OK–after all the lazy blogger content (photos), here’s a short piece re: the substance of the past two weeks. And just who were those unmasked men traveling with us?

We were part of an American Jewish Committee (AJC) mission to Asia led by Bob Elman, AJC national president, a sometime San Francisco resident and friend; Jim Busis, the professional director of AJC’s Asia-Pacific Institute (API) based in Washington, DC; and Gary Jacobs, the lay chair of the AJC’s API, from Los Angeles. Also with us were Gosia Weiss (a stunning blonde), who works for AJC in Los Angeles, and Cliff Goldstein, new Los Angeles AJC president; Ken Kahan, an AJC member from Los Angeles; and Murray Lee, from Seattle, who runs a trading business in Asia.

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Special Commentator during Q&A after book talk at Talking Point Book Salon, Beijing

Talking Point Book Salon Owner with first Guest Author Speaker

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We’re in the Hong Kong airport (Cathay Pacific Cabin business class lounge–all those HIPPY trips to Little Rock and visits to my mom in Chicago paid off in so many miles…). This is transition between the AJC Asia mission and Africa dream trip. Feel very global–and remarkably more accepting of our global family life. Have whole new answer to others’ angst about Amy and Jonathan living abroad. Between seeing them and their friends AND meeting so many wonderful people like them throughout Asia, I have come to a different view of expat mom role. Hmm–time to trade Telegraph Landing for Beijing condo?

Enjoy the smattering of photos.  The safari ones will be a tad different–and the wardrobe will change, for sure. Plan is to ship Asia bags from hotel in Johannesburg (first Africa stop) to the one in Capetown (last Africa stop).

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Israel Ambassador to Japan Nissim Ben Shitrit welcomes us at his stunning Tokyo residence.

As previously announced, the days have been long–and the Internet access either iffy or outrageously expensive. Here’s a quick first installment of photos. I started to publish this in Beijing Saturday AM. It’s now Tuesday night in Hong Kong. Hope you get a flavor of the trip in photos. More to come to catch you up on Asia leg before we leave for Africa tomorrow night (I hope).

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Arriving in Tokyo a day ahead of any official events of the AJC mission was godsend. From the smooth cocooned flight in a United 747 upper level (watched four movies, read 3 New Yorkers–and am still behind!–and wrote a little, very little) to airport bus to the lovely Imperial Hotel, Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpiece, it was an easy, albeit long, trip over. Weather warm and sunny by day, pleasant at night.

Last time we were in Tokyo was 2003 en route to the Amy-Jonathan wedding in Beijing. It was the summer of SARS in China, we’d blocked out two weeks, and decided they didn’t need us more than one. Where else to go? Jonathan suggested other spots in China, but we decided “not this year,” so we stopped in Japan. We had a nice time both here and in Kyoto then and vowed to return. Never thinking it would be three days with AJC, but some day we hope to get to other, non-city areas. Probably not the best time for that this year. The people we’ve talked to seem resilient and happy, but, again, we’re in Tokyo, where the suffering was minimal. There are signs all over about conserving energy and earthquake relief charities.

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