American Summer Vacation '13!

I finally got back to my home in Yokohama at almost 2am last night.  It was a 24 hour journey with a 12 hour flight then a 2 hour flight. It was the waiting time and the lines at customs that were killer.  I made it back safe and sound though.  Thank God I made it to the midnight bus when I did. Another minute or two and I would have had to sleep on floor somewhere in the airport. After carrying 30kg of stuff on my shoulders and back I finally made it. Got my self cleaned up and went right to sleep.

For only 2.5 weeks I say that was a great trip!  I wasnt even sure if I would make it, but my wishes of doing a SoCal road trip were made possible with the accommodation of many old university friends and family. I even got to see my longboard again and take her out for a few waves. 

My trip was almost entirely about meeting up with friends just so we can eat stuff, bbq, play games... get tanked...all of it. My socal trip was followed immediately with a rafting trip in Truckee near Tahoe with some of the best dudes I grew up with. 

If that didn't already make my trip worth it, It was good seeing all the family I had in Sac and the Bay Area.  I wish I could've stayed longer, but worth it nonetheless.

Heres some pictures:

The East Bay (maybe)

 

My first night in SF I went to an "exploratorium" which is quite literally a playground for grown ups.  I was so busy playing with stuff that I didn't quite remember to capture all that many pictures.. in fact my entire trip was like that.  So these pictures will be kinda sparse.. sorry.

How about a drinking fountain toilet?  Its never been used and dispenses the same water as a normal fountain.  But the fake piss and the dirt in the toilet was too much for me. What about u?

This is the banjo I missed for so long. Shes back in Japan with me now.

I saw this at Guitar Center. Its a new instrument made just recently. Its sold as a 6-string banjo but it is literally a guitar with a banjo body. It was interesting to play, but i felt like I was cheating. Im happy with my traditional banjo.. ill stay with that.

Got to see my sister in LA! Brunch with the siblings.

Marshmallow Crack

 

Good times eating Pho!

 

 Standing in the old Active room at AGO.

 

At one point it felt like my birthday. I havent had the two different groups of people I grew up with in the same room for years.

 

 

 Conquered Mission Peak with my cousins. The blazing sun and no shade was the hard part.

In-n-out, I will miss you.

 Natsuki now exists in the wii system at my parent's house.

I managed to convince a bunch of my friends back home to get Line. Now i have a new room mascot.

Heres the mt.Fuji airplane shot. The camera doesnt capture it well, but I think the peak was actually higher than the position of the jet at that time.

Yay!