As I write this, it is past midnight, so I guess this is actually day 1.  I’ve just finished packing, and we’re leaving for the airport in less than eight hours.  As it turns out, I should have started packing a bit sooner.  Having a checklist didn’t save as much time as I had imagined it would.  Note to self: next time leave more than 3 days between the end of the semester and the start of a big trip.

Time to get a few hours of sleep and then start the adventure!  At least I can try to sleep on the 12-hour leg to Japan, right?