Wholesome

I'm leaving for Japan tomorrow morning! This trip would never have happened if I was still drinking. I wouldn't have been able to afford it, let alone think big enough to go for it. I'm super excited. Dreams do come true. I'll be back in a few weeks, until then much love to this whole community. I don't think any of this would have happened for me without SR. This is where I learned how to quit which has given me back my life. Time to get out there and live it FREE!

biminiblue

So exciting!

Carlotta

OMG this is so awesome!
Wishing you a wonderful safe trip.

dwtbd

Banzai

tursiops999

Have a great trip, billiejean, and come back & tell us about it!

Dee74

Bon voyage BJ

D

Wholesome

Thanks everyone! Just knowing I don't have to get up at 12:40 for the next two weeks feels so good.

I'm so jazzed up! I'm literally going to the other side of the Earth, to a place that totally different. That's so cool.

Bye for real this time!

Sohard

This is such an inspiration to me. Thanks 🙏 for sharing!

Dropsie

Great trip!

Wholesome

Hi everyone. I'm here on an island called Yakoshima. I'm feeling very isolated and homesick at the moment. I miss my children. I'm here with my boyfriend's family_ his sister is living here at the moment. I've had enough of his family. I'm the only sober one and his mother has offered me sake more than once which I don't understand why since I know she knows. My AV is very active. I went to the store to buy snacks yesterday and they asked me to pick up beer and I considered for a moment cracking one open and drinking it on the curb. It doesn't help that I don't like the food. Most of it looks like it might scurry off my plate. So I've been hungry. I love sushi at home but they eat some weird sh*t here lol

I don't mean to whine so much. Japan is amazing! The culture and history are awesome. We've been to some incredible temples. The city's are massive and dense. The people are very quiet and private. I get the feeling they would understand AVRT perfectly. It's a big drinking culture and I bet those who quit use AVRT even if they don't call it that.

I'm not actually in danger of drinking but I haven't had this level of AV in awhile. I'm not tolerating his family well anymore and I'm wishing for some space and I'm tired of watching them all drink every single day. But I'm trying to make the best of it. The island we are on is a world heritage site. We arrived earlier today and tomorrow I plan to take off by myself to explore. I'm used to being able to leave situations where the drinking is making me feel uncomfortable but I haven't been able to do that and they drink a lot, they are on vacation ya know.

I already feel better just writing that out and getting it off my chest. So grateful for SR where I can always reach out as long as there's a WiFi connection.

GerandTwine

I’m sure you knew what you were getting into, but it sounds like you believe you have to tiptoe around and cater to this bevy of Beasts just because they are on vacation. Hah! The vacation excuse. I would be having a heyday wrapping those drinkers around my little finger, and they wouldn’t even know it. Ya know there are real people inside those inebriates. But that’s a whole ‘nother story.

It sounds to me like their Beasts are hellbent on sending you back to dear old loverboy and his Beast with your Beast back in full action.

But all this animalistic drivel is trivial compared to where you are and the fantastic choices you have about how to spend your time and expand your human experience. And it appears you are on top of that. Yes, “take off by [your]self and explore.”

dwtbd

Damn straight you are in no danger of drinking that idea is AV , you don’t drink

Hope you find some yummier food sooner than later.

Use your rational human agency that dismisses AV and upset the natural balance of the planet. Eg find a nice smooth pebble on that island and bring it back to other side of the globe . A tangible act that will actually affect the wobble of the Earth, just because you can

Carlotta

I absolutely LOVE the idea!!

As far as your bf's family is concerned, don't allow them to rent space in your head and ruin your vacation. The only person you can control and the only person you are responsible for (I assume you don't have kids) is yourself. If they want to go through their vacation feeling bloated and hungover half of the time, it's their choice. As a non drinker with a clear head, you can really make the most of your time in Japan.

Is it too much to hope that you will post a couple of fabulous pictures of the landscape here? >hint< >hint<

Wholesome

Much much better today. I just had myself a little moment there lol. That beast attack freaked me out though, it's been awhile since I've felt myself commanded to drink like that. I was walking with the bag of junk food and beer and the exact thought was, "You know who could really use a beer? ME! I could crack one of these open and drink it right here and NO one would ever have to know." And for a few seconds I seriously considered it before I gave my head a shake and got myself back under control. What a way to ruin everything. All it would take is that one single drink and the whole debacle would start right back up again. I'm so glad that I'm not obsessing about where I'm going to be getting my next drink like my travel companions and that I'm not hungover.

