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2007 Comes to a Close

2007-12-31T22:54:00.000Z

December 31st, 2007
Wells, England

The year comes to an end in a couple of hours, and I’m at home with Mum and Dad, which suits me just fine. Having spent much of this year traveling, a sizeable proportion of it abroad, it is a nice feeling knowing that I don’t have to go anywhere. Some of the things I counted up, the number of Sundays I had to travel somewhere, the number of flights I have taken, the number of weeks I have spent overseas this year, tells me that this had really been a year of upheaval.

The places I have lodged this year: Wells; Newent; Bend; Portland (on two occasions, in two places); Harrow and Colombo. Countries I have visited: USA; Canada; Sri Lanka, not to mention a transfer in India.

I counted it up, and I took some thirty-three flights this year, so I shudder to think what my carbon footprint has been in 2007. I’ll start 2008 off in a similar vein, with three flights on Friday and Saturday. After that, it’s difficult to know where my path will take me.

The ten-year plan I constructed over the summer in Portland has not been stuck to very well. I think I need to reappraise it in the next few days, and work out what I want to achieve in the next twelve months, and not allow myself to be so easily led off my selected path. I know I want to further my education, and that is something I have to sort out myself. Money is an obstacle, but not an insurmountable one, so I need to be more frugal, perhaps a bit more mercenary, as it will enable me to do more of what I want to do.

One thing I am quite proud of, and something I need to pursue to its conclusion is my novel, Rendeth. It was conceived prior to this year, but between July and December, I planned it out, and wrote the first draft. The next stage is typing and editing, after which I will get it published. In an ideal world I would be able to make a bit of money from it, but at the moment, that would be a bonus. My current goal is to see the novel published, so that I can achieve one of my life goals. More importantly, I can then go on to my next book, or finally get Jalahai finished as I would like it. Following that, if I can complete one book a year, that would suit me very nicely. Regardless of what I do in the rest of my time, I am a writer, a creator of worlds and ideas, and I will not give that up for anything.

Not much more to be said about 2007, other than it didn’t quite work out as planned in many ways. Still, it could be a helluva lot worse, so I should be thankful for whatever small joys and achievements I can take away from it. One thing I certainly take into 2008 is a sense of drive and purpose that I have not always had. If I can just focus that energy into the right areas of my life, then I think next year can work out much better.

I will miss Aunty Sybil, just as I will miss my memories of happy times with my dear Ingrid. I will not miss the unhappy times, the times of uncertainty, confusion and sadness that I felt at certain points during the past year. But all of the experiences, good, bad, frustrating, joyful go to make up who I am, and I need to stop dwelling on past actions and decisions, things that I might see as mistakes, or regrets, and do my best to make the most of the present and set myself up for a brighter future. Probably won’t be easy, but then the good things in life rarely are.

Until next year…

Montreal

2007-08-20T11:31:00.000+01:00

Je suis un petit choufleur dans le Paris du Nord. Vive le cochon Anglais!

Voila, les images de mes vacances canadiennes.

Pictures

2007-08-04T05:48:00.000+01:00

Here are the nice pictures from the baseball game I attended. More pictures of the wedding in Virginia will be forthcoming.

Portland

2007-07-23T05:35:00.000+01:00

Normally I would have taken some interesting and exciting pictures of my latest excursion, but for some reason, I've been very slack with the photography this time. Hopefully I'll rectify that oversight soon and start snapping away.

Margot's moving project is progressing pretty well, slowly filling up her new room in the new house, and with a bit more elbow grease, should have everything done before we fly east to attend LaLa's wedding next week.

Might go to the baseball tomorrow, go Beavers.

Yatta!

2007-07-14T14:24:00.000+01:00

This past week has been quite fruitful from a number of perspectives. Not only did I attend a delightful little opera where I was once again treated to the fine warblings of a dear old chum, but in my new guise of Corporate Ringer, I managed to help another old chum's team, Wansborough's, come out victorious in the Drewett Neate softball tournament in Devizes.

In the heat of a July afternoon (perhaps warmth is more accurate than heat), I donned my temporary workplace's shirt (bearing corporate sponsorship, naturally), and proceeded to do a terrible job of hitting in the first two games. Fortunately in the first game, the rest of our team hit well, and we ran out 16-7 winners. The whole of our team slumped in the second game, I popped out to the catcher in both innings, and we were defeated 8-5. Our return to form in the final group game coincided with me hitting a pair of home runs, which served us well in a comprehensive victory.

After some gentle persuasion, we managed to have a playoff, and after being set a target of 4 runs to beat, I came up at 4-2 with runners of first and second. My return to form was completed when I hit a 1-0 pitch over the left fielder, and scored the winning runs.

Bottles of wine all round, and a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon's work.

Off to the PACNORWEST tomorrow, so I'm looking forward to seeing my dear Margot again soon.

Here's hoping the Oregon summer is in finer fettle than the shoddy British version.

Dancing on the Water

2007-07-08T18:27:00.000+01:00

So on Friday I attended a rather jolly shindig on the Thames, with food, fire-eating, limbo dancing, meringue and salsa dancing and to top it off, a conga around the boat. I must say it was very enjoyable, and especially nice seeing the sun sinking behind the London skyline and returning to see the Thames lit up like a very large Christmas tree.

The following day I enjoyed a hearty full English breakfast and felt very sorry for the poor little munchkin who went past and spilled a cup of coffee on his arm, the unfortunate little scamp.

I watched much of the Londinium edition of the Live Earth concert, and whether or not the message of the day got through, or if people were just there to watch the bands, I couldn't say. Still, it was good entertainment, especially seeing the Foo Fighters rock the joint as the light faded into night. Very cool stuff.

End of an era

2007-07-01T15:32:00.000+01:00

This past week we finished up our PGCE course. It's hard to believe in some ways, that the ten-month struggle is over, but on Thursday we had a farewell luncheon and everything. It was a very jolly afternoon, and I hope we'll have opportunities to meet up and exchange news over the coming years. Here are some pictures of those last few hours.

My current projects are numerous, and I'm looking forward to a summer excursion to Portland and Montreal, with side shows to Virginia for Laura and Sampsa's wedding, plus a possible detour to Toronto as well. It's going to be quite busy, hopefully fun, and I'm looking forward to seeing my dear Margot again. Over the next couple of weeks, I'm going to work on my second book, while the first is checked over by some chums.

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer!

A Century of Posts

2007-06-23T22:20:00.000+01:00

According to the boffins on the website, this is my 100th post. Not a terribly impressive statistic seeing as this has been going for around two years now. Still, not always possible to say something interesting.

Day two of Glastonbury, and I've been a very good armchair festival goer, five hours thus far today. Currently the Kooks are playing the Pyramid stage, to impressive effect. Next up are the Killers, which should be quite cool. As usual, there are more bands playing more songs that I recognise than I first imagine, so it usually proves more enjoyable than I expect going in.

It's Glasto-tastic

2007-06-22T20:50:00.001+01:00

I was unable to attend the last festival because I was six thousand miles away, but managed to catch some of it on the internet contraption. That was jolly. Last year no festival, again, couldn't have gone anyway as I was still half a world away.

This year, it's closer to six miles than six thousand, but I've thus far stayed with the fairly safe, dry, aromatic etc. option of watching it on the cathode ray tube device in the corner of our room. This way I get to see all the people I fancy, don't have to share a field with lots of other people, some of whom are waving flags which must get rather annoying after a while. Still, looks like they're avoiding the rain at the moment, so that's nice for people who are there.

I have thus far caught performances from Amy Weirdo Winehouse, does the girl make any sense other than when she's singing? Now it's the Fratellis playing and they're proving to be quite tuneful as well. There's been the standard strangeness, which I'm certain will only intensify over the next couple of days. I'm looking forward to seeing and listening to some cool stuff. In a moment i might just pop outside and see if I can hear the dull thud drifting across the Somerset levels.

Ah, rain storms, unwashed festival-goers, beautiul skies. The British summer, my first since 2004...

Two weeks out

2007-06-17T18:09:00.000+01:00

I finished up my teaching practice for this school year, with two more field trips, both to castles, pictures below. It was a pretty good final week in Gloucestershire, and I enjoyed my time. Getting home wasn't too much of a problem either, so I was able to enjoy my Friday evening at home.
Yesterday we had the end of year dinner for our football team, which was quite a jolly affair too.
Tomorrow is the return to university for the final couple of weeks, and an interview on Thursday, so fingers crossed for that one.

"The Road is Long..."

2007-06-10T16:48:00.001+01:00

..."with a many a-winding turns."

I've come to the final three weeks of the course, and about to depart on my last trip to Gloucestershire. The past week was jolly for the most part, with a pair of enjoyable field trips to Bath, photos of which appear below. As for what will happen after the course finishes, that remains to be seen. Hopefully something will come to fruition over the next three weeks. If not, there's a whole raft of possible outcomes, so it barely bears thinking about.

2007-05-30T21:27:00.000+01:00

All good things...

That was the longest continuous period of inactivity I've had in quite a while. I've managed to do very little, which is probably not the best use of my time, but to be honest, I've done a lot in the past ten months that I guess a few days of slacking off is excusable. So what have I actually manatged to achieve?

I watched the conclusion of Heroes and The OC.
I saw my cousin's little munchkin.
I went for several runs.
I sent off another couple of job applications.
I waited to hear from my other job applications, and didn't hear anything.
I slept in today. Didn't get out of bed until nearly 8 o'clock!
I wrote several thousand words of my novel, approaching the magical 80,000 word barrier, and the subsequent re-drafting and editing, grr...
I investigated other possible possibilities for career moves. Nothing magical presented itself, but I'll keep an eye out.

Ho hum, back to university tomorrow. But, think about this: in a month's time I'll be done with my course, and technically, NEET. That's Not in Education, Employment or Training for all you acronymophobes out there. Of which I am one, absolutely despise acronyms. And buzzwords. Grr, make me crazy they do.

2007-05-27T17:33:00.000+01:00

Twas a busy week, what with two interviews on Tuesday and Friday. That meant lots of train and bus travelling, clocked quite a few miles over the last seven days. All that to-ing and fro-ing finally caught up with me, and I felt very sleepy this weekend. I did get the chance to see the new munchkin, Emily Grace, who was ridiculously cute and little. I was even brave enough to hold her for a while, though my abject terror of breaking the little baby is evident in my face.

'Tis half term now, so a few days of rest and recuperation, before the final four weeks of my course. I'm still homing in on where I'll be working next year, at the moment it's still apparently up for grabs. A wee bit frustrating, but I suppose some things just can't be rushed.

Congratulations to Bristol Rovers, commiserations to Yeovil Town, and a huzzah for Celtic winning the Scottish Cup. But has the football season come to an end? Of course not, Neman Grodno are flying high in third position in the Vysshaya Liga, who knows, this could be the year...

http://www.uefa.com/footballeurope/countries/association=57155/index.html

2007-05-19T14:34:00.000+01:00

FA Cup Final - Pregame

Well, for the first time in several years I get to watch the FA Cup final at a decent time of day. Looking forward to seeing a game at the new Wembley Stadium, which I've only really seen from the outside heading up to Harrow, but it's always seemed pretty impressive. Takes me back to the glorious trip we took as primary school students at Horrington to watch England Schoolboys draw with Holland. Not sure when that was, but must have been way back in the eighties.

Mum and Pops got their new caravan this week, and are taking it out for a test-drive this weekend. As for me I'll have to cut my weekend short to get back to school for Monday morning, which has caused me a grumble or two, but I shouldn't complain too much. Things still progressing on the job hunting front, interviews and such to look forward to. Let's hope something gets finalised soon, all this waiting around is getting somewhat frustrating.

2007-05-12T16:36:00.000+01:00

A New Munchkin!

Yesterday my cousin and his lady welcomed the arrival of a little girl munchkin, so now we have a new second cousin, with tiny little hands and even smaller fingers, so very cute. As of yet, no decision on a name, but plenty of suggestions from Margot - who reckoned naming the little tyke after her.

As for me, it's been a tiring old week, with plenty of long days at university, and an even longer day going to and returning from my school, where I had to arrange the details of my last four weeks of student teaching. It ended up being nine hours of travelling for an hour or so of meeting. Which was a little bit annoying, but at least it's done. I'll be heading up there for the first week on Monday, hopefully there will be the chance to do some fun stuff like trips to various places.

Still waiting to hear back on some jobs, but I need to remain patient and positive that something good will work out. It's what I've been telling myself all along, though it feels a bit more urgent now, with a mere seven weeks left of the course. Crikey!

2007-05-05T21:32:00.000+01:00

A Day in the Country

Being the bank holiday weekend, my bro came down to Somerset for a few days. We decided it would be nice to visit one of the places of our youth, Stourhead in Wiltshire. Unbeknownst to us, there was a 'Festival of Voice' transpiring today, meaning the grounds of the stately home were filled with groups of choral singers, filling the warm spring air with their melodies. Hence the reason the car park was overflowing with cars, and there were plenty of people sitting on the grass with their picnics.

All in all a pleasant day and a very nice start to the long weekend. Should be going to see Spiderman 3 tomorrow, which should be quite jolly.

Here are some pictures of our day out.

2007-04-29T16:16:00.000+01:00

I've actually been back in Britain for a week now, but have had quite a lot of things to catch up on and sort out that until today I've not had the chance to sit down properly and write something. I've also realised that since my accidental deletion of the pictures on my computer, they have become very disorganised after I restored them. Thus I have created more work for myself which will take a little while to sort out.

On the plus side, the first week back at university was quite fun really, nice to see everybody again and to have a bit more relaxing schedule than recently. So I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts, the same for the sunny weather, pleasant enough to just sit out in the garden and catch up on some reading.

So again, until I get my photos sorted out properly, I probably won't be able to post many, though I may well put them on my Facebook account, as that seems to be far easier.

Until the next time...

2007-04-22T21:37:00.000+01:00

I have returned to England, and though it's nice to be back, understandably I'm a bit glum about being away from my dear.
I had a wonderful time during my ten weeks in Oregon, and hopefully I'll be able to get back there very soon. Awaiting many different variables, but until then I'll keep doing my best with what is placed before me, and with a bit of luck I should be seeing my dear Margot in the summer.

When I put some more photos on the computer, I'll put them up. I just get the feeling it's going to be crazily busy once again, certainly no respite.

2007-04-14T19:41:00.000+01:00

I did at least acquire a new camera. It is merely a stop-gap, a temporary measure until I decide upon which digital SLR to move up to. I figure once I actually get a job and can afford to buy things, I will save up for one, and get a decent piece of kit. At the moment, however, I also figure that I can't yet do a really good camera justice, and it's better to have a little one I take with me to more places, and then improve my photo-posting ratio. In that vein, I need to work out a better way of doing it, may be I'll need to move my postings elsewhere so I can more easily upload pictures, this one just seems to be rubbish at the moment.

So, it's coming up to my last week in America, before I return back to Blighty. The time, as ever, has raced by with unnecessary haste, but I've had such a wonderful time it won't be long until I come back. At the moment the sun is shining, I'm enjoying spending the day with my dear, and tonight I'm going to the basketball game. Hopefully Margot will join me, though I've told her it's far from compulsory.

