We Must Really Be Leaving & Some Interactive Fun!

We sold the Surf yesterday and I'm a little more in love with that truck all of a sudden! Jeff cleaned it up yesterday morning and it looked really good. I guess we should have tried doing that a little more often while we drove it. Now, if I get all weepy over the Crapina when we part ways, you'll know I'm having issues letting go of Okinawa. But even if I kick the bumper on that thing as it drives away, you should know I really am having issues letting go. I think it might be a result of this assignment being so remote; every other time we've moved, we've thought, "oh, we might drive through here again." I don't think we'll just take a passing glance at Okinawa again.

Please remind me of that when we get reassigned here in about six years.

We spent yesterday afternoon wandering around American Village, Jusco, the monkey store and its 100 yen before taking Wyatt for a loop on the ferris wheel. Just everything about this place is unique - from the hoardes of Japanese schoolgirls getting their pictures taken in the fancy photo booths at the Dragon Palace arcade to the cool little dishes and hilarious t-shirts at Jusco. I mean, you guys, I'm getting wistful about tonkatsu and random raw seafood! It's not as if I've ever actually purchased half the stuff in the Jusco grocery section, but it won't even be an option in two months. So sad.

I'll probably have to make an extra trip to Target or TJMaxx to numb my depression.

And I'll remind myself again that we are so lucky to have even had this opportunity; I'm lucky to be sad about leaving because there are plenty of people who hate it here and can't wait to see it from the window of their departing plane. Crazies! There's no accounting for taste.

And now it's time for the interactive fun part I promised. We need you to help us out of our little dilemma. We're t-minus 7 weeks and are debating one last trip, so here's the debate: Singapore and Vietnam remain on our travel wishlist but both have pros and cons so the other option is to stay home.

Vietnam pros:
not heavily touristed, cheap once you get there, culturally intriguing and very un-westernized
Vietnam cons:
maybe not so Wyatt-friendly since the food would be slightly more questionable and we'd most likely do a guided tour without freedom for naps and early nights, expensive.

Singapore pros:
highly recommended by many people, not a destination we would seek out from the States so it makes sense to go now, modern and kid-friendly with a multi-cultural blend of people and stuff.
Singapore cons:
when you boil it down, it's just a big city (kind of like Hong Kong), kind of expensive to get there because we probably can't time it right to take the hop from Tokyo, they don't let you have any chewing gum. Just kidding, that's not really a con, but did you know that?

Staying home pros:
Uh, we'd save a bucket o' money, no stress while we're trying to prep for the move, we'd feel free to buy any last-minute piece of furniture that crossed our path, and we will be attempting to purchase our first house in the next few months.
Staying home cons:
No more trips?!, we've been looking for that elusive piece of furniture and haven't found it, it's just money, would I always regret not seeing one of those places?

So vote now! Let your voice be heard. And please reward me by participating because I went to the trouble of setting up a poll - you don't even have to comment! And the poll will close on Saturday, October 6, so vote now!