WordPress has subtly reminded me of the wisdom of saving my posts by losing several thousand words I typed last night. Still, I’d had half a bottle of wine (conservatively estimated) so they probably weren’t very good words. I’ll try again!
So, we arrived safe and sound on Sunday, but with about four hours of sleep achieved between us, which was about a quarter of what we’d hoped. For all my excitement, business class turned out to not be great, just not as purgatorial as economy. Still, if someone told me I had to spend 15 or so hours in my favourite chair at home I’d probably be cranky by the end of that too, so I’m not holding Air Canada responsible for the ordeal.

The food, and not having to climb over anyone, ever, were probably the biggest bonuses, especially after drinking bottomless champagne and having to make frequent bathroom trips (I might have been slightly responsible for the lack of sleep). I don’t think I mentioned in the last post that mum and I got told off by another passenger for talking while she was trying to sleep, despite the fact that it was 6pm Sydney time, she was three rows away and they give each passenger noise-cancelling headphones, earplugs, regular earbuds, and the noise of the plane was such that I could barely hear mum when we tried to talk to each other from half a metre away. Still, I tried to feel sorry for the lady and imagine how painful the genetic splicing with a bat must have been.

We are staying the first two nights at the Four Seasons, which is in a great location in the middle of downtown. Mum decided she was too tired to come out for lunch with Step and I, so after Steph met us at the hotel bar ($17 for a glass of wine – jebus) Mum went to bed and we headed to Steph’s favourite ramen place in the city. I might’ve only had two bowls of ramen in living memory, but after watching three seasons of Netflix’s Chef’s Table, I am pretty much a qualified food critic and can confidently say it was outstanding and assure you all that the umami flavours were both complex and well-balanced. Jinya Ramen was the name of the place.

Steph was in fine form and positively glowing with vitality. Even though I felt like the human equivalent of a banana you would find in the bottom of a child’s bag at the end of a school camp, spending time catching up with an old friend who was so happy and was doing what she loved was very uplifting and I was glad to have had the opportunity.

Next: we meet the gang and find cheaper wine!