Until next time.

2007-04-08T01:08:00.000+01:00

Some photos from my trip around Washington.

Still no new camera, though the computer is back, yay!

2007-04-01T08:24:00.000+01:00

I have recently returned from a splendid tour of the Olympic Peninsula with Margot, and we had a jolly time even if our camping exploits were far from auspicious. Still, we saw some spectacular nature and scenery, which I recorded dutifully with my trusty camera. Thus, at long last it would appear I would have some photos to share, however, I have subsequently put my computer in for its annual tune up, and on my way there, realised I had broken my camera, beyond repair it would seem. Thus it looks like I will have to find a replacement, an unexpected hiccup in my otherwise smooth plans.

Until I get my computer back, I can't post the pictures of my trip.

Until I get a new camera, I can't take any new pictures.

Ho hum.

2007-03-18T01:06:00.000Z

Greetings from the Pacific Northwest

No, I've not fallen off the face of the earth, just been busy, very busy.
So busy in fact that I've rarely had the chance to think about something to write down here, but I'm doing my best to keep things up to date. Not working well at that recently, but still trying to improve.
I've been here in the Pacific Northwest for five weeks now, still another five weeks to go. I have enjoyed myself tremendously, being able to see my Margot every weekend is a real bonus. Portland is where I'm at today, at Margot's place, while she's off doing her hot yoga. It's a nice little city, I walked around a bit yesterday before going to work on my latest writing project, but I still managed to enjoy some fine sunshine that the city was treated to.
Next weekend is the start of Spring Break, which is cool, as it'll be my first week off since Christmas, and I think I could benefit from such an extended period of relaxation time. Not that I'll be doing nothing, of course, since Margot and I will be hitting the road and going up north to Seattle and then onto Olympic National Park, where we should be doing some camping.
My time here is flying by far more rapidly than I would have imagined, enjoying Oregon, my time in Bend and Portland equally.
Spring is in the air, the blossoms are out (though not in as large numbers as in Japan), the days are getting longer and warmer, it's shaping up well.

2007-01-27T22:28:00.000Z

I purposely avoided all temptation of viewing sports scores this week, keen not to know the results of the NFL championship games from last Sunday. I think it paid off as when it finally got round to watching the games this morning, they were quite a nice surprise. Above all, seeing old Peyton Manning finally shake loose the bugbear of Damn Brady and them Patriots, that was a real treat. So now I can watch the (delayed) Superbowl and not be too concerned about the outcome. I think I'd like to see the Colts win, but now that New England can't win, it's a lot more relaxing. I'm not going to be able to watch the game live unfortunately, as I'll be heading up to Gloucestershire for my last week of school. Then it's off to Oregon for ten weeks, which still doesn't seem like it's real.

So this is my last weekend at home, as next weekend I'm visiting my bro in London, which coincides nicely with the opening games of the Six Nations, so hopefully we'll get to watch that together.

My week at school was rather tiring, I didn't sleep too well for various reasons, so I was extremely thankful for last night's sleep and this morning's lie-in. Didn't get out of bed until 7am!

Should be playing football tomorrow, although the last three games have been cancelled, so it remains to be seen whether this one will go ahead as planned. Probably my last game for a while, not sure what sporting activity I'll be able to get up to in Oregon, might have to try my hand at a spot of skiing.

My only recent photos have been of my latest painting exploits:

Again, I'm hoping to get some more photos taken in the near future, but we shall have to see.

2007-01-14T13:56:00.000Z

Still no new pictures as of yet, but we shall see some appear in the next few weeks, with a bit of luck.

It's Sunday now, and I've got a few more relaxing hours of my weekend to enjoy before the trek back to Gloucestershire and another week of school. For the most part it was a good week that's now almost come to a close, taught a lot of lessons, got a lot of work done. There was the odd hiccup here and there, but nothing that can't be handled with a bit of effort.

My weekend has brought more NFL Playoff action, which is always a good thing. After last week's disappointment of seeing Dallas lose to the Seattle Seahawks, I was pleased to see the Colts emerge victorious. I like Peyton Manning's simple Southern drawl, he seems like a real old-fashioned football player - they of the leather helmets, iron-man football. So, despite the fact that they are an AFC team, I'm backing the Colts for the rest of the playoffs. A Colts-Saints matchup would see me pleased. I should be able to watch a bit of the early game this evening, before the journey back to school begins.

On the American placement front, things appear to be progressing quite nicely. With a bit of luck I should get some more news through midweek, and then I'll be able to get flights booked, arrange embassy interviews for visas, and creep ever closer to getting on the plane. And then I should definitely have something to write about and take pictures of.

Until then, wrap up tightly as it's quite chilly outside. To the brave go the spoils.

2007-01-06T14:38:00.000Z

I do intend to bring some more pictures to this decidely text-heavy forum, however, I've really not been taking a lot of photos recently, barely even get my camera out these days. If I'm in another country, I rarely leave the house without it, but get me back in England, and it stays tucked up snugly in its case in my bag. Thus, sadly, this will be another entry with no illustrations.

I spent the past few days at my second placement school in Gloucestershire, taught my first few lessons there, which despite the occasional hiccup, went well. Next week I will have quite a few lessons, so I've been busy preparing for those over the last day or two. Hopefully after shaking out the cobwebs this week, next week I'll be more in charge of my game, which will be welcome. I'm starting to hear more information about my American placement, but I'm still not certain of where and when I'll be going. Again, hoping to hear more in the coming days at school next week.

It's pretty dark and miserable weatherwise here at the moment, although there is a sprinkling of blossoms on the tree outside, so that's something to be cheerful about.

Well, I'll return to my relaxation/preparation mode and try to enjoy the rest of the weekend. Until next time, adios mi amigos.

2006-12-31T15:50:00.000Z

Farewell 2006...

...Hello 2007

Just a few hours until we here in the UK enter the new year, 2007 I hear they've decided to call it. Perhaps they could've come up with something more inventive, like The Year of Gerald, or Gerty Gert Headmonkey, but then again, perhaps 2007 was the safest.

Our football team managed a gritty away win today, 2-1 down in deepest, darkest Bridgwater. We conceded a goal, and our keeper (not known for being the most stable of people, or players for that matter) was convinced he'd broken his leg. Our indomitable coach didn't want to take any chances, and called for an ambulance. The game was held up for half an hour or so, yet when the ambulance finally arrived, the leg was conspicuously healthy. Still, with the game resumed, we stormed back in the second half, ably assisted by a strong wind and slope, scored a couple of goals and held on for our last win of 2006.

'Twas a good year for the most part, a few hiccups here and there, the pain of separation and the joy of reunion. I got engaged and said goodbye to Japan. I resumed my driving career, but still have to overcome that final hurdle. I enter 2007 with hope and a smile, and look forward to seeing where I get to by this time next year.

Where that shall be, who can say...

Buenos Anos Neuvos!
Bonne Annee!
O-shogatsu akemashite gozaimasu!
and
Happy New Year

2006-12-25T16:30:00.000Z

Merry Christmas everybody!

We've spent a pleasant Christmas day so far: opened our presents after breakfast; attended the Mattins service at Wells Cathedral; went for a stroll around Ebbor Gorge; and sat down in front of the TV to watch the Queen's Speech and the Christmas Day afternoon film.

Now it's time to prepare the Christmas meal, with copious amounts of Champagne being consumed, Pops peeling the sprouts so it's been a splendid day.

I hope all of you are enjoying the day wherever you are and whoever you are with.

Best wishes to you all.

2006-12-24T11:58:00.000Z

A Long Time Ago...

Yes, it has been quite a long time since I've written anything web-based. Put that down to the busyness of my schedule, and the lack of functionality in this old laptop of mine. I dare not write anything too detailed, as Nestor is liable to turn himself off at any moment.

Suffice to say, I've come to the end of a very busy but quite fruitful Autumn term of teacher training, and am enjoying the winter respite I have been afforded. My dear Margot flew back home today, she is somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean as I write. I was very happy to have here and very sad to see her go, on Christmas Eve no less. One bright sparkle in that gloomy horizon is the knowledge that I shall be venturing towards her shores in the near future. I look forward to that day with great joy, and will endeavour to be more frequent and erudite with my future submissions.

Until then, I shall say farewell.

2006-09-24T18:21:00.000+01:00

A New Dawn
It's difficult to know when to start.

I've finished up in Japan, been to America, and now I've just started on my new university teacher training course. I don’t really know if I’ve had the proper opportunity to sit back and reflect on leaving Japan, being away from my Margot for the longest time – more than a month now, and trying to settle back into English life. One thing I do know is that it’s been quite difficult at times.

The last few days in Japan went by in a flash, with last days, farewell dinners, and final packing. It was sad to have to say goodbye to all my teaching colleagues, students and chums, but I had nothing but fond memories to take away with me. Flying back home was tough, as I was leaving Margot behind with a week still to complete in Japan. Fortunately I had Mum and Dad waiting for me upon my arrival, and they took good care of me. Only ten days later it was time to get on another plane, only this one was taking me to see my dear Margot in her native habitat.

I had two wonderful weeks in America, visiting four states, Washington DC, Margot’s university, and enjoying myself tremendously. I was quite fortunate in the timing of my trip, as I wasn’t really affected by all the scares of the foiled terrorism threat. Yet, as the day of my departure grew ever closer, Margot and I began to feel rather sad, as we were uncertain when we would next see each other. At the moment, Christmas looks the most likely time.

Since my return, I’ve been preparing myself for my PGCE, which commenced last week. It’s pretty tough with all the traveling, but there’s not really a better solution. And the main thing is to keep my head up, get on with my work and look forward to the next time I can see Margot. A little bit of hardship now which should make things better in the long run. That’s the plan at least.

On a more unfortunate note, our football team has been remarkably consistent. Including friendlies which I played in, we’ve lost every game, some seven in all. Today there was great drama when one of our players was injured and the air ambulance had to be brought in. Despite only having nine men for most of the game, we only lost 5-2.

That’s the short account of what’s been going on, I’m going to endeavour to make my reporting more frequent, though finding time is a little bit tricky. Still, I can but try.

2006-07-21T16:14:00.000+01:00

Last Days

Crikey it's been a busy week.

Monday...
I was playing football with the chums in the rain in Ebina.

Tuesday...
I was dismantling a bike and then being disappointed by the rain which cancelled my last chance to see the Baystars, but fortunately we had lots of chums around for a last night for Franny at the Hawaiian restaurant in Yokohama.

Wednesday...
Brought me to my last day at Kaminan, where I had to give a farewell speech to the teachers, and then one in front of all the students in the gymnasium. The speech went well, and then I was able to say goodbye to many of the students, most of whom I have taught at some point over the past two years. One of these students was Yumi, my absolute favourite student from all three schools, she's so sweet.

I had an excellent English conversation class with the more enthusiastic students, who wrote me very sweet thank you notes. The English teachers and I had a delightful lunch of katsu-don (my favourite Japanese dish) followed by water melon and pound cake. Then I was treated to a farewell banzai and the remaining English teachers waving me off from the entrance.

That evening...
I met up with Satomi-sensei (my supervisor from my Thursday school), his wife and youngest daughter for another farewell dinner in Atsugi. We had a multi-course meal of Japanese tofu dishes, and had a lovely last chat. Then he drove me back to my place, and we said our fond farewells. In a year and a half he's going to retire, and then hopefully, he'll have the time to continue his writing and come and visit England.

Thursday...
I had to get up early to prepare things for my last full day at Sobudai. With no more bikes around, I had to walk to school, during which time I was able to think of some words to say in my final farewell speeches. I gave one to the teachers, followed by assorted gifts to various teachers, and then got up on stage for my address to the students. I was surprised but pleased to receive a couple of gifts from the students, including thank you notes which were so sweet.
Some of the students came by and we took photos together, so I'm going to leave copies on my desk when I go for the last time on Tuesday.

Today...
And so the time came for me to tidy up all my things and depart my apartment for the last time. It was a bit of a slog, but now everything's taken care of, it's a load off my mind. And today Margot sent all her boxes to America, so that's a load off her mind (and her floor too.)

There's just so much happening, and barely a second to stop and take stock of the fact that I'm leaving these shores after two years. No doubt I'll have that when I get back to England. This time next week...

2006-07-13T10:10:00.000+01:00

My (first) Last Day

Today was the last day of teaching in Japan, and the first school I said goodbye to, Atsugi-Kita.

My day started with a farewell speech, which I managed to deliver in halting Japanese. As the teachers had their health checks today, I went out to the playing fields and kicked a football round with the students for a while, then came in to have my final lesson. Though I've still got a week and a half of going to my other two schools, it's the end of term, so no more teaching.

I'm going to miss the kids from Atsugi-Kita. They may not be the most motivated students academically, but they are invariably sweet, and despite their in-class lethargy, once the bell rings, they are smiling, laughing and generally good-natured. It's a sports school, so they take their sports practices very seriously. Fortunately my last class was with some of my favourite students, many of whom can be seen below.

I had two great years at Atsugi-Kita, my Thursday school, and I hope at least a few of the students remember my very small contribution to their school lives. I will certainly hold the memories of teaching them for a long, long time.

2006-07-10T23:47:00.000+01:00

Fabio Cannavaro lifts the World Cup, 5.50am (ish) Japan time

The World Cup 2006

So it's over and done with, the ticker tape billowed out across the pitch in Berlin to celebrate Italy's triumph over France. The final itself was a reasonable affair, with a couple of early goals and then and hour and a half of not a lot of action - save for Zidane's wicked headbutt. I happened to be looking away when the incident happened, and when I saw him get sent off, I thought the ref had gone nuts again (the same ref who sent Mickey Rooney off). Then I saw the replay, and it was a pretty solid headbutt, so perhaps it was a justified decision.

As for the World Cup tournament itself, it started well, with some really good games and fantastic goals in the group stages, but then petered out rather tamely in the knockout stages. After Argentina's victory over Mexico, I can't remember a single good game. The two finalists were nothing special, and there was no single player who took the tournament by storm.

England's competition was rather poor, despite their usual talented squad. Once again, their talents were squandered by a manager who is far too defensive for the English footballing mentality. Losing on penalties, finally playing well when down to ten men, not the first time that's happened. I think if England could play more aggressively, they could challenge for the European Championship in 2008. Let's hope Steve McLaren will harness the individual abilities of his players and produce a collective effort that can actually win something.

The World Cup is done for another four years. I managed to watch more than half the games, despite being in the wrong time zone. The month of sleepless nights and tired days is at an end. I enjoyed the games for the most part, disappointed by England's quarter-final exit, but I'm hopeful for the future. Plus my interest in football has been rekindled, and I'm looking forward to playing and watching some games when I return to Blighty.

Congratulations to Italy, World Cup Champions 2006

2006-07-09T12:01:00.000+01:00

Tanabata

To be honest, I didn't know much about this Japanese festival, until Margot informed me it has something to do with two lovers from the olden days who were kept apart by the gods and placed in the heavens. Now they gaze at each other across the Milky Way for eternity, but on the seventh day of the seventh month the river or stars is at its narrowest and they deign to hear the wishes of the mortals below them.