Today was a lovely day. Some of the trees here are thousands of years old, the forests feel enchanted. I took off by myself for hours and just explored and took pictures. I'm not sure how to post them off my phone so I'll have to wait till I'm home. There's a children's movie called Princess Monoko Spirit of the Forest that was inspired by these forests. There are magical. I'm blown away.

When I go to the beach where the sea turtles are laying their eggs I'm going to pick up some sea shells for my aquarium. My fish swim with shells from all over the world and now they'll swim with some from Japan!

LEP1968

I love hearing this especially that last line! Go get em! Happy for you!

Wholesome

It's really early in the morning here and I can't sleep. I left the restaurant last night before everyone was finished because I didn't want to sit around the table watching them all drink. I could tell by the look on my mother in laws face that she didn't like it. She's been the only person to say weird insensitive things and who makes me feel judged. I think she has an AV of her own though, she couldn't make it to Friday without a drink, heck she has a hard time making it to 5 o'clock. Alcohol is the one drug that society expects those who quit to be cool with being exposed to it constantly. Most of the time I am, but sometimes it makes me really anxious and uncomfortable so why should I put myself through that.

We went to these hot springs yesterday where everyone is expected to bathe naked! It was my worst nightmare! I've skinny dipped plenty of times at night with friends or lovers but getting naked with total strangers and my in laws in broad daylight.... No way. My boyfriend and I took off and found a private place to swim, it was really beautiful with the ocean on one side and the forested mountains on the other. We also checked out these tidal pools that were really neat. I found this gorgeous purple sea shell.

GerandTwine

Well, As you so aptly remind us, we are all just stardust organized into meat covered skeletons driven by ghosts. (Pretty complicated ghosts, though.)
Now, there’s a stardust skeleton for you. Can’t wait to see it.

GT

MesaMan

.
I went to Japan repeatedly back in my High Tech Corporate Daze, and got to see only a bit of the rural parts. Yakushima Island looks pretty amazing! The entire Island Population of ~14,000 equals, oh, about 2 square Kilometers of Tokyo density. Click on any of the Pictures linked below to read various Articles, and Blogs.

As they say on Radio Stations occasionally when conducting Emergency Broadcast Transmissions: 'This is a Test. This is only a Test'. Being around Drinking Relatives is 'only a Test', and a daunting one that reads as if you're coping well with. IMO, these sorts of situations were the toughest aspects of my Sobriety until I got practiced and facile at holding my ground. Regardless of the consequences. Ain't nobody gonna get Sober for me. I realized I was fully on my own. Negotiating Sobriety terms was/is not an option.

Alcohol consumption in Japan is pretty stunning.

Enjoy your irreplaceable time there. The best Trips are the ones you can remember.

- Yakushima Island Pictures -
.

Wholesome

I'm back! What a whirlwind of a trip! I would go back to Japan in a heartbeat. But without my in-laws lol, damn their drinking was getting to me, even in the airport they were pounding back drinks..... I can only take so much of it. But I made it, and if I can make it through 2 weeks of daily exposure to it, then I can make it through anything. There were a few moments in restaurants where I felt so awkward and out of place when they were really getting their drink on. It didn't make me want to drink, I chose this and it's the best decision I've ever made and I'm never going back to it. It was just hard to act cool when inside I was so uncomfortable. It was almost like my mother in-law was trying to goad me or tease me or something, it was weird, she said a couple of really off color comments that added to my discomfort. But oh well! Doesn't matter now. I had a great time despite the drinking. And I'm sure that the day will come where none of this will be able to touch me, it will roll right off my back. It's only been about 15 months and that was my first big sober vacation.

When we go back we are going to do island hopping throughout the southern region. That rain forest was incredible. I've been to rainforest's in British Columbia, Cuba, and Brazil, but the ones in Yakushima were hands down the most magical. That was the highlight of the trip.

I have so much more to say about it, but it will have to wait until I have more time and energy. Good to travel but always good to come home too.

Wholesome

Was trying to upload pics but can't figure it out...... damn