Hydrate!

Who knew the importance of adequate hydration? I didn't until only very recently (as in one hour ago). The last few days I've been dragging, feeling incredibly lazy, worn out, even down in the dumps, and just like I didn't want to do anything. I've had minor headaches, felt slightly sick to my stomach, and been angry at everything, even letting it come through in my conversations with my brother, a Japanese friend, and the children I teach and co-workers.

This morning I was really dragging, woke up late, missed breakfast, was late for work, had children calling me names, and spit on my books (it happens, they're kids). Usually I just brush it off and tell them kindly not to do that again, but today I was angry, and I let it show. My head wasn't "in-the-game" and I was really distracted and basically let the kids run wild because I just didn't want to deal with it, and didn't feel like I had the energy to do anything. I basically swore off children after my first 4 classes (saying, "I'm sure I'll hate children for the rest of my life after this...") and on the way home, I was devastatingly thirsty.

I don't know that I've ever been so thirsty in my entire life. I complained to my friend about my Japanese friend who talks to me late at night saying, "I'm so tired now because my friend keeps me up late at night," but that was only half (and now I'm thinking quite insignificant) of the story. I was counting down the minutes to get home and get a drink. Every traffic light was torture, I literally felt like I was dying of thirst. We had to take a detour and I almost punched the car because I was so angry and thirsty. I nearly got out at many of the stop lights just to go to the nearest store and get a drink. Literally, I could have just passed out I was so thirsty.

Finally, we made it to my street, my friend dropped me off, and I didn't even give him a "Thanks" as I scurried over to the Family-Mart and went inside. Tunnel-vision hardly describes it, as I went straight for the drinks, I hardly even remember who was in the store or what the were doing. I grabbed 700 mL of green tea, paid, and left, downing 500 mL of that before I was 10 steps away from the store, and finishing it off within a block. 5 minutes more put me at home, where I started checking Men's Health in my email about the importance of drinking enough fluids, and how to practically do that through-out a busy day. All the while I kept drinking from another 1.5 L bottle of tea (which I finished off in an hour). What a difference that made!

A huge difference was noticable within 15 minutes of drinking the first little bit. Already I felt better, but more than that, over the course of the next hour as I continued drinking the tea, I just kept feeling better and better. My focus was back, my energy returned as well, and the children ceased being annoying little mosquito pests. I started having fun with them again, and I was reminded of why I enjoy children so much again, and just, wow! what a huge difference!

For the past few weeks I've felt that I NEEDED to go to the gym or to run/workout, something, but I just haven't had the focus, the drive, the energy, the motivation. After continuing to hydrate, now about 2.5 hours and 3.5 liters later, I have enormous energy. In fact, I'm considering not taking a taxi home from work tonight, but instead, just running it. And not just running the short 4 km straight back, but instead extending it to a much longer 9 or 10km. And I've not done that in quite a while! If I had known more about hydration in summer sooner, perhaps I'd have been far more active in the first place. I did notice that I've dropped about 3 kg over the past week (hopefully it's not just all water weight). But at least now I know.

......................

6:30pm

5 hours and 5 liters later, I still feel much better than I did this morning, and now I'm not sucking down water like I was earlier. Now, I more hungry than anything else. Time for grub.

Japan Itinerary

I figured, since I was going to write this all down anyway, I might as well share it with all of you too. My Japan trip planned for July 28-August 5 goes something like this:

Friday, July 27 JEONJU
6:00pm-----finish work, head home for possible last minute packing
7:00pm-----At Jeonju Express Bus terminal ready to go to Seoul
10:30pm----In Seoul, possibly meet some friends for dinner and fun
12:00am----Korean sauna or friend's house for sleep

Saturday, July 28 SEOUL
7:30am-----wake up
8:00am-----Leave for airport
9:00am-----Arrive at Incheon airport
11:15am-----Flight to Tokyo
1:30pm-----Arrival in Tokyo, Japan, and immigration, (no baggage claim, I'll backpack it)
2:00pm-----Leave airport to meet Thomas somewhere for lunch (possibly Chiba)
3:00pmish--Meet Thomas, eat lunch, then head out for Disneyland!
4:00pmish--Arrival in Disneyland, and late ticket purchase
10:00pm----Disneyland closes, head for Sakura Hostel located at Asakusa Station
11:00pm----Arrival, check-in, and maybe hang out for a while, then sleep for an early start