Just seemed like an excuse to get lots of people together and offer typical festival cooking, but don't Margot and Franny look nice in their yukatas?

World Cup Final

I will be waking up at 3am to watch the World Cup Final between Italy and France. I hope Italy wins (France won more recently, so it's only fair), but my real hope is that the game is good. So far, the best game of the tournament was the opening game, but I would really appreciate a 4-3 thriller. Still, after tonight, no more staying up late and getting up early as the World Cup comes to a close. Then I just have to wait two years for the next European championship, yay!

2006-07-02T14:05:00.000+01:00

World Cup Misery (Once Again)

So at around 2.30am this morning, I saw Cristiano Ronaldo score the decisive penalty which put England out of World Cup 2006. To say I was disappointed is an understatement, as I felt that England were finally playing well, the sending off of Mickey Rooney ill-deserved, and that the Portuguese team was lacking in the fundamentals of sportsmanship.

Alas it was not to be.

Farewell Day

Yesterday in Enoshima and Fujisawa we had some farewell shenanigans for the end of an era in Kanagawa JETdom. There won't be replacements for the folks leaving (including me) so next year the JETs will be a lot thinner on the ground.

The day started with some sandal flinging on the beach, which was a touch bizarre. At one point I was in second place, but unfortunately, there was a strong field left after me, and I ended up with a fifth or sixth place.

Afterwards we were rather civilised and played some cricket, before finishing off with a mass game of ultimate frisbee.

As the sporting contests wound down, we made our way to the restaurant in Fujisawa for the farewell dinner, complete with food, prizes and the premiere of the farewell video, which seemed to be well-received.

There was enough time for some karaoke, before I made the journey back to watch England lose. Grr...

2006-06-25T02:17:00.000+01:00

Time moves on...

The World Cup continues into its third week, and the first second round games were pretty exciting. With England playing tonight, however, reserves of energy are being saved for the midnight kickoff (seems a silly time of day to play a game, yet somehow in Germany it remains bright). Let's hope Mickey Rooney, Robo-Pune and the others can beat Ecuador and continue their march to victory. Okay, it's my hope, but I've been backing England since the beginning, and will not shake my belief until they go out. Nothing like the blind optimism of the damned!

Days at school are disappearing at an alarming rate, with only a few left at each of my once-a-week schools, and just a month before my time in Japan is at an end. I have made a list of things I want to do before I go back, and by golly, I'm going to do them all.

I did have a rather nice week at school, with interview tests for the delightful third year students at my Wednesday school (the highest ability of the three), and on Thursday a visit from students from the Hawaiian high school my school visits each year. Thus I close with a few pictures from that day.

2006-06-18T15:26:00.000+01:00

Ball Ball Ball, Footy Footy Footy! - World Cup 2006 first 10 days

Yes, a week and a bit into the World Cup in Germany, and I've been coping well so far with the bad time difference. The group games are on at 10pm/1am/4am Japan time, though most 4am games aren't shown. This means that for the past week and a bit I've been staying up until 3am most nights. The games are spread over five or six channels, and so it took me quite some time to assemble the terrestrial TV schedule, but so far, I've only missed two games I could have watched, both of which ended 0-0, much to my delight.

The standard of play has been pretty good, or at least, pretty exciting. Lots of goals, and lots of good goals as well. England have already qualified for the second round, despite a lousy display against Trinidad and Tobago. Possibly the best team so far has been Argentina, though Spain looked strong in a 4-0 drubbing of Ukraine. Japan's hopes are fading, unless they can pull off a win against Croatia, they could be pretty screwed. I've been laughed at quite a lot, but I still say England are going to win. They've managed to get (Mickey) Rooney back, and I have a feeling he's going to hit his stride once they get to the knockout stages.

Pig's Final Prediction: England 3, Argentina 2

On a related note, my interest in football has (once again) been rekindled by the World Cup, and I've started playing Sensible Soccer again, three versions in fact, the original, SWOS and the new 2006 edition. Marvellous.

Additional:
Last weekend we had the KJET talent show, which was won by Roe Zahn in her Panda suit, but our hand display finished a strong second. I did, however, have to rush back to watch the England-Paraguay game, though I didn't get back to see the only goal go in.

The next day I saw Kazu in Yokohama, as he was there watching his sister Saori win the 100m hurdles at the national university games. Also marvellous.

2006-06-11T17:29:00.000+01:00

All-Japan University Athletics Meet

Congratulations to Saori, the sister of my good friend Kazuto, who proved herself the best 100m-hurdler in Japanese universities today in Yokohama.

The conditions were terrible, but Saori fought back from a slow start to emerge victorious. And, there should well be a picture of her in tomorrow's papers.

Omedeto Gozaimasu Saori-san!

2006-06-11T17:19:00.000+01:00

Talent Show

Following months of anticipation, Saturday, June 10th saw the long-awaited JET talent show. There were eight acts of supreme brilliance, and the crowd was mesmerised by the MC duo of Fu-Fu Fortin and your humble reporter. After the ballots were cast and counted, the results apparently were as follows:

1. Roe Zahn as the Singing Panda
2. Handson (Featuring Cool Hand Luke, Hand Solo, Palmela Handerson, Handibbal Lecter and Pinky)
3. The Rocky Horror Show

(The reason I say 'apparently' is that I rushed away to watch the England-Paraguay game, and missed the actual result giving. Still, England won so I think it was worth it.)

2006-06-07T14:10:00.000+01:00

The Last Hurrah

I had what will most likely be my final big school event today, the Taikusai - or Sports Festival - at Sobudai. It had been touch and go whether I could attend or not, but I finally received the all clear yesterday evening. Another spanner threatened to be thrown in the works, with a late rain storm last night, but this morning the skies were clear and blue and everything was set for a fun day.

To someone who hasn't seen the sheer exuberance and fun that a taikusai provides, mere words do little justice. Pictures perform a little better, so I will share some and allow people to make up their own minds.

2006-06-04T12:55:00.000+01:00

Dragon Boats 2006

The conditions were choppy, and many boats capsized, though fortunately we were not one of those teams. Once we finally got out on the water, we had to contend with big waves, almost crashing into police and quarantine boats, as well as the sea wall, and that was before we'd even made it to the start line. We were in the inside lane, number one, but managed to cross the finish lane in lane number three. Perhaps if we'd gone straight, we could have done better than our second race.

Our second race was cancelled, and so no million yen this year. Still, we all had a good time, despite the difficult conditions, and, unlike the team from the YC & AC, we remained (fairly) dry.

2006-06-01T23:58:00.000+01:00

Okinawa

Part Four:
Sailing Away – 22nd May, Zamami-Aka-Naha

With the post office open on Monday morning, I was able to cross the proprietress’ palm with silver and pay for our stay. Once we’d dumped our bags and booked our boat to Aka Island, we walked up and down the hill to Furuzamami Beach for our last bit of beachery. There was a canopy unmanned, so we took advantage of its shade, in between our stone skipping.
Our beach time was limited, as we had to get back in time for the 11.45 launch. We stopped in at the hotel to collect our bags, and Tomoko was very keen to take a parting photo of us.

The Kashima launch skipped across the calm seas, and as we watched Zamami grow smaller behind us, the ferry passed by. It would wait in the Zamami harbour for a few hours, then pick us up on the way back. Aka seemed more lived in and less touristy than Zamami, and Margot and I enjoyed a lunch of Okinawa soba and ice cream in a gnarly little restaurant.
We didn’t have a great deal of time to explore the island, and it was rather hot (middle of the day, naturally) we opted for the shade of one of the lookout platforms, where we relaxed and Margot read The Great Gatsby to me.

The ferry pulled in not long ater we got back to Aka’s harbour, and I was impressed by the ropes attached to baseballs which they threw onto the quayside. For a brief period we had a bunch of noisy and wild Japanese girls as our ferry companions, but mostly it was quiet, allowing Margot to rest and get some studying done.

On our walk back to the Hotel Taira, we came across a supermarket, which alleviated the fresh fruit problem. After a spot of relaxing in the park with strawberries and grapes, we strolled on down to Kokusai-dori. Margot found a present for Lindsay, while I marveled at what appeared to be hats made from dried noodles.

Hunger struck us, and we returned to the organic pizza and pasta restaurant we’d spotted on our arrival. Fourth Street turned out to be possibly the best place I’ve eaten at in Japan. For two hours we had all we could eat and drink, plus pizza cooked to order. We could have had pasta too, but neither of us could squeeze it in. The pizza was delicious, the side dishes on the buffet were perfect for Margot and me, but for me the best part was the most delectable bread I’ve had since being in Japan. To top it off, scrumptious cheesecake and chocolate gateaux. Simply delightful.

Our bellies stuffed, and feeling very content, we returned to our hotel. On the way, Margot bought me a very swish t-shirt, and we finished our last night in Okinawa with some more Jay Leno on AFN.

Postscript – 23rd May, Naha-Kanagawa

We had a pretty early flight on Tuesday morning, so decided to take it easy with breakfast in the hotel while watching Sesame Street. We rode the monorail to its terminus at Shuri, but as time was pressing, and the rain was falling, we didn’t get out. Instead, we changed seats, and rode the monorail all the way back to the airport.

Just after take-off, our plane was hit by lightning. Despite Margot’s and my surprise and concern, there were no problems and we arrived safely back at Haneda at the end of a very successful and enjoyable stay in the little pretty islands of Okinawa.

For more information: http://www.hom-uht.com/travelreviewsokinawa01.html

2006-05-29T11:02:00.000+01:00

Okinawa

Part Three:
Lazy Days and Island Haze – 21st May, Zamami

At breakfast in the hotel, while I wolfed down Margot’s sandwiches, I asked our host about school life on the islands. During our bike ride the previous day, we’d gone past the combined primary school and junior high school, but Margot had wondered what happened for high school. It turns out that after junior high school, the kids go to schools on the main island, in Naha, or even to the main islands of Japan. There they live in apartments and spend life effectively as boarders. It must be quite an adjustment.

The morning was warm, and Margot and I packed ourselves a lunch from the local supermarket, and rented bikes for a few hours so that we could make the journey to Chishi observatory, the final one on our list. On the up and down route, we passed by the hamlet of Asa, which looked out over the lagoon we’d seen the previous day, Aga no Ura. The place was virtually deserted, so we continued on through past empty hotels and diving centres, before making our way to Chishi. There was a little path down to the water, which we followed, and stood on the rocky outcrops a few yards from the sea.

I’ll say one thing about Zamami: great skipping stones in abundant supply. That’s what Margot and I found at Ama beach, where we splashed around in the water, had a stone-skipping competition (which Margot won, doh!) and were attacked by a great big bug.

Lunchtime had arrived, so we returned to the Kaminohama observatory – the only one made from real wood, the rest being concrete shaped like wood – and ate our picnic. A man and his two little munchkins were there too, so we said hello, although the munchkins seemed a little bit scared of us.

Our three-hour rental period almost up, we returned the bikes and then went to check the ferry times for our return. There was only going to be one ferry on Monday, so we decided to check out another little island to make the most of our last full day.

Back at the hotel, I fell asleep while Margot checked her email. Afterwards, we took a little stroll down to the harbour and the park, where there were cool little spiders with what appeared to be armour-plating. There was time for some ice cream and chess before our hosts drove us to the Inazaki observatory for sunset. Unfortunately, the haze had descended, rendering the sunset invisible. We talked with Tomoko, the proprietress, who told us about her daughter at university in Kanagawa, and her son in San Diego.

We returned to the same restaurant for dinner, where we had some locally caught fresh fish, which was delicious. We had another little stroll to the harbour, but once again I was defeated by the bugs, so we retired for the night. Back at the hotel, I finally saw Finding Nemo for the first time (it was extremely funny) and ate some ice cream (extremely yummy). And all too soon, our last night on Zamami had arrived.

2006-05-25T11:16:00.000+01:00

Okinawa

Part Two
A Ferry to Zamami
20th May, Naha to Zamami

There’s something quite delightful about watching munchkins playing baseball on a sunny Saturday morning in the park. We saw the batting team get a run in the top of the first, but we had to catch a ferry, so couldn’t stay for longer. Margot and I woke up early to make sure we could get away from Naha’s concrete jungle, but as it turned out, the ferry was far from full.
We finished our crushed ice and mango, and sat on the lower deck, in a de-facto foreigners’ section, with a pair of US Marines and a young family. The waves picked up after we left the shadow of the breakwater, and Margot felt a bit dodgy, but felt better after a snooze, though not after finding bugs in her camera.

The ferry made a brief stop in the startlingly clear waters of Aka Island, before it continued on to its final part at Zamami. We had to pass by some of the smaller, uninhabited islands, often little more than sand bars and very reminiscent of the Scilly Isles or the Whitsundays.
Margot had heard the name of the place where her friend had stayed, but that place looked like little more than a deserted shed. Thus we went back a little way to the Asagi Guest House. Perhaps it was the fifty-inch TV, or maybe just the fact that there were people inside, but we decided that was far better. We couldn’t check, so left our bags and went in search of lunch.

The Marines decided to eat in the same place as us, so Margot started chatting with them. Brennan was from Alabama, and Michael was from Russia by way of Texas. We wished them a pleasant stay, and then went to rent some bikes to explore the island.

The thing about Zamami is that while perhaps it’s no bigger than one of the Scilly Isles, is much sleeper. Thus bikes were only handy in some parts – like the flat coastal road from Zamami village to Ama beach – and a hindrance in others – like the interior of the island. Margot’s hope to camp out was scuppered by the campsite being closed, so we continued on to the first observatory at Kaminohama. The rest of the afternoon was spent pushing the bikes up hills, riding down them, and visiting four of the five observation decks. When we got to each one, we admired the spectacular, Jurassic Park-esque scenery, and took a rest and a respite from the warm sun. Unfortunately, we’d neglected the precaution of taking water, so we headed back for a drink and to grab our swimming gear. That was after we’d been put to shame by the gnarly old dude running up and down the hills in the hot sun.

The sun was almost disappearing as we came down the hill to Furuzamami Beach, and after a group of divers left, we had the place to ourselves. So that’s when my plan of asking Margot to marry me went into action. I’d hoped to ask her on a beautiful beach, at sunset, with the perfect ring, saying the perfect things, and have her say yes. And, not to blow my own trumpet, that’s more or less what happened. About the only thing that could have improved it would have been for the sunset to be on our side of the island, but the fading sunlight was near enough. She said yes, by the way.

A giddy Margot and a happy me returned to the hotel and went for dinner at a little restaurant down the street. We took a post-dinner stroll down to the water, before we finished the day off with ice cream, chocolate and a really bad film. A French couple, Carole and Philippe were there too, so we chatted with them for a while before we retired to bed, and slept soundly after a near-perfect day.

