Please excuse the typos....I'm a little tired and a feeling of indifference pervades..
Yeah so, finally made it out of the Boso Hanto (South east coast of Chiba-ken). After spending two glorious days with Mum and Dad and being spoiled like a 5 year old at Christmas. Too much to tell and I would only be making people jealous. I feel my In-laws were my real parents, or siblings in another life time. A relationship that is harmonious yet at times tumultuous, filled with laughter and based on mutual respect.
Spent last night with one of my best mates Paul (legend) and his gorgeous girl, Mitsuko. Another mate Jeremy was rather gracious to swing by and before you know it we're a pack or two of Asahi 500ml cans empty and it's time for bed as some of us have to work tomorrow. Slept in the company of some fine Japanese crawlies, however awoke unscathed albeit a little balmy. After sending off an order of manga and dvd's to my most precious, I intended to treat my ride and newly found friend, Mitsuko to some brekkie. As luck would have it the car, whilst buzzing at the lights, decides to shut down and go to sleep. Slipping it into neutral and looking for a challenge to start the day, I was able to push it back and then forward it the nearby Family Mart (combini) and suss out the situation. All liquids at appropriate level, oil good. Able to get it started again and the timing also seems fine. Hmmmmm? The friendly Japanese surfer who has come to help and I can quite get a grasp on the situation so Mitsuko and I decide to puff it home which is only a short distance away. Back home she starts making some calls. Being quite esoteric in nature (yoga instructor) she starts rationalising the circumstances. "Yesterday a flat tyre, today the engine....what will happen tomorrow? This must be sign!" She proclaims with a rather convincing aura. Oh, I forgot to mention, today she will be starting her first shift at a bar down in the next suburb. In about an hours time! What to do?! She calls to inform her boss that due to unforeseeable circumstances she will be running late as she has to see that her car is seen to and repaired. Miss Boss doesn't sound all that please, but...but these things happen don't they. She calls the car repair/yard/mechanic/everything to explain the situation and they promptly call back with the best news of the day thus far. They will arrive within the hour with a tow truck and courtesy car to attenuate any inconveniences they have caused thus far. Serious?!?! Nah, man! I remember this place being good, but not this good. We then meander off to a nearby cafe for some hard earned grub and coffee. Big Mama's, which should have opened by this time, doesn't look like they're ticking yet as it's 10 minutes past opening and not a soul, nor cat in sight. It seems not all Japanese are punctual. We head over to the nearby Hawaiian joint which, surprisingly, is alive and sizzling. Anyways, after some Hawaiian Poki, Diamond Head/Vanilla flavoured coffee concoction we head back to Paul's and chat whilst waiting. Within a half the sales people arrive (in tow truck carrying courtesy car) unload the car, load Mitsuko's and their off. 5 minutes later Paul arrives from work for some lunch. Mitsuko, an hour and half late, bounds out the door to experience her new job.
Paul, after some lunch see's me off at the Ichinomiya station and I'm now off to Noda. 5 changes and 3 hours later I pull up into Noda station. 30 something degrees, 70 something percent humidity and 30 something kilo's to lug and a half hour walk a head of me and I charge. This is always an exciting part of the journey for me. I am almost always, to some degree, exasperated and nauseous each time I first arrive at Noda for keiko, but the thrill of what await just pushes me on. I walk past the taxi rank and think, 'not this time, guys. Maybe in twenty years or so' and charge on through past the mini-stop and past the iconic Kikkoman factory.
Walking, I feel, is such an intuitive and natural activity for us people. Why not exhaust our own finite resources, burn the excess calories most of us gratuitously consume and get around? I think about Trav and his love for running, Simon and his stories of meeting hard-core soldiers during his teaching stints around the country. One story of a man, burly and built like a freight train, strapping on a 50kg back pack (army issue) and just headingn down the main highway for 30km's in his own country town in NSW. I remember also as a kid, walking to the shops with Mum to help her with the shopping. We would walk up 30 mins, do the shopping, have it delivered and then walk back 30 mins. I must of been in primary school and although the memories are vastly fading I can still remember feeling knackered and mum shouting back at me, "Hurry up big bum!" This kind of stuff would be unheard of these days. Something has to change. We need to wizen up and get moving again. Walking, bikes, anything really that is self-propelled. For the planet and for our physical well-being. Lift Aussies!!
I finally make it to the hombu. It's locked and nobody is in sight. I drop off my bags in the hallway upstairs, mentally jot down Sensei's number and head back to the local convenience store which I passed only 5 minutes earlier. I buy a couple of riceballs and a red bull. 500 and something yen, change received and what'ya know? The number has been erased from the impermanent white board which is my brain. "Lady, I beg a favour from you. Might you allow me to peruse your phone book", I politely ask the sales attendant. No go. Only the business pages. Oh well, back to the hombu for another attempt. No pen you see. This time I'm successful, Sensei is home. "Just returned from some mountain climbing" he cheerily informs me and promptly comes to hand me the keys to my accommodation for the next ten days.
How's that for a day?
Spent last night with one of my best mates Paul (legend) and his gorgeous girl, