and feeling better. I made it to work on Monday, but the jetlag has been hard on me. My normal routine to overcome jetlag is to get a lot of sunshine, but it's been grey and rainy in Northern VA, so no sun for me. I'm exhausted by 10:00pm, but wide awake by 3:00am, then groggy when I finally stumble out of bed around 9:00am. If past experience is a guide, CJ will bounce back by mid-week, while Maki and I will continue to be jetlagged for another week.

Our long, fabulous trips always make cherish the comforts of home. I like lounging on our couches, it feels good to be in my own bed, and I love having coffee in my kitchen in the mornings. Yep, I've got mountains of e-mail to plow through and tons of deadlines, but oh well, I'm rejuvenated and ready to tackle proposals and projects at work.

I'll continue to post about our Japan trip as inspiration hits, and I'll have to figure out how to add photos and slide shows to this blog. Stay tuned.