Random sentences from my journal

I was down on my hands and knees for two hours scrubbing three years of yellow, Chinese sand off my balcony, and then the landlord never even looked outside. Still they did compliment me on how clean I had left the apartment. And I got more than half my deposit back. It was worth the bleeding knuckles.
I really was struggling to get excited. I think the three months of preparing to move had deadened me. It was like I had natural beta blockers or something. Aware that I should be maniacally happy, but unable to achieve the feeling. This all changed when I boarded the plane and found I had been upgraded to business class. And they never even told me. I thought the seat number seemed a little low. In all my many flights this was my first experience. Man, what a way to travel. It is the only way to fly. It's ruined me for economy. I'm pretty tall but I could stretch my legs out all the way without touching the chair in front. I had to unbuckle my belt to get my bag. May this be a good omen for the rest of the trip.
Waiting in line to board the plane to Okinawa was like Spring Break in Cancun. So many young American adults, mostly military. A good half of the plane were service personnel. The smell of soap and deodorant in the queue was overpowering, not bad, just really strong. I've gotten used to the Japanese idea of trying to smell neither good nor bad. I'm not used to American army non-neutrality.
I got off the plane and immediately felt I was in a different country, though Okinawa is still technically in Japan. It was the air - a sweet, hot, tropical smell with a aftertaste of sea salt and frangipani. I'm in heaven.
Black and grey make up the chic uniform of Tokyoites. Usually I covet their style. But here in the tropics, seeing big splashes of colour and everyone wearing Aloha shirts does a heart good.
I'm learning to embrace my dirt: I've been wearing the same trousers for three days now. Two reasons: One - I have my bag optimally packed. To move anything could lead to disaster. I can JUST fit everything in right now. Two - The more I dirty now, the more I have to wash down the line.
Another seen it all moment: My hotel room provides 'Slipper Sheets,' disposable insoles for the hotel room slippers provided in all Japanese hotels. For some reason this kind service made me really angry. The earth is dying. Do we really need to use her precious natural resources protecting our soles from each other's dirt? It's a planetary Save Our Souls.
I love boats. I love water, especially the sea. We come from water. We're made of water. The draw of the ocean is strong. Out on the water I love the power, the vastness of the possibilities, what may lie just over the horizon. The hope.