2006-05-24T09:51:00.000+01:00

Okinawa

Part One:
Blue Seas and Grotty Buildings
Naha, 19th May

“It’s the ugliest city in Japan,” said Margot, or words to that effect, and I couldn’t help but agree. And that’s no mean statement, considering I’ve been to many a metropolis in this country, and the singular lack of beauty in Naha stood out in my mind. Undoubtedly the war played its part in rendering the potentially pretty island a concrete mess, but near-sighted (or no-sighted) developers have to bear their share of the blame. Still, we were only going to stay for one night, and head out to a smaller, hopefully less crowded island the next morning.

We’d arrived in Naha around four in the afternoon, and after some initial hesitation, found ourselves some English leaflets about possible island getaways. We then rode the monorail to the station nearest our hotel in the Matsuyama area of the city. The humidity was much higher than it had been in Kanagawa, but we’d anticipated that with appropriate cothing. After exiting the airport, the monorail took us through fairly bleak and nonedescript high-rise buildings, to our stop at Miebashi. From there we walked along a concrete-lined river, and after a bit of to-ing and fro-ing, reached the Hotel Taira, which seemed to be located right in the middle of the red light district. Showgirl bars, karaoke places, all very seedy and grimy. Still, it was nice to offload our bags, and after a little rest, we walked towards the Tomari Wharf, from which we hoped to catch a ferry the following day.

Along the way we found the Penguin Bar “Fairy”, though we weren’t sure what exactly a Penguin Bar was. Undeterred, we reached the wharf just after everything had closed, but we were able to get more information, and decided to go to Zamami Island. It was growing late, nearing the sunset, and so we walked along the waterfront towards Wakasa Park. The area was marginally nicer, with little waterways among the apartment blocks, but still keeping the spirit of Naha grottiness.

“It’s like Venice,” I offered, but Margot wasn’t convinced.

In Wakasa park itself, Margot was very excited by the old folk playing croquet, so we sat and watched them for a while. Further on down the sea front was an artificial beach, at Naminoue, where we could almost see the sunset, save for the cloud cover and the sea front concrete road obscuring our views.

With no more sun for the day, we were feeling a bit hungry, so after traversing some small side streets, we settled on the bizarre gaudiness of the Thai Thai Exotic Asian Dining Experience. Flaming torches and interwoven branches beckoned us inside, where a tunnel provided an interesting back drop to our side booth.

Following that culinary experience, we went in search of a supermarket selling fruit for breakfast. We had little luck, so we strolled along the garish sights of Kokusai-dori, where souvenir junk meets crass commercialism in a real fusion of cultures. Though Ingrid found a t-shirt she liked, we didn’t feel like contributing to the island economy, other than to buy some breakfast from the convenience store opposite the hotel. By this time, the streets surrounding our hotel had degenerated into a sleaze-fest, with the denizens in suits and shirts standing on every street corner in their droves.

Our final joy of the day was finding the AFN channel on TV, where we were able to see Jay Leno, and experience the strange world of military television. More than a little bonkers, I must admit.

2006-05-23T13:52:00.000+01:00

Okinawa

Margot and I just returned from our five days in Okinawa. I will write up the account of our trip and post it as soon as I can.

2006-05-14T14:15:00.000+01:00

Cricket

After a day of much rain on Saturday, it was nice to get out in the fresh air today. Though it wasn't sunny, it was warm, and a nice day for football. But, there weren't enough to have a proper game, so we tried to get some skills on tape for the video, but we were not in the best of form.

Thus, during a little break, I thought it would be nice to play some cricket. People were a little sceptical at first, but I think we all enjoyed it. I certainly did. The biggest problem we had was keeping the single wicket upright. Thanks to an elaborate system of empty crisps container, sticks and stones, the wicket needed a bit of stomping from Matt to finish the job. Overall, our form was fairly inconsistent, and ended up with 127 all out. My personal highlight was taking the wickets of Pablo, Matt and Fu-Fu in three straight balls. My first ever hat-trick! Huzzah!

2006-05-11T23:55:00.000+01:00

Takuro's 2000th Hit

I wish I could say I saw it, but I can only say 'I was there.' I heard the roar from down in the stadium, where I'd gone to get a new Baystars shirt. But, good on the lad, and I did at least see him receive the flowers and give his bow.

Of course, the Baystars went on to lose the game. Ho-hum.

2006-05-07T10:43:00.000+01:00

The One Way Street

We're on the last mile of Golden Week, and despite several days of fine weather, I've been feeling decidely under the weather. I thought I'd got past the worst of the sickness after my two working days at the beginning of the week, but by Thursday morning, I was feeling rubbish once again. Still, I consoled myself with my new computer, and spending a relaxing week with my dear Margot. We cooked food together, watched a new HBO show called "Big Love", and generally took it easy.

Outside of Margot's apartment is a one-way street, leading down into the shopping centre of Ebina. Admittedly, the signs saying that the street is indeed one-way are located at one end only, and there are no signs saying it's one-way for people coming up from the station road.

Nevertheless, it's narrow, and recently, the doozers constructed a raised kerb which marks off a cycle lane in very attractive green paint. Since the construction of this kerb, no fewer than four cars have lodged themselves on top. The first was a couple of weeks ago. We heard lots of commotion outside the window, and when we looked, there were a few people trying to push and pull the car free. Then today, three cars have caught themselves upon it. Bonkers if you ask me. Perhaps we should have gone outside to help, but when people are stupid enough to drive the wrong way up a one-way street, they should learn to rectify their own mistakes.

Back to school tomorrow, so I hope my sickness is past. Always the way, however, I only feel ill when we have time off. Rubbish.

2006-04-30T13:00:00.000+01:00

Munchkin Dog, Ebina, 29th April, 2006
Photo credit: Margot Brown

Some Ebina mathematics for you:

Cute Munchkin
+
Miniature Dog
+
Pushchair
+
Crazy Mother who thinks said Munckhin and Dog should be dressed in matching outfits
x
Margot with a camera
=
Ridiculously cute pictures.

What more can you ask for on a rainy Saturday evening?

2006-04-23T14:33:00.000+01:00

The Last Concert?

On Saturday I attended the concert of the Kaminan Brass Band. It was a warm, sunny day, and Margot and I headed to Sagami-ono, me to attend the concert, and Margot to do some studying for the last of her nutrition exams.

I enjoyed the concert, though it was a touch sad seeing as it'll probably be the last one I'll go to. Then afterwards I returned to meet Margot at the 'Bucks, and she was rather wired after two cups of stronger-than-usual coffee. It was fun!

2006-04-16T15:38:00.000+01:00

The Great DVD Clearout of 2006

Yes, with my time in Japan ticking away with alarming speed, it's high time to start throwing away such stuff that will not be making the return journey with me.

No, I'm not throwing out all my DVDs, merely the empty shells in which they came to these shores. And I think it's only when they are stacked up in a big old pile that one gets a real sense of just how many I bought. Rather a few methinks.

2006-04-14T09:29:00.000+01:00

A Trip to the North Country - Part Three

The Road to Hell (Valley) - 26th March

We took a leisurely breakfast in the hotel before checking out and preparing the car for the day’s drive. We’d come to the decision that we would try to get closer to Date, so we would be within easy reach of the sword-making on Monday. After we got back on the expressway, it started to rain, just before we took a petrol and coffee break at the Kusagawa services. There was better weather as we approached Sapporo, and as we’d made such good time, we decided to turn off the expressway and near Shiraoi, a little dump of a town, we stopped at a windswept beach. To be honest, I don’t think the beach would have been much more enticing in the summer, rubbish-strewn as it was. Still, it was nice to stretch our legs for a few minutes.

We’d tried to drive up into the mountains, but the road was closed off, so we continued south along the coast road until we saw the sign for Noboribetsu. More roads were blocked off, but the big demon statue welcomed us into the road towards the Hell Valley. We parked up and strolled around the sulphurous piles of rock, very smelly but very cool, especially with the vapours rising in the chill air.

There was a path up past the Hell Valley, to the sulphur lake of Ohyunuma, but it was too snowy to continue on further. The path was buried under a good foot and a half of snow, and we decided to head back and find somewhere to stay. Of course we checked into the fanciest place in town, the Dai-ichi Takimoto, with its grand public baths overlooking the valley itself.

The hotel was stuffed full of tour groups, so we were lucky to get a place, and had to get a different room for each night. We went on a walk to explore the complex, which was rather huge, then decided to go out and find somewhere to eat. There wasn’t a lot open, so we had some pork katsu curry, and I chatted with the jovial proprietor about sakura and our trip in Hokkaido. In return, he gave us a handful of English maps and leaflets, which helped us plan our next day’s activities.

Back at the hotel, I tried out the baths, which were very impressive but I decided that I would return in the morning so I could experience the dawn view of the Hell Valley. I waited for the light and sound display of the hotel’s giant golden club, and was most impressed with its tackiness.

The Sword Master of Date - 27th March

The breakfast buffet at the Dai-ichi Takimoto was probably the best of the lot, and we ate ourselves full. This was after I’d gone down at 5.30 to the public baths, and was rewarded with some stunning views of the early morning valley. I even went to the external baths, which were very nice in the cold air, but were a little too hot for me.

After breakfast, we drove down to the Edo Wonderland of Noboribetsu-Date, but as it was too early to be open, we went for a drive around looking for the nearby lake, Kuttaro. The roads were closed, save for one up to Karurusu onsen, where we were treated to a crisp view of the mountains from a practically deserted road.

When we returned for the now open Edo Wonderland, a few cars and a couple of tour buses full of Chinese folk were there too, but it was fairly obvious the place is designed for the summer crowds. Still, we were ushered towards the ninja show, which was a bit hokey, but fun nonetheless. Subsequent stops like the monster house and ninja labyrinth were pretty lame, but fun distractions. By far the highlight was when I won a ninja cup through the deadly accuracy of my archery, a little souvenir for my dear.

Travelling on the expressway took us to Date in good time for the sword-making, where the man Hashimoto-sensei had spoken to, Mr Yamaguchi, was expecting me. We had time for a stroll around before returning for the start of the demonstrations. Pops was clearly in his element, playing with the iron ore and finished katana blades, making jokes with the sword-maker, Mr Watanabe, and with his wife when she arrived to help translate. It was fascinating to watch him work, and Pops was especially impressed by his Sixties’ child appearance. Judging from the six-month manufacturing time, plus the hefty price tags, Mr Watanabe is indeed a rare breed in modern Japan. He reckoned there were perhaps eighty people in the whole country still making swords, and with five years to train an apprentice, it takes the kind of dedication and patience I can scarcely imagine. We all thoroughly enjoyed the time, and then Mrs Watanabe showed us around the nearby museum where she works. She showed us some of the relics belonging to the beaten samurai who was forced to move to Date by the Meiji Emperor from their former fiefdom in Sendai. She was really nice and we wished her and her husband well before our afternoon drive up to Lake Toya.

We were getting a bit hungry, so stopped near Showa Shinzan, a newly formed volcano, but all we found were a few frankfurters. Fortunately, when we stopped at the lake to admire the views, we stumbled upon a convenience store, and sat in the car park eating some tea.

The dinner buffet was equally as good at the hotel, and after I got a few souvenirs for Margot and some teachers, we all watched the club open again. Mum gave Maggot a call, and we went for a late stroll up to the Hell Valley for our last night’s activity. Pops and I played some more table football, and then we called it a night.

A Fond Farewell - 28th March
Everyone got up early on Tuesday, as we all wanted to get a last taste of the hot springs. I couldn’t take the heat for too long, but Pops really enjoyed it, and wished he’d not been so reticent before. Our last breakfast was another well-proportioned buffet, and while Pops got himself together, Mum and I went to look at the King of Hell statue. Unfortunately, he didn’t start his transformation until 10, and we had to hit the road.

We made good time up towards Chitose, and decided to take a detour to the other lake, Shikotsu, where we ate some ice cream and took our final photos. It was pretty easy finding the rental car place, and had no problems returning it, minus the 350 yen petrol charge. They provided a minibus to the airport, and with lots of time, we had a hearty lunch before going through to departures. I was impressed with the souvenir shops, which were located before you got to the check-in counters. A question of priorities I suppose.

The flight back to Tokyo ended up taking less time than the bus ride back to Sagami-Ono, on which I saw Sakai-sensei from Soubudai. The traffic was backed up after Yokohama, and we were very happy to finally get off the bus and go for Subway before returning to Soubudai.

The cherry blossoms were out, so we had a night view when we went out to get food. It started to rain, so we cut our stroll short and hurried back for a well-earned rest.

The End.

2006-04-13T13:07:00.000+01:00

A Trip to the North Country - Part Two

On the road again - 24th March

With a plan for the next couple of days, a destination in mind, and a means to get there, we went down to the well-provisioned breakfast buffet and ate our fill. The bell-hops were able to help Pops buy a newspaper, but to all of our amazements, the paper for Friday, despite a different date on each page, was identical to Thursday. It was quite unexpected, and Pops felt a little bit cheated.

We had a little time to spare, so we donned our cold weather gear and went out for a walk in search of a garden Mum had spotted from the hotel window. The garden in question belonged to the Old Clock Tower, which was a jolly place with the distinct impression of a church in the American South.

The car rental lady took us out to the car park, punched a number into an electronic board, and we watched as a tower full of cars spun around. It finally landed on our rental car, a snug little maroon Toyota - some might have called it cranberry - which more than suited our needs. We were all impressed at the car’s satellite navigation system, and after tapping in the number of the hotel in Sounkyo, we were off. He chirpy female voice helped us navigate through the streets of Sapporo, and when we finally reached the Do-oh expressway, we looked back on the mountains surrounding the city, before setting our focus on the hinterlands ahead.

After initial sun, rain set in half way up which developed into ‘white rain’ in some parts. The landscape became much more expansive, blue-roofed farms a major feature, surrounded by acres of long-settled snow. Most of the time it was difficult to get any radio reception, but we dipped in and out of NHK’s language programmes, as well as the radio exercises at midday.

There was one scary (well, slightly concerning) moment. After passing Asahikawa, we continued along the expressway, as the paper map showed, but suddenly we were in a field, at least as far as the GPS was concerned. After twenty minutes, the routes returned to normal, and we watched the kilometres tick away as we neared Sounkyo.

After Mum and I had scouted the building, we suspected to be our hotel, Ginsenkaku Onsen, we parked the car and checked in. A traditional style tatami room, but more than enough space for the three of us. We threw our bags down, then went out in search of some ice sculptures we’d seen on our way into the sleepy resort of Sounkyo.

It seemed like a place geared up for summer, lots of closed up shops and restaurants, a thick covering of snow on the rooftops and pavements. Still, we were there just I time for the last couple of days of the 31st Sounkyo Ice Fall Festival. It started to snow, and was bitterly cold, but the ice sculptures, a few igloos and a larger cavern, were starting to melt and collapse. We stopped in the very warm refreshment hut, as a respite from the cold, and so Mum and Pops could drink a coffee. We bought some sacks for our lunch/tea at the local convenience store, which we ate in our hotel room. Pops stayed there while Mum and I went for another stroll, found the visitor centre and the ropeway, and an elementary school veritably covered in snow.

