Phuket, Thailand

Scott and the Girls in the Pool


Dueling Bubbles!


On March 15th, we headed to Phuket, Thailand for a planned Spring break with Missy and Greg. We were supposed to arrive late on the night of the 17th, but left a few days early due to the constant shaking in Tokyo. We had rented a 2 bedroom, beautiful villa at the Marriot Mai Khao Beach Club, and it was a great place to stay. The facilities were great- really great pool (quite but fun), a small slide in a separate pool, a very nicely equipped gym, ping pong, chess, a very fun kid's club, good restaurants and a short walk to the beach. We had a great vacation, and it was even nicer with a few extra days added in. Maya's good friend Tara Grace, and her family were also staying at our hotel, so Maya had someone to play with on a daily basis. Tara Grace's older sister Chloe would hang out with Hanna, and Scott and I had the opportunity to really relax and have a great vacation. Because of the earthquake situation, Scott ended up working nearly every morning of our 11 days there, but because I had Greg, Missy and the Gagnon family to hang out with, it didn't seem like he worked as much as he did. The girls made some great projects in the kids club, and daily spent between 1-3 hours there having fun. There were also a lot of other ASIJ families staying at this resort, so we had an opportunity to gage where everyone else was in relation to returning to Tokyo. We swam, and Hanna even taught herself to swim during this trip! She just decided that she didn't want to wear a floatie, and took it off and started swimming around the pool. Then, she started to go under water! This from a girl who cried when water got in her eyes in the shower! I was so proud of her! The first time she went under water with goggles on, she came up and said "Mom, I can see people's feet! This is awesome!" and she never stopped. Scott and I were so proud of her and so happy she decided to embrace swimming, and get rid of the floatie!!







While in Phuket, we went on an Elephant tour, Siam Safari's. We had the chance to see them do some training of the elephants (one actually painted a picture!), then ride them through the jungle, and finally, we got to feed them at the end. The girls had a GREAT time, and Hanna immediately asked if we could "do it again!".


Hanna and I on Patong (Thai for Pumpkin)


Scott and Maya on Tuk-Tik


Garrison Family with our elephant

We also went on a Phi Phi Islands Tour with Simba Sea Tours. Each Tour was maximum 15 people (we had 6 of them), and we had the chance to snorkel, see some unbelievable fish, swim, cannonball off the boat, eat a wonderful lunch on a secluded, gorgeous island, and get sunburned (I thought I grabbed the 50 but it was only 15! Thank goodness the girls had their rashguard shirts on - the sun is so much more intense there than anywhere else we have ever been!)Hanna didn't like to snorkel, but she swam right with us, and spent some time feeding the fish bananas and hanging out with the crew on the boat. It was probably the most fun tour we have ever done, anywhere we have ever been. Had a fantastic time!











This trip was such a fun time. Spending time with Greg and Missy was something we haven't ever had the chance to do, and it was really nice to get to spend quality time together. It also came at a great time, as we were so stressed out due to the earthquake and all the decisions that came with that situation. It was nice to turn it off for a bit and just relax.


M and her Tara Grace jumping the waves


H adjusting her Snorkel Gear

Missy and Greg's Visit

Greg and Maya on a bridge at Shinjuku Goen Gardens

Greg, Scott's brother, and his wife Missy, visited us for 10 days in Japan(prior to and including the day of the earthquake). We had an unbelievably great visit and toured all over the greater Tokyo area. They arrived on Thursday, the 3rd of March. Friday, Maya had off for teacher inservice, so the four of us headed to Shinjuku Goen Gardens- a beautiful park, with great landscaping, plus a view of the skyscrapers in the background. It was a fantastic, sunny day, and the first time Maya and I had been there as well. Missy had sent me a list prior to coming over of things/places they would like to see and do, and luckily, there were quite a few that I hadn't done before. After the gardens, I took them to a rotating Sushi restaurant in Shinjuku, for lunch, and from there, we headed to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building for a free view of the city.


