English translation available at the bottom of the page.
思い出すといろんな国に行ってましたね。
2017年は米国のSedonaに行きました。
友人が疲れを癒しに行こうと誘ってくれた旅でした。
東京からアメリカン航空でロサンゼルス経由、フェニックス空港へ。
ロサンゼルスで入国審査を受けて荷物をピックアップし、荷物の預け直しが必要でした。噂には聞いていたけどロサンゼルス空港の混雑に驚きました。まさかワタシに限って乗り遅れはしないだろうという考えは甘かった。荷物を待つも全く出てこなくて、ターンテーブルから出てきた自分の荷物を見つけた時、時計を見たら乗り継ぎ便の出発時間でした。ゲートまで遠いしね。
カウンターに行って乗り継ぎ便に乗り遅れたと伝えたら、慣れた感じで次の便のフライトを取り直してくれました。
ホッとしたのも束の間。次のフライトは3-4時間後の出発で空港送迎を依頼していたので旅行会社に慌てて連絡を入れました。案の定、出迎えてくれた方を随分待たせてしまいチップを多めに支払う。夕方ロサンゼルスに到着していたらセドナまで辿り着けずにまさかの空港野宿になってたかもね…。ロサンゼルスは巨大空港でした。皆、スーツケースを機内に持ち込みたいという理由がわかった気がします。
フェニックス空港から車で2時間ほどの距離にSedonaの街はあります。静かな街でゆったりとした時間が流れていて、ベジタリアン向けのレストランも多くあり、パワーストーンやセドナ在住のアーティストたちがセドナの土で作った陶器のお店が立ち並んでいる。滞在中、トロリーにやバスに乗って周辺をwalk。絶景のおかげでデジタルデトックスができて身体も癒されスッキリして帰国。 ここは電子機器をオフにしてゆっくり滞在するのが良さそうです。
余談ですがセドナから戻った後、通院している病院で定期検診があって、結果を見たら前よりも数値が良くなっていてセドナ効果ですとお医者さんと大笑い。時間を気にせずにたくさん寝てたくさん食べて絶景を眺めたら誰でも元気になります。ワタシは何も見えません。 (悪い病気ではないです。年齢を重ねると誰でもポンコツになりますよね笑)
Translate
Looking back, I realize I’ve been lucky to travel to quite a few countries. In 2017, I took a memorable trip to Sedona, Arizona.
I flew from Tokyo to Los Angeles with American Airlines, then had a connecting flight to Phoenix. At LAX, I went through immigration, picked up my luggage, and rechecked it. I’d heard the rumors about how crowded LAX can get, but I wasn’t prepared for just how hectic it really was. I thought, “Surely, I won’t miss my connection,” but that optimism faded fast. My luggage took forever to appear, and by the time it finally came around on the conveyor belt, my connecting flight was already boarding. The gate was far away… and yes, I missed my flight.
I went to the counter to explain, and thankfully, the staff calmly rebooked me on the next flight, as if it were a common occurrence. Just when I started to relax, I realized the next flight wouldn’t leave for another three to four hours. I’d arranged an airport pickup in Sedona, so I quickly called the travel company to let them know about the delay. As expected, my driver had to wait quite a while for me, so I gave him a generous tip. Thinking back, if my flight had arrived in L.A. any later, I might have ended up sleeping at the airport instead of making it to Sedona that night. LAX is enormous, and now I totally understand why people prefer to keep their suitcases as carry-ons!
Sedona is about a two-hour drive from Phoenix airport, and once you get there, it’s like entering another world. It’s such a peaceful town with a slower pace, and there are lots of vegetarian-friendly restaurants. The town is dotted with shops selling power stones and pottery made from local clay by artists who live in Sedona. While I was there, I explored the area by trolley and bus, taking long walks to soak up the scenery. The breathtaking views did wonders for me—being away from my screens and just taking in nature helped me feel completely refreshed by the time I returned home. Sedona is definitely the kind of place where you want to turn off your devices and truly unwind.
A little side note: After I got back from Sedona, I had a regular check-up at my clinic, and some of my numbers had improved since my last visit! The doctor and I laughed, joking that it must have been the Sedona effect. Honestly, I think anyone would feel better after lots of sleep, good food, and amazing views! (Just to be clear, I don’t have any serious health issues—it’s just that as we age, some things need a little extra care, right?)
This trip also brought a wonderful new connection into my life. I joined an optional tour and ended up exchanging contact information with someone who lives in the U.S. We’re still in touch to this day!
I’m so grateful for this connection *\(^o^)/*