Day 10 – July 22nd: Reflections, Runways, and the Worst Pizza on Earth
- majordetourllc
- Jul 27
- 5 min read
Early morning again—5:15. We finished packing, washed all the towels, took the trash out, weighed our baggage (because Japanese airlines are absolute sticklers for the rules), and checked out. And once again, we were met with those damn Japanese iPads—half in English, half in Japanese—making checkout feel like we were trying to defuse a bomb with Google Translate. We finally figured it out, grabbed our bags, and off to Naha Airport we went.
We got to Naha Airport with plenty of time for our flight, which gave me a quiet moment to reflect on our time in Okinawa. So much has changed here, yet somehow it all feels familiar. The streets, the beaches, the little shops—maybe they’ve evolved a bit, but the heart of Okinawa hasn’t. The people are still just as kind, wise, and welcoming as I remember.
I couldn’t help but think about the life we once had here, a life full of connection, laughter, and simple routines that somehow felt like magic. The only thing missing is Hilary and Jay (and our other friends like Steve and Jodie, Shawn and Melissa, Michelle and Nick) to make it truly feel like home again. Back then, Hilary and I were practically inseparable—every Sunday family dinner was a tradition, we grabbed meals together multiple times a week, and every holiday was spent side by side. Weekends were full of unplanned adventures, spontaneous coffee drop-ins, or just walking to a local restaurant like it was our second living room.
Our kids were like one big family. They’d run in and out of each other’s houses like they owned the place, knew where the snacks were, and felt as comfortable with us as they did with their own parents. We didn’t just raise our kids side by side—we raised them together. I knew if mine needed anything, Hilary was there, no questions asked, and she knew I’d do the same for hers.
Being back in Okinawa brought those memories rushing back in waves—the kind of memories that make you smile and ache at the same time because they were so good, so real, and so full of love and laughter. I found myself thinking a dozen times, Oh, I need to tell Hilary this—she would laugh so hard! I miss that connection, that season of life when we were each other’s “person,” when a day didn’t feel complete until we’d shared a story or a laugh.
As I sit here, I realize something important: I don’t just miss Okinawa—I miss the life I had here. I miss those friendships, the closeness, and the way we were all each other’s family. And while I know life changes, kids grow up, and people move on, a part of me will always long for those “golden days.”
But I’ve come to understand that these memories aren’t meant to make me sad or hold me back. They’re a reminder of how lucky I am to have had something so special that it still tugs at my heart years later. Life shifts, but the love and laughter from those years are forever mine to carry.
Singapore Airport Adventures
After leaving Okinawa, we had a six-hour layover in Singapore, and let me tell you—if there’s ever an airport worth getting “stuck” in, it’s this one. Changi Airport is less of an airport and more of an entertainment complex disguised as a travel hub. We started with the famous Jewel Waterfall, a 130-foot indoor rain vortex that looks like something straight out of a sci-fi movie. You can stand there for 20 minutes and still not believe it’s inside an airport.
From there, we decided to explore like tourists on a mission. We wandered through the hedge maze, which was both hilarious and slightly frustrating (Michael claimed he had “the map in his head” but still got us lost). Then we braved the mirror maze, which had us laughing like fools because every turn felt like walking into a magic trick—or into each other.
Next up was the clear bridge, a suspended glass walkway where you can see all the way down to the floors below. It’s equal parts beautiful and terrifying, especially when you realize how high you are.
Of course, all that adventuring worked up an appetite, which led us to what might be the worst pizza on earth. It looked fine, but one bite and we all collectively agreed it tasted like someone tried to make pizza while reading the recipe upside down. Luckily, we found some good snacks and drinks nearby to cleanse our palates.
We still had time to kill, so we just wandered around Changi, which feels like a luxury shopping mall meets a garden paradise. There were butterfly gardens, koi ponds, high-end stores, and so many things to do that it made the 6 hours fly by. Honestly, I could spend a full day there and not get bored.
Bali Arrival
When we finally landed in Bali, we were exhausted and ready to just get there. But Bali had other plans—customs took nearly two hours, and by the time we finally got through, we were running on fumes. An airport worker offered to give us a ride to our hotel, and we took it without hesitation. We pulled up at 2 AM, starving and barely functional, but we didn’t even bother with food. Showers and beds were all we could think about. Dinner could wait—tomorrow was a new day in Bali, and we were too tired to care about anything else.
So, after a day filled with memories of Okinawa, a six-hour Singapore layover that felt like an adventure in itself, and a pizza that will forever live in infamy, we finally made it to Bali at 2 AM—tired, hungry, but grateful for every twist and turn that got us here.
Thank you for taking this detour with me. I can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings as we dive headfirst into Bali.
Kolleen
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