Sunday, July 29 TOKYO
7:00am-----wake up, prepare to return to Disneyland
8:00am-----Arrive at Disneyland, in time for the opening (hopefully a friend or two will join me this day)
10:00pm----Park closes, head back to Sakura Hostel (or another location jointly chosen by my friend and I)
12:00am----sleep at Sakura Hostel

Monday, July 30 TOKYO
8:00am-----can sleep in, but possibly walk around the Imperial Palace in the morning
12:00pm----lunch
1:00pm-----leave for interview
2:00pm-----Interview at Interac, Japan near Iidabashi station
3:30pm-----Interview end, head to Akihabara Electronics area (massive Geek-Central)
7:00pm-----Possibly head to Tokyo tower, (also slightly depends on the company I keep)
11:00pm----Back to Sakura Hostel for the night (no curfew, but I think trains stop at midnight)
12:00am----Chill out, head to sleep

Tuesday, July 31 MT. FUJI
7:00am-----Wake up and head out for Fujisan (I hear it takes 4-7 hours up, and 2-4 back down)
10:00am----(possibly sooner) arrive at Mishima station, and take a bus to Fuji
1:00pm-----Arrive at the Fujinomiya 5th station and prepare to head out
7:00pm-----Hopefully arrive at the summit in time for sunset (not planning to stay for sunrise, though I may change my mind)
7:30pm-----Start back down with the help of my trusty flashlight
11:00pm----Reach Fujinomiya 5th station at least, (guess I need to make a plan for where I'll sleep this night though)
12:00am----Sleep

Wednesday, August 1 KYOTO
9:00am-----Sleep in at least a bit
10:00am----Hopefully have caught a bus back to Mishima station to catch the Shinkansen
12:00pm----Shinkansen (judging my time, and all, I MAY make a stop off at Nagoya to see a friend that Keisuke introduced me to, possibly for lunch this day, or if I'm REALLY ahead of schedule, for dinner the night before)
3:00pm-----possibly in Nagoya for a meal and etc
8:00pm-----hopefully no later, I'll arrive in Kyoto to see a friend I really miss
12:00am----stay the night in Kyoto

Thursday, August 2 KYOTO/OSAKA
8:00am-----wake up, get ready to head out, I've all day to chill with friends I know in Kyoto and Osaka
12:00pm----at least make it to Osaka, probably go to Osaka Castle/park, Yodobashi electronics, and Kinokunya bookstore in Namba
6:00pm-----arrange to meet a friend or two for dinner at least
12:00am----stay the night in either Kyoto or Osaka

Friday, August 3 HIROSHIMA
8:00am-----wake up, head out for the Shinkansen line to Hiroshima
10:00am----on the Shinkansen
1:00pm-----arrive in Hiroshima (honestly I've no idea how long the Shinkansen takes to get to any of these places so I'm just guessing, and hoping my guesses are either fairly accurate, or generous)
2:00pm-----Hiroshima Peace Park, the A-Bomb Dome, and the A-Bomb Museum (I heard that viewing these absolutely ruins your day, so I'm going to head to a park afterwards to cool)
6:00pm-----Hiroshima Castle and the park (land) around it
8:00pm-----possibly find something else interesting to do in Hiroshima
12:00am----Hostel somewhere in Hiroshima

Saturday, August 4 MIYAJIMA
9:00am-----Wake up, and head to the JR Ferry to Miyajima (Shrine island)
10:00am----Ferry to the island (at first I wasn't really going to go here, but since my JR Rail Pass includes free passage to the island, and it is a big tourist place, guess I'll head out there)
11:00pm----Exploring the island, and see the Torii Gate
3:00pm-----Possibly finished exploring by now, so probably just head back to Hiroshima
5:00pm-----Shinkansen bound for Fukuoka (Hakata)
8:00pm-----arrival in Hakata, time for dinner and heading to the Hostel, and chilling out
12:00am----bed

Sunday, August 5 FUKUOKA AND HOME
11:00am-----Hard Rock Cafe Fukuoka!!! (I've been waiting for this for 8 months!)
12:00pm----Head to the International Ferry Terminal with Eric and get our seats for the Ferry
1:45pm------In the Beetle and off to Korea
4:40pm-----Arrival in Korea, immigration, all that good stuff
5:30pm-----Head to the Bus Terminal
6:30pm-----Grab a bus back to our home of Jeonju
12:00am----no later than that arrive home, and head back to our houses with heads and cameras full of great memories

Monday, August 6 JEONJU
1:45pm------First class, plenty of time to sleep in and recover from my whirlwind trip to Japan that will cover over 1000 km (620 mi).

I'll update this later as plans finalize, but for now, I just wanted a rough sketch of my trip for my own sake.