We returned to the hotel for some much-needed warmth, and whiled away the pre-dinner hour with some TV, with Pops mesmerised by strange Japanese shows, and a dash of sumo. At seven the food was brought in, and we were amazed once again. Three large tables with a good helping of seafood, plus a second smaller table with rice and a mini pot of stew. The crab proved beyond my eating skills, but overall we ate a decent amount, though far too much fish for our delicate palates.

Mum encouraged us to go on an evening stroll down to the now illuminated ice sculptures, which took on a much grander aspect with various coloured lights shining into the cold darkness. It was much more dangerous, and we were close to tumbling on the frozen paths, but in the end, managed to avoid any falls. We stopped off on the way back for some ice cream, which we devoured hungrily in our room. Mum and I braved the public baths, which in both the men’s and women’s were deserted. While it was pleasant, especially the outside one, I could feel myself struggling against the heat. Then it was time for bed, which had been made by the lady who’d served dinner.

Blizzards and Blue Skies - 25th March

Looking out the window at a fresh covering of snow, we weren’t too optimistic for a solid day’s sightseeing. So we went downstairs for a tasty buffet breakfast, and then decided to brave the elements and walk along the canyon to some nearby waterfalls.

Easy enough in theory, but with snow still coming down and a cold wind, the going was pretty tough. Snow ploughs and gritting machines were still out, and making the road a bit more bearable. After an hour’s walk, we reached the Ryusei and Ginka waterfalls, but only the former was flowing with any conviction. Pops spied some trickles on the Ginka, but we came to the conclusion that it was still too early in the year. The path further on was blocked by snow, so we turned around and headed back, trudging quietly along the road, now fairly clear. We had some elevenses, and I dozed off in the warm room while Mum went off for a couple of little walks before eating lunch.

As the road was clear, we went for a drive in the afternoon, which took us up to Lake Daisetsu, still covered in snow, but from there we had a good view across the more mountainous inner part of the national park. We also stopped alongside the dam, but it was bitterly cold, so we didn’t stay there very long.

When we returned to Sounkyo, we went to the visitor’s centre, the only visitors around, and watched a video of how the canyon was formed, some 30,000 years ago. There were a few more people around outside, and we saw the ropeway in action, and someone skiing down the shallow slope.

We had another large Japanese table for dinner, though I wasn’t as hungry following too much lunch. During our post-dinner stroll, a few stars were out, but even in the midst of Hokkaido, the light pollution was bad. Back in the room, Pops and I played some table football before resting for the last evening in Sounkyo.

Continued in Part Three: The Road to Hell (Valley)

2006-04-10T23:33:00.000+01:00

A Trip to the North Country

Part One: Sapporo - 23rd March

It was overcast when we left my apartment on the first leg of the journey to Hokkaido. A variety of trains took us through Ebina, Yokohama before reaching Tokyo’s Haneda airport. We arrived in plenty of time, so we checked in, bought Pops a paper and then waited for boarding. It was a 747, many people wanting to visit, or return home to, Hokkaido.

An hour and a half later, we touched down at Shin-Chitose, where we joined the mad dash for the lavatories. With no baggage to reclaim, we found the train to Sapporo, and had our first proper look at our destination.

From the plane, I’d had the distinct impression of a frozen Siberian landscape, with empty roads, pristine white fields, apparently devoid of habitation. There were people down there, and as we got into Sapporo, it had a more familiar built up quality, though the abundant snow still made it seem more Soviet than Japanese.

It was a short walk from the station to our hotel, the Sapporo Grand, where bell boys and girls greeted us, took us up in the lift, and showed us our rooms. There were apparently hundreds of them, scurrying to and fro, and without much real work to do. Pops was a bit dubious at our room number, 1313, but within a few minutes he was happily slouching on the bed and watching CNN. After Mum and I had investigated it, we booked a rental car from the desk near the lobby, then walked down to the travel centre at the station. A nice girl who spoke English helped us to find a place to stay in Daisetsuzan, that would accept foreigners, and thus we booked two nights in the onsen resort of Sounkyo.

Famished as we were, we took the escalators upstairs and had some teatime curry, which helped to fortify us against the cold Sapporo evening. We sported scarves and hats and gloves and went in search of some interesting places. The botanical gardens, buried under a thick covering of snow, were closed, so we walked on further to the Old Government Building, where some of the snow had been cleared. The main street, Odori, was nearby, which the colder months hosts the Ice Festival. The ice had gone, the snow reduced to a gritty, slushy mess. Fortunately, the Television Tower was still open, so we went up to the observation deck and got a good view of the mountains surrounding the city. I also found a medal-making machine, so I got Margot another memorial coin.

There was a conveniently located Mr Donut, so we went there and picked up a few for our snack back at the hotel, while I worked out a route up to Sounkyo. I had a message from Margot saying that she had left her wallet in Japan, so would have to wait in Singapore for it to be returned. This came as we were out by the tower at night, on our pre-bed stroll, so Mum could send some postcards. We turned in fairly early, in readiness for the drive up to Sounkyo in the morning.

Continued in Part Two: On the Road Again

2006-04-10T13:30:00.000+01:00

The last glory of the blossoms in Tokyo's Yoyogi Park, 8th April

What happens to the students?

That was a question I found myself asking last week upon my return to a full day of school. When I went into the gym for the morning assembly to wish farewell to the leaving teachers, I compared the three year groups. Near the end of the meeting, the new first years turned to their seniors, and I noticed the great discipline-gap between the newcomers and the old hands. While the first years sat in neat rows, most with black hair, mostly quiet, the third years were a sprawling, disorganised, chattering mess.

I took a moment to wonder how long it would be before those well-behaved newbies regressed into slackers. Who knows, maybe it won't happen, but as with the regularity of the cherry blossoms, what was once clean, and bright, is soon swept off into the dust and dirt by the unstoppable passage of time.

Margot and I decided it was during the summer vacation that our kids really slip. They go away behaving nicely, and return with big hair and bad attitudes. Or, as Margot described it so succinctly:

"They go away when their uniforms are too big for them, and when they return, they're too big for their uniforms."

We shall see what becomes of them.

2006-04-02T12:32:00.000+01:00

We've just returned from our trip to Kyoto, so I'm going to post a few photos. There were a few cherry blossom trees out, but I think we were just a couple of days too early. Still, I think we all had a very enjoyable time in the old city.

I was just checking the number I've taken so far this year:

January - 15 photos.
February - 13 photos.
March - 494 photos.

That's what happens when you go places!

2006-03-28T14:22:00.000+01:00

That there hokkaido be nice!
I will endeavour to illuminate and describe our six-day trip in more detail later,but for the moment,please enjoy this sample of images of the expedition.

2006-03-19T13:18:00.000Z

This past weekend it was the Irish Sports Day in Yokohama. Margot and I arrived at about 1.30, to find DJ Bustahoodwink, Fu-Fu and others ready to go. The sky was a bit overcast following a fine morning in which Margot and I had gone for runs.
When we got up to the ground, we were asked if there were any footballers amongst us, as one of the teams was a couple of players short. So Fu-Fu and I joined in for the YCAC team, and played a couple of games. I ended up playing right back, and had a tough first game against a rather speedy left winger playing for Tokyo Hibernian. But I held my own, and the game ended in a 0-0 draw. The second game was a bit easier, and we ended up winning comfortably 3-0. The DJ made an appearance in this game, and gave a buoyant display. That win was enough to get our YCAC team the overall victory on goal difference. Not long after the game ended, it started to rain, just as the Gaelic football was starting. After two games and a run, I was spent for the day, and was glad to get back inside for some respite.

This weekend has also seen the start of the NCAA tournaments. The sweepstake was set on Friday at our JET conference, and despite the fact half of the first round games had already been decided, I’ve had a fun couple of days checking the scores and updating people on the standings. My bracket’s not looking very good, but I still have some teams left for the later rounds, so you never know. Still, ‘tis all in good fun.

Mum and Dad come on Tuesday, last day for preparations tomorrow, though I think everything’s pretty much ready. Then on Thursday, we’re jetting off to Hokkaido. How very exciting.

2006-03-12T09:22:00.000Z

Muffins
Margot and I reach our one-year anniversary tomorrow, so we're planning a nice evening of cake and maybe floats. When I went to see her on Friday, she'd been planning a little surprise for me. That turned out to be a whole lot of muffins. One for each week we'd been together, so as you can see from the pile, we had a whole weekend's worth of delightful muffin-eating enjoyment.

Football
Today the weather was playing all kinds of tricks. Extremely windy, but also very warm, Margot and I had been expecting rain (both of our computer forecasts had told us so), but it stayed dry, so we had a good game of football. As you can see, everyone finished triumphant.

2006-03-09T12:56:00.000Z

I think I’ve been doing too much writing, both of the computer and pencil and paper kind. My wrists and arms feel very weak, a little bit of carpal tunnel setting in perhaps. The thing is, I’ve been trying to finish off my set of short stories, and I only have a few more pages to go now. Maybe once I’ve finished that, I can take a break from writing and then work out how to continue without causing further damage.
It was quite exciting this past week at Margot’s. Firstly, on Saturday, while she was in Tokyo getting her hair cut at a rather swanky and well-known salon, a little package arrived, bearing her fancy new I-Pod, Oberon. So while I was waiting for her to return, I was allowed to play with it, and get it all ready to go by the time Margot got back. And she was delighted with it. And I was excited, so maybe I’ll get one for myself!
Then, on Tuesday, I went to Margot’s as usual, and when she got back, she said she still needed a thousand or so steps to achieve her 10,000 for the day. So we went on a nice little stroll, and investigated what happened to the step-count when Margot walked, ran, jumped and skipped. When we turned the corner, there was a van parked outside, bearing the same mark as the company which delivered the I-Pod. So we rushed around, and lo and behold there was the little delivery man with Margot’s new computer, Titania.
Thus she’s been excitedly investigating all of Titania’s capabilities, and having a jolly time doing it.
No classes at the moment as the exams have started. So I’m going to finish off my short stories, and then think about what project to work on next. Busy, busy little Toby.

2006-03-04T00:18:00.000Z

Graduation Days

So the latest batch of third years have graduated from my schools. I was able to attend two of the ceremonies, on Thursday and Friday, and they were quite jolly. Admittedly the first part is not as jolly, with the calling of the roll, standing up, sitting down, speeches in Japanese etc. After that, however, there is the school song, and then the third years get the chance to show their slideshow of three years of memories, then file out of the gymnasium for the last time. Later on, after the free lunch, some of the students came to the teachers’ room to take their pictures and get their books signed. So I close with a few of those pictures, and say goodbye to my last graduating class.

2006-02-23T13:44:00.000Z

Blimey, it’s been a long time.
Yesterday, I finally got my computer back, after three and a half weeks laptop-less, the old girl is back up and running, as good as new. No data loss, the dodgy melted bit is back to normal, they even gave it a spit and polish, bless ‘em.
So now I have lots of typing up to do, various projects I was only able to work on using the traditional ‘pencil and paper’ method. At least it will give me an excuse to brush up on my typing skills.
This week we have been having the second set of school entrance exams. This means nothing much for me to do, no classes to teach, no students in fact. And next week, with the beginning of March, it will be the graduation ceremonies for the third years. Yesterday I was asked to write a short message for the third years at Kaminan, my better-than-the-average school. I’m just sad that I won’t be there in person, as once again two of my schools have their ceremonies on the same day.
There aren’t many days left of teaching in this term, which is on balance a very strange period. Exams, entrance tests, running days (I had one last week, but unfortunately, didn’t take my camera with me. It was so cold) and all manner of other things that don’t require my direct involvement, or indeed, my teaching classes.
I have the visit of Mum and Dad to look forward to at the end of March, and during the spring vacation, we will take a trip up to Hokkaido (my first time), and then to Kyoto (my sixth time). There’s a chance they will be here in time for the cherry blossoms, which will be a nice treat, though if it coincides with our weekend in Kyoto, crikey there will be a lot of grockles. Oh well, I suppose it’s all part of the Japan experience.
Last week, Margot and I (plus a few hundred other folks) attended the Returning JETs conference in Yokohama. This is basically a three day junket for those people giving up their important work in Japanese schools for something out in the real world. We had speeches and seminars on various career fields, some of it interesting, some of it not so much, but above all else, it put us within striking distance of a Subway, which Margot and I dutifully took advantage of on the last day. This day was gloriously sunny, so we were able to enjoy our foot-long subs outside, and followed them with some frozen yoghurt, and, when we got back to Ebina, a spot of Frisbee. Unfortunately, it turned cold again the next day, but a brief glimpse of spring was much appreciated.
Now if we could only get the weather to stay like that all the time…

2006-02-07T09:29:00.000Z

Ah, tis a bit of a boondoggle.
Last week I managed to break my computer, so that means I've been unable to use it. The road to repair has been a long and testy one, with a long series of phone calls, first trying to find someone who can speak english.
Next, an engineer came along to try to fix it, but that didn't work out either.
The new plan: return the puter to the Dell factory and give it the once over there. A sound plan, aside from the fax not wanting to turn up. First on Friday, then on Monday, finally it came through just as I was leaving school today.
Hopefully it'll all be taken care of soon and I can resume my computerfied existence.
Still, giving me plenty of time to read my books...

2006-01-23T12:38:00.000Z

Ebina Snow Scene
(My apologies for the poor picture, but I only had my phone camera with me.)

It snowed on Saturday, and as it's rather chilly here there's still quite a bit of snow around.
I've been back in Japan for a good two weeks now, though I've not found the time to sit down and write. I suppose part of that is laziness, but the other part is that I've not been in the writing mood. I have been adding a few extra pages to my Hom-UHT website, but I suppose I have neglected this one. Plus I've not taken any pictures since my return to Japan, so that removes another reason for writing.
Today I had my last class with one of the third year groups at my base school. I guess it's quite sad when I think about it, they kept saying how sabishii it was. And I agree. Tomorrow is the last class with the other group, and then I suppose I'm not going to see the third years around much until the graduation ceremony in March.
Margot and I braved the snow on Saturday to see Memoirs of a Geisha, which I found okay, though would have benefited from being in Japanese, filmed in Japan, Japanese actresses etc. Still, I suppose the Japan of that era is long gone for the most part... Sabishii ne.
Ah, who am I kidding, I don't have anything interesting to say at the moment, so until I do, I'll refrain from warbling.

2006-01-01T14:32:00.000Z

Margot and I visited Prague for the last few days in 2005.

Now, it's 2006, and we had a very enjoyable, peaceful New Year's Eve with the family, and some curried goat.

Wishing everybody a very happy new year, I hope it brings happiness and prosperity to all.

2005-12-26T20:45:00.000Z

The Tor of Glastobury, Christmas Eve

The Boys at Ebbor Gorge, Christmas Day

Margot meets The Family, December 23rd

On Thursday morning, Margot and I left Ebina on the first leg of our long journey back to Blighty. I did, admittedly, get us to the airport a fraction too early (8am for a 1pm flight) but at least there was little danger of us missing it. The flight itself was marred somewhat by our location in the midst of a party of Japanese school girls, who were rather prone to screaming, especially during a rather shaky takeoff. But still, twelve hours later, we saw the sun setting over London as we came in to land.
The folks were there to meet us at the airport, and we came back to Wells, tired, but happy.
The next couple of days Margot was introduced to a good proportion of the extended family, which she coped with remarkably well. We walked into Wells a couple of times, walked up Glastonbury Tor, and then attended the Midnight Eucharist in Wells Cathedral on Christmas Eve, and into Christmas Day. Christmas Day itself was spent in a lazy fashion, though we did find time in the afternoon for another walk, this time to Ebbor Gorge.
Tomorrow we are heading to Prague, though both Margot and I are feeling a bit under the weather. Still, I should think a few days of relaxing in a five-star hotel should help us recover in time for the New Year.

