59,700 kilometers (37,100 miles) in the air. 66 hours spent on flights.
That’s how much I traveled.
That’s enough airtime to loop the Earth one and a half times.
That’s nearly three full days in the sky — enough time to watch Wicked five times… and still get in plenty of naps.
This is going to be one of the most casual pieces I’ve published. It’s about the travels I took this early summer. I’m writing this to remember how intense and exciting it was to cover so much ground, visit so many places, and reconnect with so many people.
Colorado, USA — Reunions, a Race, and Rocky Mountain Air
May 23 — June 1
I kicked off the summer with a long journey: Tokyo to Dallas, then on to Colorado Springs. Nearly 24 hours in transit, and I arrived to familiar faces and dry mountain air. My high school roommate, now working on campus, picked me up, and we slipped right back into conversation, as if we’d just seen each other yesterday.
The next day, I attended the high school graduation for the Class of 2025. I caught up with old teachers, reconnected with my former adviser, and that evening joined the faculty party — sharing drinks with the people who once gave me grades and guidance.
That weekend, we visited her parents’ home in Denver, sharing stories and settling into the slower pace of the Rockies. On May 26, we ran the BOLDERBoulder together. The altitude made it tough, but the festive energy on the course made the whole experience rewarding.
Afterward, I spent two days with another high school friend — someone from the swim team who’s stayed close through the years. We went back to our favorite ice cream shop and spent one late night binge-watching a reality love show on Netflix, laughing like kids again.
From May 29 to June 1, I returned to campus for a high school reunion. Staying again with my roommate, I soaked in all the small moments: riding a horse across the prairie, swimming in the new athletic center, and painting indoors at the art building — creating scenes inspired by Colorado’s prairies. Some places don’t just bring back memories — they help you make new ones.
Seattle, USA — Slow Days and Afternoon Hikes
June 2 — June 8
On June 2, I flew from Colorado Springs to Seattle, with a brief stop in Denver. I stayed with a friend I’d visited in Sri Lanka for her wedding. She welcomed me with dinner at her favorite Chinese restaurant — unaware it also exists in Tokyo, which made us both laugh.
The week that followed felt like a reset. We spent time on her porch, went grocery shopping, cooked together (she showed me a few tricks), and moved through everyday routines. I joined her fitness class, watched her mow the lawn, got to know her cats, and hiked twice on trails that reminded me how grounding the outdoors can be.
Time moved quietly. On June 8, I flew back through Denver to Colorado Springs, just in time to catch my flight home the next morning. By June 9, I was in the air again — Colorado to Dallas, then Dallas to Tokyo — carrying a suitcase full of memories from the trip.
Berlin, Germany — Missed Flights and a Morning Run
June 21
Ten days after returning to Tokyo, I packed up again — this time for Europe. I flew to Singapore, then overnight to Amsterdam, where a missed connection rerouted me through Paris before I finally landed in Berlin late in the evening on June 21. The day felt like a blur of queues, announcements, and juggling boarding passes.
Berlin made up for the chaos. I stayed with a former colleague, joined her running group for a morning jog, and helped prepare brunch with her friends — learning to make waffles from scratch. It was a short stay, but packed with good conversations and small moments that made the detour worth it.
Amsterdam, Netherlands — Hotel Stay and Social Days
June 22 — June 27
That night, I flew to Amsterdam and checked into a hotel by the harbor — my first hotel stay of the trip. After a string of visits with friends, having my own space felt like a shift in pace.
I spent the next five days immersed in the city’s social scene. There was a lot of talking, meeting new people, reconnecting with familiar ones, and simply being around others. One night, I tried Portuguese food — possibly for the first time — which stood out among the stream of shared meals and conversations.
By June 27, I was flying again: Amsterdam to Singapore, then back to Tokyo. The days had gone quickly, but the energy of those interactions lingered long after.
Travel like this doesn’t come around often.
It’s a mix of the familiar and the unexpected, the slow moments and the rush to catch the next flight.
Writing it down now helps keep the details from slipping away — the people, the places, the quiet and the chaos.
For now, it’s enough to sit with those memories and know there will be more journeys ahead.