The other day, I went to the Salone del Mobile, the world’s largest furniture fair, in Milan. Since my youngest child is still in elementary school, I thought it would be a long time before I could go, but unexpectedly my husband said, “There’s an exhibition like this, why don’t you go?” So I started preparing to go from the end of last year. My biggest concern was the daily lunch boxes, meals, homework checks, and submissions, but the day before departure and on the day itself, I made a large amount of pre-made meals, prepared the lunch box for the next morning, and asked both grandmas to invite the kids over for dinner. As for homework and submissions, I could only pray that the kids would handle it on their own! (laughs)
Accompanying me on the trip was Sayaka Sumiyoshi, a senior art life stylist from Machida Hiroko Academy (an interior design school). This time, I joined a tour, but since there was also free time and individual meals, I was really glad to have found a companion.
Rushing out of the house, swaying on a crowded train, already feeling tired, I checked in at the airport and toasted to having made it this far! (laughs) I was also happy that Sumiyoshi-san liked alcohol (maybe she though the same way!).
From Narita Airport, it was about 12 hours to Doha via Qatar Airways. The food at Doha Airport was surprisingly delicious and the airport was comfortable. There were Middle Eastern movies and dramas, and even the Quran on the in-flight video. I had upgraded to premium seats and chose a seat with extra legroom in front of the emergency exit for an additional fee, which was definitely the right choice! Thanks to that, I was able to sleep quite well. We arrived at Doha Airport around 5 a.m., and although we had a 5-hour layover, almost all the shops were open despite the early hour, making it feel like an airport that never sleeps.
また、ドーハ空港はトランジットに利用されることが多いため、有料でのアクティビティーが用意されていたりもします。今回は滞在時間は5時間なので空港外の砂漠ツアーやシティーツアーは参加できず（残念！）、空港内のお手軽なアートツアーに参加したいと思ったのですが、前日までの予約だったようで、自分たちで回ることにしました。
Doha Airport is often used for transits, so there are various paid activities available. This time, with a 5-hour stay, we couldn’t join the desert or city tours outside the airport (unfortunately!), so we decided to take a simple art tour within the airport. However, it seemed that reservations were required until the day before, so we explored on our own. There were also trains running through the long airport, and many places to work (though many of the power outlets were broken), and before we knew it, the 5 hours had passed.
Next is the Milan chapter.