2005-12-18T12:17:00.000Z

Margot here is dancing with the younger sister of Yoshi, who was celebrating his eighteenth birthday on Saturday.

I admit it was a bit of a strange affair, but despite the fact that everyone was speaking either Spanish or Japanese, we enjoyed our time. Well, apart from the first hour or so when we were huddled in an English-speaking enclave, with no sign of the birthday boy, and a crazy little two-year-old munchkin tearing up and down the living room.
After that it was jolly.
We had some snack foods, chatted a bit with Yoshi's grandfather (in Japanese) then Margot joined the long line of ladies who danced with Yoshi.
For a little while we were worried, as Margot had been informed that the party didn't finish until 5am, but fortunately, a shade after 10, we managed to get a lift back to the station. With Yoshi's uncle. Who also spoke Japanese.
A touch bizarre I must say.

2005-12-12T12:50:00.000Z

'Twas a rather fun weekend.
On Friday night I had my school's end of year party. A Bonenkai ('forget the year party') is a jolly affair, with rather a lot of drinking, silly dancing, and other such fun. This year's was no exception, with the new teachers performing a dance routine, some of which can be glimpsed in the attached image. The other main highlight of the evening was the bingo, in which everyone walked away with something, in my case a tote bag and dog-themed calendar. All in all it's a chance to see one's colleagues in a different (mainly drunk) light.

On Saturday it was a trip to the theatre. Margot and I had tickets for the RSC's (Royal Shakespeare Company, dear heart) performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream in Tokyo. I had bought the tickets upon Pablo's recommendation, and we weren't disappointed. Our seats were two rows from the front, so we could have spat on the actors had we so wished. We didn't so wish, as we were completely enthralled in the play. The actors were top-notch, the magic and the comedy perfectly entwined, and both Margot and I agreed it was terrific.
The train ride back wasn't quite as terrific, but even that couldn't detract from what had been a marvellous evening's entertainment.

And, to top off the weekend, we played some football in Ebina's park on Sunday, and despite the cold, the rain and a lower than usual turnout, it was a good kick around.

Now it's only a week and a few days before Margot and I go back to Blighty, time to think about packing...

2005-12-08T22:02:00.000Z

Happy Birthday Franny!

Well hurrah, and ballyhoo and hurrah.
Yes, after many months of grafting and struggling and studying, at last I have taken (and most likely failed) the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT). This past Sunday I awoke early, and then Margot went to take our respective tests. I ran into an inordinate number of other JET and ex-JET folks who were also taking the exam, and we chatted during our short break and lunch break.
As for the test itself, the first paper (kanji and vocabulary) wasn’t too bad, the second listening paper was a bit dodgy, and by the time of the reading and grammar paper, I was guessing most, if not all, of the questions.
I did manage to answer all of the questions, so perhaps by some miracle I have passed. That is unlikely, however, but I have at least confirmed my pre-revision estimate of my level being somewhere between level two (harder) and level three (not as hard). Still, at least I can say I gave it a shot.
Once the test was complete, I rushed to catch one of the special buses, and returned to Machida, where others who had subjected themselves to the challenge of the test. We had celebratory food and drink, though I do rather think I ate a tad too much.
At least now it’s done, so I can divert my energies to things other than studying and not feel bad about it!

It was Franny’s birthday this week, so we had a bit of a shindig at her place. ‘Twas a fun evening, with lots of food and drink consumed, plus Margot hit upon the idea of bring ‘lesson plans.’ So Pablo did a Find Someone Who… game, Margot brought her Pass the Parcel, Roe did a rather amusing Mad Lib, and I brought the Franny Quiz Extravaganza. It was a lot of fun, even though I had to pretend to be a piece of bacon frying (sizzle, pop, shrivel, etc.).

This weekend I have my school’s end of year party, and then on Saturday it’s time for Shakespeare in Tokyo. So in preparation, I’ve been swotting up on my bard.
Hurrah.

2005-11-24T08:34:00.000Z

It seemed like only a few days had passed since I was in Kyoto, and lo and behold, there I was again. Admittedly, this time it was dark, as Margot and I had arrived at 5am on a cold Saturday morning, but there was no mistaking I was once again in Kyoto.
In preparation for her Poppa’s arrival in Kobe the next morning, Margot and I had boarded the dreaded night bus (curse!) beneath the Keio Plaza Hotel in Shinjuku, and waited for many hours. It had been quite difficult locating a pair of tickets to Kansai, and it seemed as though we would have to go to Osaka (curse!) first, then go back to Kyoto on the train. After a tormented night, however, we pulled up in Kyoto, and decided to take the opportunity. I mentioned something to the driver about there being a mistake, and after retrieving Margot’s bag, we were free of the clutches of the bus.
Now, unlike some cities in Japan, there’s not an awful lot going on at 5am in Kyoto. We walked around in a vain search for an open coffee shop, but eventually settled on some convenience store breakfast followed by the bus to Kiyomizudera. It was far from crowded, but there were still plenty of people up early, and I can’t really blame them as the air was crisp and clear, and the autumnal foliage out on display. My fourth trip to Kyoto and my fifth to my favourite temple, and it’s still wonderful. This time I was able to lead Margot around, and following that, down the Sannen- and Ninen-zaka before traipsing through a sleeping Gion and back to the station.
Margot’s chum met us there, and took us on a nice leisurely hike along the Hozukyo river, just outside the city itself, near the Arashiyama area. The view were stunning, the waters breathtaking shades of blue and green. We walked alongside the river, took in our sustenance, before rejoining the hordes of tourists around Arashiyama. Despite our fatigue, Margot and I boarded the train back to Kyoto, and then on to Kobe, where we walked around the Ijinkan area, ate some dinner, then searched high and low for a suitable hotel. Upon finding one, we crashed out until morning.
Sunday in Kobe was sunny, but still cold at 7.30 in the morning. We had to work out where Margot’s Poppa was coming in, and eventually we realised it wasn’t near the Port Tower, but rather on the other side of the waterfront. A short taxi ride later, and we saw the correct ship, and there was Margot’s Poppa waiting for her. The ship had come from Hong Kong and Vietnam, so there was a two-hour mandatory quarantine. This gave Margot and I the opportunity to eat a delicious bakery breakfast. Then we were allowed on the ship.
It brought back memories of my cross-channel voyages as a teenager, only plusher and filled with American students. Margot’s Poppa introduced us to several of his colleagues, including the Dean and his wife who were simply wonderful. Margot’s Poppa had a cabin next to the Dean’s, and it was so plush, we were quite taken aback. Margot and I received some presents, including a jimbe drum from South Africa, which Margot was rather excited to get. We had time for a bite to eat, and were dazzled by one of the ship’s crew who knew our names, it was a bit eerie.
Once we had disembarked, Margot and I led her Poppa through the stations to Kyoto, and we retraced our sightseeing footsteps from the previous day. We had just enough time for a Co-Co Curry, and then boarded the Shinkansen back to Kanagawa, tired, but having enjoyed a delightful trip.

Since the weekend, Margot showed her Poppa some of her favourite places in Kanagawa and Tokyo, held a pot luck dinner on Monday night, and then on yesterday’s national holiday, took him down to Shin-Yokohama for the train ride back to Kobe. It was a fleeting visit, but Margot’s Poppa still found time to buy Margot a new washing machine, about which she is still very excited.

2005-11-14T02:56:00.000Z

The day off after our open school on Saturday is nice, as it affords me a chance to sit down and relax, and finally get around to writing something down.
This past weekend, Margot came over and we cycled to Ebina for my first time, it's pretty close, but I still don't feel particularly safe on the roads. We decided to go to see a film, The Brothers Grimm, which was rather bad, and I fell asleep a bit too. On Sunday it was Margot's agricultural school festival, at which she was dressed in a kimono. She didn't think the one she wore this year was very nice, but I still thought she looked pretty. I was impressed with the performance of taiko, the first time I've watched it properly here. Afterwards we went to play football at the park, and the mighty Team Europe (including Margot as a Norwegian participant) was triumphant over Team North America. It was a lovely day, and we had a lot of fun.
Now I realise why I haven't written much lately, I've not done a lot!

2005-11-06T04:08:00.000Z

The Ebina Mob?

It started with a stereo blasting outside the estate agent's across the street from Margot's place. At all hours. The first time we weren't sure if they were going to play the music all night, but eventually it stopped. This was soon followed by a table and a couple of chairs.
Now, in the most recent development, a couple of shady looking characters in business suits sit out at the table, chatting, not doing much other than smoking. So, being the Sopranos fan that I am, I naturally decided they must be the mob. I mean, who else would sit outside a 'legitimate' business during the middle of the day.
Not sure, but the coincidences are certainly adding up.

2005-11-03T10:51:00.000Z

Kyoto: An Account by Toby the Somerset Pirate

Part Three: Sayonara Kyoto

"So I guess this must be the festival," I said, looking at the rows of chairs laid out, red and white bunting that lined the road leading to the Heian Shrine. Laur and I had walked down from Nanzenji temple, and more or less stumbled upon the Jidai Matsuri, or Festival of the Ages. The rain had started to fall, which rendered us less than enthusiastic about staying to watch it. Instead, once we'd located Misa, we went for lunch at a nearby restaurant. When we came back out, the crowds had swelled, and the parade had started to go past. Unfortunately, the traffic was still allowed to go past, so this meant very short periods of parading, and much longer periods of waiting for cars. Despite this logistical oversight, we saw some period costumes from the shogunate, and had a nice time apart from the rain.
Misa apologised, as her boss had called and said that she had to go to work early. Thus we had to walk to the nearest bus stop still working. Once Misa had departed, Laur and I headed to Kiyomizudera, just in time for a lovely sunset. But perhaps the most fun was when Laur sat down near the stone steps and began sliding uncontrollably down.
After the sun had gone down, Laur and I walked down to Gion, where we failed to see any geisha, geiko or maiko, but saw plenty of other tourists out looking for the same thing. In the end we decided to eat at the Chinese restaurant overlooking the Minamiza. The building was delightful, with a oldie-fashioned lift complete with oldie-fashioned lift attendant.
The evening was rounded off with us searching for something to do in Kyoto after dark. Our first attempt to play pool was thwarted when we stumbled upon a very strange theme restaurant called 'The Lock Up', and yes, that was a restaurant themed as a jail. Eventually we settled upon ten-pin bowling and some taiko.

Our final morning in Kyoto was cold and wet, so we spent a couple of hours walking around Sanjusangendo with its 1001 statues of Kannon, plus a little amble around the museum. We had just enough time to return to view Kyoto station in all its glory before we boarded the Shinkansen back to Yokohama.

Thus ended my third trip to Kyoto, and what a delightful trip it had been.

2005-10-27T07:49:00.000+01:00

Kyoto An Account by Toby the Somerset Pirate

Part Two The Northern Path

"May I ask you some questions?" chorused the two yellow-hatted munchkins in eerie unison.
"Okay," I replied. And thus in the grounds of Ryoanji in the north-west hills of Kyoto, I answered the questions of some primary school children concerning my view of Japan. I wasn't the only one, as Laur was collared at practically the same time by three girls. And that wasn't the only interview I had on Friday.
My thought was to get to Kinkakuji (see the picture above) before the crowds arrived. Despite my best efforts, the temple was already swarming with schoolchildren, but Laur and I were able to get a good photo or two.
Further down the road, we walked around Ryoanji with its famous rock garden, again with more people than would perhaps be comfortable. The best solution to this problem was to follow the mini-88-temple-pilgrammage around the hills above Ninnaji. This also helped against the sun which was rather warm in the midday sky.

My second interview came at the gates of Nijojo, where I was asked to not only describe some of my impressions of Japan, but also to draw them. I was a little crestfallen when my interviewer asked if I had drawn a kimono.
"It's sumo," I said sadly. The students nodded their head in some kind of agreement. Drawing was never my strong suit.
We had done so much walking that our feet were ready to give up. Thus we rode the subway a few stops to the Kamo River, where we sat down and enjoyed the last rays of the sun's warmth, before food and an early night.
I think that perhaps the most impressive thing was that the munchkins' English ability far surpassed that of most of my students, despite the fact that these munchkins were still in primary school. Oh well, I guess that means I need to teach them more English.

Concluded in Part Three: Sayonara Kyoto

2005-10-24T15:26:00.000+01:00

Kyoto
An Account by Toby the Somerset Pirate

Part One
Arrival

Laur and I had just got onto the shinkansen platform, waiting for our Nozomi 12 back to Kanagawa. I was trying to sort out the distribution of items betweent the myriad pockets of my coat, trousers and bag when the elderly Japanese lady next to me asked "Where are you from?"
Thus began a delightful conversation which lasted until she had to board her own train back to Tokyo. And so ended my third trip to Kyoto.

My first view of the city had been from the motorway, as the sun poked its cheeky round face over the mountains enclosing Kyoto's eastern flank. I'd slept only fitfully during the night bus journey, but I felt surprisingly fresh. Unfortunately our early arrival time procluded our checking into the hotel, so our contingency plan was to dump our oversized bags in a convenient locker, travel to Nara to see another Big Buddha (this one in a house) and then return in the afternoon to check in properly. And our plan was executed along those lines.

Nara
Hats of Many Colours

We tramped up the crowded staircase and departed Nara's Kintetsu station, a short distance from the deer-encrusted confines of Nara Park. "Don't worry," I said to Laur, "we're only likely to see tourists of the wrinkly variety." My reasoning was this: It was a Thursday morning, in October, nothing particularly special going on. That reasoning had only one major drawback: School excursions. Just as our trip to Kamakura had coincided with many primary school munchkins' visits, so our stay in Kyoto fell at the same time as the nationwide junior high school trips to Kyoto. And Nara suffered an influx of thousands of munchkins of various sizes and bedecked in various coloured hats, who tore through the otherwise quiet paths of Nara Park, and coalesced around Todaiji's Daibutsukan. It was far removed from the quiet tranquility of my January visit, but 'twas nice to be back.
Now, the thing about the Daibutsukan in Nara is that there is a wee hole in one of the pillars around the back. 'Tis said that if a person can squeeze through this hole, perhaps the diameter of a full size basketball, then that person will achieve nirvana. Needless to say, I didn't dare try to achieve such a thing, not least because of the crowds of munchkins packed into all corners of the building. Some of them even seemed to be wearing the primary school excursion uniform equivalent of an England football strip. But, while I was too concerned with beating a path through the munchkin sea, some of the tiniest school children I ever did see were lined up and manhandled through the hole. I think it's pretty good going to achieve nirvana before you're half a decade old.

