Shangri-La la la!

It never ceases to amaze me how my back locks and is so stiff the morning after spending the night sleeping on a futon on the floor. And yet so many people swear by it, Japanese and aliens alike.

The air smells like earth... there is so much more humidity compared to Tokyo that the air really does feel wet; it maintains all the surrounding smells due to the heaviness.

Ahhhhh the sounds of a myriad of insects buzzing, humming, chitting, whirling and squealing tells me I. am. home.

Where is the constant traffic hum, I ask myself? Gone! Vanished! Self replies. The vehicles that do pass by are interruptions to the sound of peaceful nature, not the standard background noise of the city.

I miss the cicadas; to hear them everywhere around me... their meeee meeeeee meeeeeee songs have always been a pleasure to my senses, one of Mother Nature's perfectly tuned, always playing in harmony musical instruments.

The birdsongs are another instrument of life that I find mysteriously lacking in Tokyo. You actually have to go somewhere specific to find birdsong because in most cases they don't come to you.

The surroundings are tall, lush, green mountains instead of architectural wonders of concrete, steel and glass.

In the future years when I have moved on from Tokyo to the next great adventure, Tokyo will always have a place in my heart. But Hokuriku will always have my soul.

It's no wonder meditation came so easy to me here... Just being. Is. Being.

Enough newage mumbojumbo shit. Time to get some food in my gullet, fill my drinking bladder with water for a ride, slather on the necessary insect repellant with 100% deet (not needed in Tokyo as biting insects seem to be absent - except cockroaches of course) and then get some of Mother Nature's soap stuck between my teeth!

Have a goooooood weekend. Mine is long. And wonderful it is to be spending it in my Shangri-La.

I love you!

Cam