View of Tokyo from Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building


Saturday, the 5th found us out at Mt. Fuji and the Fuji Safari Park. The park is a drive through Safari park, where Lion's come right up to your car (they have signs everywhere telling you to keep your windows up and lock your doors), elephant's are a yard away, all with the view of Mt. Fuji right behind you. It was the first time we had gone there, and the first time we had gotten so close to Mt. Fuji. The girls got to ride horses, and feed red kangaroos, as well as play with mice and bunnies! That night, Scott, Greg, Missy and I went to a Sukiyaki restaurant in Shinjuku, and then on Abbey Road. The Garrison's are big Beatles fans'. We had a great night listening to live music.


At Fuji Safari park, base of Mt. Fuji

Girls feeding Kanagaroos




Sunday, we took Greg and Missy up to Asakusa, and the Sensoji temple. Sensoji is one of the oldest temples in Japan- it is beautiful and surrounded by a HUGE shopping area- little open shops that sell everything and anything "Japan or Japanese". We tooled around, but because weekends are always so packed, we couldn't spend a ton of time looking around. They had a food fair, with booths of all different little delicacies...Missy ate Squid on a stick...not sure about that one..she eats everything and anything!


Missy will eat ANYTHING!

We then took the Sumida River Tour (boat down the Sumida River) back home. It was a neat way to see the Tokyo skyline and much more enjoyable than taking the train! We also went to see the Harajuku girls and the Rockabilies in Yoyogi Park.


At Sensoji Temple in Asakusa


M and H praying at the Temple

Monday turned out to be a rainy day, so we stuck close to home, and then I took them to a small, popular gyoza restaurant in Omotesando. Greg went back to our apartment, and Missy and I stayed and did some Oriental Bazaar shopping.

Tuesday found us at the Meiji Shrine, and doing a common thing in Tokyo- getting LOST. I again, was very grateful to have my iPhone and be able to map my way to somewhere I knew!

Wednesday, the 9th, Scott took off of work and we went on a tour of the Imperial Palace. It was again, a gorgeous spring day in Tokyo, and was so nice to be outdoors. From the tour, we trained to Roppongi and went to TAC for lunch. While we were on the train, Tokyo was hit (indirectly) with a 7.3 magnitude Earthquake. We did not even feel it underground, but everyone said it shook the hell out of TAC and the surrounding buildings. At the time, right after it hit, they were saying that was "the big one"...seeing as we didn't feel it, we didn't think twice about going up on the sky deck of the Mori Tower- one of the tallest buildings in Tokyo with an unbelievably spectacular view of Tokyo and the Tokyo Bay. Knowing what happened on the 11th, it was just a "fore-shock" to something much more fierce and scary.

Thursday, the 10th, the girls and I (Maya was off of school on Thursday and Friday for Parent teacher conferences, and I just pulled Hanna out of school for the day) took Greg and Missy down to Komakura. Komakua is a small town on the water about an hour train ride from Tokyo. We spent an awesome, sunny day looking at the 2nd largest Buddha (Diabatsu) in Japan and exploring the Hase Dere temple (this temple is one of the most beautiful temples I have ever seen- completely gorgeous, with a view of the water/bay, caves, koi ponds, etc.). We were there all day, and thank god that the earthquake did not hit a day earlier- we would have had no idea how to get home from there.


Diabatsu, Komakura, Japan March 10, 2011


Friday we decided to stay home, do laundry, chill out, and go for a nice lunch with both of the girls (Hanna's school got out at 11:35 for parent teacher conferences as well). I worked out in the morning, and then we went and grabbed Hanna and then on for lunch at ARMS- home of good burgers and GREAT milkshakes. After, Greg took the girls to a park right by the restaurant, and Missy and I went into Shibuya. We had just gotten back, hopped directly on the train to go home, and walked out of the train station when the earthquake happened. I am so thankful that we were all together (30 min earlier and Missy and I would have been in Shibuya and Greg would have been all alone with my kids). The earthquake hit at 2:46pm on March 11, 2011. It lasted over 2:30 minutes, and was unbelievably intense and frightening. It was not a great way for Greg and Missy to end their dream vacation to Japan, but I am so glad it happened on their last day and not their first day, so we could enjoy our time together and they could see what we love about being and living in Tokyo.