Kyoto - Familiar Grounds

The sunshine was warm on our tired heads, so we departed Nara and sought refuge in the hotel. Once again it was the Station Hotel Seiki, which had served me so well during my January trip. While the innkeeper lady didn't seem to remember me, she was impressed that I knew my way around the city, and when it became clear there were only the two of us for a three person room, she very kindly knocked a few bob off. Laur was a bit tired, so hunkered down to try to get some rest. I was energised (as much as I ever get energised of course) and decided to make the most of the last vestiges of sunshine, and walked to Toji. I got there around an hour before closing, which gave me just enough time to read a bit of my book, and jot down a few impressions of my first day. I didn't realise until the next evening, by which time it was too late of course, but they were setting up for the monthly flea market that is held on the 21st of each month. Still, I enjoyed the cool late afternoon breeze in my face, and the warm early evening sunshine on my back.
There was still time in the day for a walk around the Kamo River, but unfortunately we missed the sunset. Still, it was a splendid end to our first day in Kyoto, and as we retired for the evening, I looked ahead to another day's busy sightseeing...

Continued in Part Two: The Northern Path

2005-10-18T08:34:00.000+01:00

Pablo's Birthday Extravaganza!

Yes, the trap was sprung to perfection. A plan hatched by the scheming minds of Margot and The Girl From Miami was executed with a dash of elan.
Pablo had been taken to dinner at Freshness Burger, when, whoops, Margot 'forgot her phone'.
"Can I just pop back and get it?" asked Margot innocently, hoping for Pablo to trust her track record in misplaced objects.
Pablo handed over his key, completely unaware that a crack team of Surprise Partygoers had already been assembled under the supervision of The Girl From Miami and Pedro "Fu-Fu" Fortin. These partygoers proceeded to Pablo's house and began outfitting it in a surprise party-stylee.
The Freshness dinner continued, Margot returned, Pablo still none the wiser.
But then, when the soon-to-be birthday boy returned to his apartment, he was greeted with the distinctive crack of poppers and soon the smell of gunpowder filled the air. Pablo, meanwhile, had fallen to the ground, and was swamped in streamers. Once it had been confirmed he had survived this surprise assault, the lights came on and the party ensued. And a rather jolly affair it was too.
Many happy returns Pablo, and I hope you enjoy your real birthday just as much as the party.

2005-10-16T09:45:00.000+01:00

Sports Day

The weather forecast said 'twas going to rain. But, fortunately, the rain didn't arrive until the evening, and thus the JET sports day in Yoyogi Park went ahead. And with much excitement and enjoyment, did the JETs of Kanagawa and Saitama lock horns.
We actually arrived a touch late, at lunch time in fact, so missed the morning's games. After lunch, however, we participated in the 'Fetch the Bacon' game, a wild assortment of multi-legged races, and the final battle of the afternoon, a game of flag football.
Fun was had by all, as can be seen by the jolly four-legged girls in this picture.

2005-10-13T15:06:00.000+01:00

Kamakura

After the Monday's rain, and Tuesday's working, Wednesday brought about a convergence of sunshine and time off school. So off we trotted to Kamakura, for a delightful day of temple-hopping, trail-trekking, and picture-taking (not a few of which were of spiders. Just look at the one trying to eat Laur.)

Laur and I were joined by Margot's chum Zelda, who had a rather nice camera I was somewhat jealous of. We visited Hasedera and the Big Buddha, then traipsed along the hiking trail into the verdant forest, it was rather lovely. Rejoining civilisation in Kamakura itself, we walked along the Wakamiya-oji to Hachimangu where the girls had their fortunes told. Zelda's was 'slightly good', while Laur's left much room for improvement. I decided not to get one, as I've been very happy with the one I got at New Year's, where I received the best fortune possible.

It was a brisk walk along the road to Jomyoji for a tea ceremony, then we managed to reach Hokokuji's bamboo garden a short while before it closed. Then we raced the setting sun, and caught it just in time at Inamuragasaki. The colours of the sunset were particularly beautiful, and enhanced by my camera's setting. Perhaps the only bad thing was that if we'd gone a little further on, we might have seen the sunset over Enoshima and Mount Fuji, but we still saw its impressive silhouette against the darkening sky. A terrific day out.

2005-10-09T15:55:00.000+01:00

All's I can say is, wow. Way to go Fu-Fu, bring that plane home.
More to come later. We can only hope, eh.

2005-10-09T04:18:00.000+01:00

An old chum has arrived!

Well, not old in years, but rather in the length of time we have known each other. Laur arrived on Thursday, so I crossed Tokyo to Narita to collect her. I was impressed with her sprightlyness following such a lengthy journey, the first on what promises to be an exciting round the world adventure. This is her first time in Japan, but I am impressed with how well she is dealing with all the quirkiness and strange goings on that still seem weird and wonderful to my more seasoned eyes.
So far we have seen the bright lights of Soubudai and Ebina, experienced some of the wonder that is the Vinawalk, and just yesterday, had a walk around Yokohama. We dined in the Landmark Tower with Fu-Fu and Marty, then walked along to Yamashita Park. By a stroke of fortune's fluffy rod, we were treated to the Yokohama Jazz Promenade. And near the World Porter's building, a Japanese country band struck up with Country Road, just a shame Margot wasn't there to enjoy it.
In Yamashita Park itself, there was a World Fiesta going, on, plenty of people enjoying the warm afternoon, with diverse foodstuffs from places including Ghana, Sudan and Vietnam. The atmosphere was joyous, with large crowds for some fire juggling/eating, and cheerleading routines.
Our day was rounded off with a walk through Chinatown and some authentic Japanese Mexican cuisine in the Sky Building.
Today, off to see the exciting sights of the Harajuku/Shibuya freaks. Should be interesting.

2005-09-30T14:29:00.000+01:00

Birthday, yay!

Yes, 'twas indeed my birthday today, and I was treated to many a nice surprise. There I was, just doing my laundry this morning, a beautiful sunny day in Japan, when I hear the sound of my door being unlocked. Then, as if by magic, my dear Margot was standing in the doorway, bearing presents, including the conveyance which bore her to me, my new bike, and to top things off, doughnuts! So not only did I get to spend an hour with her this morning, I was able to eat some scrumptious doughnuts for breakfast, and then more at lunchtime! Hurrah.

And at school, not only did a class sing happy birthday to me, but at the end of the day the English teachers surprised me with some cake. Yummy.

Then, after I'd ridden back on my excellent bike, I transported myself over to Margot's place, where I was treated to pizza, salad, cake and chocolates. What more could a chap ask for? Best girlfriend ever? Definitely!

2005-09-25T14:47:00.000+01:00

Autumnal Equinox 2005

Twas the day of the equal nights in Ebina, and thus came Margot's second Japan-based Equnioxial Potluck. And a fine shindig it was. Not only was there Pass-the-Parcel, courtesy of our departed chum Miss Jess, but also plenty of tasty snacks, and tomfoolery, and perhaps even a touch of japery.

Yet, perhaps even more exciting than this exciting event was the exciting purchase by Margot and myself of some amazingly exciting beanbags. The prospect had been bandied around for some time, and on Friday, being a national holiday to celebrate the aforementioned equinox, we decided it was high time we got the beanbags. And delightful they are. Not only were they available in the two colours we'd hoped for, taupe and deep red, but also they come in two seating arrangements. Placed one way, they become firm when sat on, for times when a bit more solidity is required. The other, and they squash with a great deal of satisfaction, perfect for slacking in front of the TV and watching ER. Which is what we then proceeded to do.

Not to be outdone with fulfilling excitement-filled days, Sunday provided a cooler temperature, that allowed an early evening run, while it was still light. We stumbled across a woodland park, the Castle Mountain Park to be precise, located fairly close to Margot's school. We were able to play on the slide, and the rope frames, and then walk back along the river in the fading daylight. Alas, 'tis a pity we must return to work tomorrow, and for a full week of classes no less. Plus, not forgetting the wonderful prospect of a conference on Tuesday, what fun!

2005-09-19T14:08:00.000+01:00

A Bike Ride In Ebina

Being a national holiday here in Japan, and hence no reason to attend school, Margot and I spent a lazy morning watching ER and eating the brownies we had made the previous evening. We felt we deserved these snacks, as we'd been for a run alongside the Odayku line train tracks, and thus, having fulfilled our exercise quota, we needed to fulfil our brownie quota. It's a give and take system. We give the running, we take the brownies, quite simple.
So, on this glorious Monday, with no school, after such a hectic morning of brownie-eating and ER-watching, it was time to go outside into the sunshine and warmth of this September day. The previous evening, Margot had broken the news to me about the surprise for my birthday. Now, I had felt certain I had cracked the surprise open myself, and convinced I was going to get a beanbag, now it was time for Margot to admit the same. But, lo and behold, I was wrong. The surprise present was even better than that...

My very own bike!

Of course I was left flabbergasted at this display of wonderment, and thus today we traversed Ebina to Yamada-Denki. Now, this shop is an excellent place for buying electrical goods, but unbeknownst to us, but knownst to Margot's work chum, in the bowels of the building exists a veritably treasure trove of other cool stuff, the Dynamic Discount Store. And in the corner of this were a good selection of bikes. The key problem Margot had faced was whether to get a bike with a basket (not especially cool, but pretty useful in Japan) without a boy-bar, or to get a bike with a boy-bar but no basket. This had been the key reason Margot had spilled the beans about my birthday present, and thus the reason why we were now standing below the flashing electrical gizmos of Yamada-Denki. And you know what, there was a perfect bike. A basket and a boy-bar, problem solved, bish bash bosh. (As Pablo might say.)
But moments later, Margot saw an even better bike, the same as the boy-bar/basket combo, but in Hunter Green. So, this was duly purchased for me, and helped to carry back the various ingredients Margot had assembled for her Pumpkin-Potato-Curry Powder Soup Special, tonight's meal.
On a sad note, for me at least, as it's not my birthday until 30th September, Margot said I'm not allowed to take the bike home for another week and a bit. She did, however, allow me to take it for a spin. Which we duly did, and my was it exciting.
We cycled all the way out of the Ebinan urban sprawl, into the rice fields near one of Margot's schools. But instead of turning in there, or turning back, we pushed valiantly onwards, until we stumbled upon the Odakyu train tracks. Crossing over there, we came to a rice field which at first glance seemed full of people. But on closer inspection, it was a bunch of scarecrows. But not any scarecrows, for this was a Kakashi-Matsuri, a Festival of Scarecrows. Unfortunately, neither of us had a camera, or even a phone to take a picture to prove our sighting, but perhaps if Margot lets me ride the bike again, we can return and get proof. There were some good ones, some ropey ones, a few Darths and a couple of astronauts, one of which was flying. Margot's favourite was the big blue duck. And who can blame her.
Then it was time to find our way back, though not before a short detour to the dark side of Ebina, across the Sagami-line tracks, but we arrived back safely, for soup making and eating, and more ER watching. All in all, a marvellous day.

2005-09-12T14:44:00.000+01:00

School Festival Report
The school festivals have been and gone for another year, a weekend of frantic noise and japery that is the culmination of a summer of busy preparation and anticipation.
This was my second year of school festivals, and once again, I had two schools with festivals this weekend. So on Saturday I went to Soubudai, for the shortened first day, and then following day I went to Kamimizo-minami (AKA Kaminan) for a full day of festival goodness.
There was still preparation going on when I arrived at Soubudai on Saturday morning, a few last minute things to prepare. The stand out part of the Soubudai festival is the entrance arch. Last year they had a reconstruction of an Okinawan temple. This year, it was a recreation of the Cathedral of San Pietro, complete with multicoloured roof and murals adorning the walls. All made out of wood and held together with scaffolding and lots of nails. The structure was perhaps three or four metres tall in the middle, and could thus be seen on the road to school from quite a way off. It’s amazing to think how much time and effort goes into the construction of the arch, only for it to be torn down come Monday. And, as I did last year, I added my own manpower to the dismantling morning.
As for the rest of the festival, I planned my day around several events with a fixed time. These included the bands performing in the music room, a football exhibition match, and the dance club. This gives the day a bit of structure, and in the lean time the main events, I was free to wander around, buying lots of dodgy junk food and getting very hot. Fortunately I had the air-conditioning in the teachers’ room where I could go for a short respite, and to drop off the various souvenirs/prizes/sweets I got on my travels.
Highlights of the Soubudai festival for me were the arch, as I’ve mentioned, and the dance club. They had a lot of fun dancing, and between their morning and afternoon performances, the crowd swelled considerably. Two of the boys, who had been the mainstay of the yellow team’s victorious sports festival dance squad, were once again on display, with a bit of break dancing and a lot of attitude.
Regrettably, this year I wasn’t able to see the brass band perform, as they’d gone up north for a regional band competition, and were scheduled to play on Sunday. Sunday, as I will now relate, was the day of my own musical performance, at the Kaminan festival.
Being Sunday, the festival commenced early, and it was a rather hot day, so staying outside, or inside for that matter, was not always too comfortable. I kicked off the day with a performance of Aladdin, which was fairly surreal, not entirely sure what was going on half of the time, and that situation wasn’t helped by an Aladdin-switch halfway through. One moment it was a fairly tall chap, the next, a significantly shorter girl. Strange. After this I popped down to the gym where the girls basketball team were playing. They managed to turn around a nine-point deficit to go in leading at half time, but in the end, they lost. Which was a pity, still, at least the boys team won. Through the rest of the day, I enjoyed more gloriously unhealthy food; yakisoba, danba covered in sesame, and a perennial favourite, the choco-banana. At various points I took a break from the eating and went to see a guitar ensemble and then, at the end of the main festival, the Kaminan Waterboys. As I got there a bit late, I started off watching from the steps of the gym, but the view wasn’t great. I walked down to the swimming pool, and asked if there was any space. Fortunately, there was a tokubetsu place left for me poolside, and I was able to witness the synchronised swimming from a great vantage point. It was a light-hearted end to the festival, which finished just in time to avoid the torrential downpour.
Then it was time for the after festival music and dancing in the gym, and this is where I had my performance. We had been practicing over the summer and now came the moment of truth. After a few performances, I went back stage to get changed into my suit, the chosen attire for our show. A few groups later, and it was time for us. The curtain remained down, and the crowd was getting impatient. A few of the girls at the front peeked under the curtain and saw me preparing, so that was the surprise guest-cat out of the proverbial bag. We were Tough Gays. Actually Tough Guys, but a simple mistake had changed our name into a show opening gag. I had a intro speech to give in Japanese, which went smoothly, including the introduction of our second foreign artiste, Carlos from Peru, playing the piano. I didn’t know all the words to ‘This Love’ at the beginning of the summer, and despite the lack of singing ability, the song was well-received. Fortunately, it’s a short song, so I was soon off the stage, and back among the crowd where I belonged. There was time to watch the girls dance performance, then some strange game show comedy routine, at which point I departed.
So that was the end of the festival weekend for another year, and only one more school to go. Was it better than last year? I enjoyed it as much, there was enough of the new, enough of the old to keep me interested. Now the arch is torn down, the rooms converted back to classrooms, and I have two days off during the week. Huzzah!

