A few keepers from Japan:

Favorite moment: As we were leaving Ueno Park Zoo in Tokyo we walked under a cherry blossom tree. There were many birds in the tree that were pecking off the blossoms at the stem. All of the kids were running around under the tree catching the flowers as they floated to the ground. They were laughing and so happy. The wind was blowing petals down too. It was a truly beautiful moment.

Lowest moment: Getting our laundry bill from the hotel in Tokyo. $225 for 2 loads. Oops! I was getting ready in the morning and had the kids gather the dirty clothes and set them out in the laundry bag. I assumed (my bad) that the price would be something reasonable by the pound. It was ridiulously high and charged per item, of which we sent out 45. I really turned on the charm to have the hotel reduce the price. No luck. Lesson learned. Well learned.

Powerful moment: Hiroshima. The horrors were unimaginable. The before and after photos, the watch forever stopped at 8:15, the survivors' stories particularly ones involving children, the personal items from people who unmercilessly survived were all so sobering. Then to be in the airport the next day watching reports of N. Korean threats was surreal.

Amy