Fukuoka family.

Before I start this post, I want to say thank you to all of who, who read or commented my last post. I was so moved by your reaction and this warmed my heart. I'll do write part 2, and maybe part 3 ... That's definitely a long story.

Japan was definitely the biggest trip I have done so far, the one filled with the most expectations and fears. I'd like to think of myself as a traveller who can go anywhere, who sees the world as a vast and beautiful place to explore and discover, without any limits or restrictions. But Japan ... seemed so far away in all aspects. So unreachable and foreign despite the multiple connections that I had had for years with the country.

Booking the plane tickets was so easy, that it didn't make any sense. It was just after a few days, when my bank account was lighter of 600euros that it seemed to become real.

Even now, even though I already did it once, Japan seems too far away. It feels too far away in miles, time, culture and language, in memories too. It feels too far away and I miss it a lot, every single day.

There is one thing that I miss dearly. My family all the way there in Japan, as I feel so honoured and blessed to be able to say. There are very few people in your life that you can click with instantly, and truly feel as if they were a part of your own family. Who would have thought I would find such a person more than 6000miles away?

Momoko and I met through YouTube, I'm not sure exactly how it all started. All I know is that it felt natural immediatly, and I've always felt like she was one of my best friends, and whenever I'm reminded our age difference I am surprised. I guess I shouldn't after all, she always gives me the best advice and finds the perfect wise and loving words to make me feel better. But those years and miles between us always seem absurd for I feel so close to her. 

Very naturally we decided to meet and she kindly, as always, offered Yolaine&I to stay at her place. Now, what you should know is that her family is as amazing as she is. 

Her mother has the brightest smile, and her dad is probably one of the kindest man I've ever met. I remember the first time seeing them at the train station, and I remember how nice they were to us, cooking and preparing the food for us, explaning us everything we were seeing, trying to find shows in english on tv ... Very few times in my life have I felt this much love and the feeling of being welcomed. 

Momoko and her family live in Fukuoka, in the south of Japan. I remember this day was awfully hot, it felt more like summer than spring to me. Not only because of the heat, but because of the happiness I felt. Being in Japan with lovely people, surrounded by beauty and japanese culture that I had been falling in love with even more during the trip ... It would be difficult to make better than this.

 I usually find it hard to express my love directly to people, for some unknown reason Momoko is probably the only of my friends that I feel comfortable with in this regard. I cannot count the number of packages and letters we exchanged, and ultimately the one person I am sure I would always have fun with and be happy to spend a day with, is you.

Leaving Japan was already hard enough, but to leave such amazing people made it even harder.

Travelling always reminds me how beautiful human beings can be, and how simple yet precious it is to share with people, no matter how different we may be. I sure meet and talk to many people in my daily life, without travelling, I've always been the kind to endlessly chat with strangers. 

But there is something so amazing with building a relationship with someone you would have never met if not for the internet or this plane/train ticket. 

People may just be one of my favourite thing about travelling.