Farewells... Made Happier With Hokkaido Soft Serve

17th April 2009 - One of the downsides of having an intercontinental family is that you end up saying farewell all too often... and indeed my 2009 trip was ending in just such a way. I was leaving T-chan and L-kun to stay in Japan with her parents for a few weeks whilst I returned home... back to our quiet, oh so quiet, house. But first... the dreaded airport farewell. My previous trip was especially painful to see L-kun off.

Now - for those that know something of Japan, and especially Hokkaido, you'll know that people in Hokkaido are very proud of their produce, sea-food and dairy. They love their milk... and especially their ice-cream. As of yet, I had only had Hokkaido soft serve once before.... and that involved being stalked by a very strange obasan (older woman) in a shopping centre. Kowai!... seriously, this lady was totally creepy and couldn't stop staring at me as if I were a 100m tall alien, and was the only time in Japan when I've been seriously weirded out. Even T-chan and her family were a bit disturbed by it... but back to the airport.

A shared ice-cream should do the trick! Who ever heard of someone crying when they were eating ice-cream (ok... who ever heard of a male crying eating ice-cream)? 

Unfortunately a late arrival at the airport and a long walk to the icecream shop meant that we didn't have much time. Yet L-kun did indeed enjoy his yummy Hokkaido soft-serve ice-cream... very much. So much so that he didn't really notice when Daddy started hugs and kisses all around and with much drama disappeared through the security gate.

My parting memory of that day was of L-kun eating soft serve.. I had succeed in leaving without tears, so I guess I should have been happy. I realise now that sadness doesn't need tears however. I wished that soft serve cone could last for the whole time we were apart, and we could share it again as soon as possible back in Adelaide. Alas... not even Hokkaido soft serve ice-cream is that good.