2005-09-11T14:32:00.000+01:00

Kaminan School Festival 2005

Full report coming soon

2005-09-10T08:55:00.000+01:00

Soubudai School Festival, 2005

More pictures and report to follow...

2005-09-07T14:24:00.000+01:00

It's been a while, hasn't it?
I guess that means I've been quite busy. Maybe I have, but I can't really think what. The new term of school has started, which means more lessons. I've had a couple this week, which have been a nice relaxing reintroduction to teaching. Today there was supposed to be a taikusai (sports day) at one of my schools, but unfortunately the typhoon swept in, and pushed back the event until tomorrow. Hopefully the weather will improve in time for the school festivals this weekend. Fingers are crossed all across Kanagawa.

2005-08-25T22:39:00.000+01:00

Looks like typhoon season is back. After a couple of days with a mere pitter-patter of rain, mostly during the night, today the heavens opened and unleashed a deluge upon Kanagawa. There had been rumblings of an ascent of Fuji, though these were scratched when we saw the forecast for the these few days. So looks like there'll be no trip for me this year.
Yesterday I went to meet Margot for lunch at her school, which was pleasant. I cycled down by the river, then we sat outside the school to eat our packed lunches, or in my case, the convenience store equivalent. Afterwards she gave me a brief tour of the school, which was rather deserted.
So, after a morning's outdoor activity, returning DVDs, posting letters and eating lunch, I'm cowering inside, trying to get out of the rain. Margot should be back soon, so I'm looking forward to that.

2005-08-23T19:58:00.000+01:00

A Jaunt Up North

So I finished my stint working at school, and decided it would be a good idea to take the opportunity to go to the north of Honshu, also known as the Tohoku region. My gung-ho plan was to take the shinkansen to Fukushima, and from there, see what I wanted and then move on to where I wanted. The thing is, it didn’t quite work out into a massive voyage.

I did get to Fukushima, but it wasn’t really what I was looking for. Not only was there a troublesome station to navigate, but there wasn’t a lot to see within the city itself. I managed to stumble upon a shrine, but the heat was oppressive, and my usual walkabout style not nearly as fun as it has been in the past. I followed a slightly shadier path which reached the river, and that provided a pleasant backdrop for my strolling.

Deciding I wasn’t going to stay in Fukushima, I returned to the train station, where I boarded another shinkansen bound for Yamagata. It was during this journey that I saw the nicest parts of my trip, fields of rice paddies and forested mountains. When I got to Yamagata, however, I was not at all certain what I was looking for. I ended up walking around the ruined battlements of Yamagata castle, which enclosed a recreation park, sports centre, and the ruins of the castle itself.

Yet, there was always a nagging thought in the back of my mind, I missed Margot terribly. I’d seriously considered not going in the first place, as I wanted to stay with her, but she’d insisted I go, and I thought I probably should. But when I returned to Yamagata train station and realised it would take a long time to go anywhere else, I saw that a train was soon to leave for Tokyo. So, I decided to return, and surprise Margot at her place.

I phoned her as I was walking to her apartment, and asked her about her day. She was interrupted by a ringing door bell, and lo and behold, there I was. We were able to spend an enjoyable day together yesterday, and I don’t regret my decision for a moment.

In other news, I finished watching the first season of Lost today, pesky cliff-hanger endings. Time for Battlestar Galactica methinks.

2005-08-17T00:41:00.000+01:00

Orientation Report

Last week we had the Kanagawa Orientation in Yokohama. This meant all the new folk, about 20 or so ALTs gathered in the comparatively luxurious environs of Hiranuma High School for three days of informative and educational activities. For the half dozen veteran ALTs, the first day involved limited action, as it was mainly contract and employment related. Fu-Fu and others did represent for AJET, but I had little to do other than introduce myself. That evening I did manage to get some very big cards, and a very swish dartboard, so it was a worthwhile day all told.
On Wednesday I kicked off proceedings with a demonstration lesson. I found it most enjoyable, allowing me to forget for a while that I felt rather ill. Hopefully everyone else found it useful. The big cards were put into action for round five of PAGRUC, and I think they were considerable fun.
The final day of the orientation saw a later start, as we went to the immigration office near Chinatown. We were given a while to occupy ourselves before lunch, where we were taken to a restaurant in Chinatown. As the group gravitated back to Hiranuma, I collected my computer and tried to set up the video. It proved a bit more difficult than I'd expected, the TV didn't work properly, then it was a case of getting a projector set up. Thanks to the technical guy at the school, everything came together in the end, in a true A-Team stylie.
As the orientation wound down I felt rather under the weather, so I didn't attend the post-orientation party, though I hear it was fun.

Margot's mum arrived last Friday, so I've joined them for dinner a couple of times, and yesterday we took a trip to Kamakura, which was enjoyable, despite soaring temperatures.

I've got a week of study leave coming up, so have been thinking about going up to Tohoku, the northern region of Japan. There was a big earthquake up there this morning, so I hope that's not going to affect my plans. Just have to wait and see I suppose.

2005-08-12T03:50:00.000+01:00

PAGRUC can now be found on the Hom-UHT Inc website:
www.hom-uht.com/PAGRUChome.html

2005-08-08T04:11:00.000+01:00

Hurrah! Margot has returned from her expedition!

I went to the airport yesterday, feeling rather lousy as I've been feeling under the weather for a week now, and I had to stand up on the train to Shinjuku while a couple of fidgety kids swarmed around me. Fortunately, at the airport I was able to have a farewell meal with Ann Fong, then got to meet Margot as she arrived. We had a celebratory pizza, and spent the rest of the weekend catching up.

Now, I'm listening to the end of the second Ashes test, it's very much in the balance, though there's a good chance it will finish either way while I'm writing. Come on chaps.
I have a day of study leave before the Orientation begins on Tuesday, which I'm looking forward to, but only if I get healthy over the next few hours. We'll see.

I think part of the reason I've not recovered is that I've spent too much time playing on GTA. It's not completely my fault though, as I'm very near completion of the main story. In fact, I'm on the last mission, it's just proving rather difficult and rather frustrating. Still, maybe I can finish it tonight, so then I can do something more constructive with my time.

Just dropped a catch, could have been all over...

Only 9 to win now...

Giving away singles...

Only four to win now... Come on lads, have it.

You beauty!! Two runs baby!

Yay!

2005-07-30T13:08:00.000+01:00

A day at the beach.

It is with a fair amount of melancholic feeling that I describe the last hurrah for our chum Jess. In a couple of days, she will depart these shores and return to the Antipodean winter. Thus, a few days ago we paid a visit to her in Odawara, where we enjoyed the sunny weather at Miyukinohama Beach. The fun had was tremendous, including such activities as floating in the sea, frisbeeing, and cairn-building. And all of this was followed by some dinner in an izakaya. All told, it was a lovely day out.

Well, can't stay for too long, but that's what's going on here...

2005-07-25T05:19:00.000+01:00

One Year In Japan!

Yes, I stand upon the threshold of the anniversary of my arrival in Japan. Well, sit, but that's beside the point. A year ago I was winging my way across Europe and Russia, before touching down in Narita to scorching temperatures and the side effects of my brother's summer flu. And no doubt, a fresh bunch of folks have left their home shores for the sunny climes of Japan and arrived today. Tomorrow, I'm going to meet some of the newbies, which should hopefully prove interesting.

It will be another trip to Tokyo, the third in the space of a few days. After the brief stop following Thursday's airport trip, I visited the metropolis yesterday with quite a few chums. The reason behind this escapade was that one of our number, DJ Bustahoodwink, was spinning at a club in Shibuya. So some of us went along to lend our support. Unfortunately, the tectonic plates which struggle to hold Japan together decided that about 4.30pm yesterday was a good time to have a rest. Cue the ensuing earthquake and some fairly major disruption to the train system.

Together with Pablo and Miss Jess, I trundled slowly towards Shinjuku, before finally escaping onto an even busier train bound for Shibuya. It all worked out well in the end, we had some food and drinks and met a crazy dog called Puku, who took an instant liking to Pedro's bag. Then it was time for Busta's set, which after a spot of difficulty in locating the place, went down well. I decided that I didn't fancy spending a whole night in Tokyo, so made my feeble excuses and departed the scene promptly afterwards.

But, 'twas all in good fun.

Best thing of the day: Finishing His Dark Materials, an excellent work that I will now listen to in audio-book form.

Worst thing of the day: Fiddly re-editing of the orientation video, though now, thankfully, it's completed.

2005-07-22T06:11:00.000+01:00

Wow, it was certainly miraculous. After seven chances, with a collection of bad luck and naive tactical play, it finally happened. Everything seemed to go right for once, and lo and behold, I was able to walk off victorious.
Yes, I finally did it. I beat Margot at Monopoly.

I suppose that was my good thing in compensation for her leaving Japan for a couple of weeks today. I've not long returned from Narita Airport, where I said my temporary farewell to her, I'll certainly miss her while she's away. Perhaps it was partly to combat my melancholy, perhaps not, but I bought six books on my way back today. Ostensibly I was looking for a Japanese textbook for Pablo, but when I couldn't find that, I decided I shouldn't waste my trip to the book shop, so ended up purchasing a few titles of my own.

So, now, after the return journey from the airport, which just about coincided with the return rush hour from Shinjuku, I'm listening to the first Ashes test. Sounds like an interesting match.
Well, soon the new folk will arrive, so that will be interesting. And of course, it will entail two more trips to Shinjuku. I must be brave...

Best thing of the day: Winning Monopoly for the first time!

Worst thing of the day: Having to say goodbye to Margot for two and half weeks. Let's hope she has a good trip.

2005-07-19T05:31:00.000+01:00

The last week of term has finally arrived!

After several weeks of no lessons, exams, and end of term shenanigans, the closing ceremony is on Wednesday. Then it's the long weeks of summer, with its study leave, orientation, and other excitement. On Thursday Margot goes off on her trip, so I'll have to fend for myself. This past weekend we had a farewell party for our Antipodean PE Teacher, who's decided not to stay for another year. It was a good turnout and a fun party, complete with balloons, fairy bread and some rather scrumptious curry flavoured dip.

Today was Marine Day, so perhaps Margot and I should have done something with a nautical theme - though I doubt we could have surpassed the Trafalgar bicentennial. Instead we wanted to go to the cinema, realised the film was full, so spent the afternoon playing Monopoly, watching Sliders and eating pizza. So, all in all, a very enjoyable day off.

I just got hold of GTA San Andreas, and it's proving to be every bit as addictive as the other games, only far bigger. So no doubt I'll be putting a few hours in over the weeks of summer, when it's far too oppressive to be outside for too long. I'm fairly sure Pedro will be on hand to assist me in my efforts.

Should be getting hold of my new cricket bat this week, so can't wait to educate some people in the ways of the game.

Best thing of the day: Margot's excellent pizza cooking skills

Worst thing of the day: Another humiliating defeat at Monopoly, followed by an equally embarrassing loss at gin rummy. Not sure when my luck will turn.

2005-07-11T13:10:00.000+01:00

I haven't posted for a while, partly because I didn't know what to say about the terrorist attacks in London. Being in a foreign country when something like that happens is quite disconcerting. Everyone I know is safe, which is some kind of consolation, though I'd like to think London will rebound, unbowed and will be the same as I remember it upon my return. I don't think I'll dwell anymore on this subject.

In Japan we have just had our recontracting ceremony for the returning ALTs, and a day later, the farewell party for the departing folk. It's been almost a year since I arrived in Japan, this time last year I was finalising what stuff I would take with me. A lot has happened, and I'm sure a lot more will happen in the year to come.

Today at school we were visited by some Korean university students. It was a nice afternoon of cultural exchange, of judo/taekwondo demonstrations, flower arranging and a tea ceremony. Following the refreshments, the students asked each other questions, and found common ground in film, music and the ubiquitous mobile phones. Gasps of delighted astonishment met the appearance of a Korean phone much smaller than its Japanese counterparts. I was able to have a chat with the leader of the students, who told me they were university theology students. An interesting afternoon.

And finally, work continues on the orientation video. It's nearing a final cut, with just a few odd parts that I need to add. A mid-production showing on Saturday at the first meeting of the new Kanagawa AJET Politburo produced a fairly positive reaction, and armed with a new set of interviews, I intend to complete it this week.

Best thing of the day: The snacks the Korean students brought with them, cinnamon flavoured crisps.

Worst thing of the day: Feeling my eyes frying from having to read through 399 posts on the Yahoo group. Aaargh.

2005-07-06T05:55:00.000+01:00

A terrific day at school.
I'd had nothing more exciting planned than some writing and reading. But I was soon informed that there was a badminton competition for the teachers at lunchtime. So along I went, my badminton skills somewhat rusty after a year with no playing, but I decided to give it my best shot. We were randomly split into pairs, and though we were given a bye in the first round, my partner and I made a poor showing and were forced to battle for the third/fourth place. It was a topsy-turvy affair, but we held on to win bravely. Then the excitement really began.
One of the teachers disappeared for a moment, then returned and emptied bags of toys onto the gymnasium floor. As people chose their prizes, I was lucky enough to get a flashy orange radio-controlled car. So, now I've batteried it up, and it's sitting proudly on my table. Hours of fun undoubtedly. And to top that off, we were able to eat some tempura soba that had been cooked by some of our colleagues. Plus I got to see Margot. So what a nice Tuesday it was.

2005-07-03T23:44:00.000+01:00

I made it.
All through the night I was watching the Live 8 concerts. From 10pm last night until around 7.30am this morning I watched. So, apart from a slight falling asleep episode around 3.45, I've been awake since 6am on Saturday. I don't think I shall beat my record of being awake, but it'll be well up there.
The concerts themselves were most impressive. I had two players running side by side so that I could quickly change between locations, and knew who was playing . Obviously there were some acts I missed, and I did face some difficult decisions when there was a direct clash. But, probably the most important thing, I added my name to the petition, and hopefully the combined weight of all those names might have some small bearing on the upcoming meeting. That is the hope I suppose. We shall have to wait to see if that hope is fulfilled.

If I had to choose some favourite performances, then I would select Green Day from Berlin, Linkin Park and Jay-Z from Philly, and from Londinium, Joss was lovely, Robbie made a good impression, and Annie's voice was simply divine. But, I enjoyed pretty much everything I listened to, so I don't think I will simply reel off all the people I liked.

And to finish off my concert listening, I went for a four hour hike up a mountain with Margot, where I showed her some of the important shooting locations for the film we made. Now not only is my brain fried from lack of sleep, but my legs ache after a morning's walking. Oh well, least I don't have classes this week, some small measure of compensation I think.

2005-07-03T06:18:00.000+01:00

Well, I was pleasantly surprised to find out I can watch the Live 8 Concerts. That's a magical contraptraption the internet thingamajig.
So now I'm watching the boys from U2 larging it big stylie in Hyde Park. It looks like quite a spiffing show, I just hope I can stay awake. I somehow doubt I'll be able to make the whole thing, but, what the heck, I'll give it my best shot.
Bono's making his plea at the moment, and I must say, your man's talking sense.
I'll see how it goes.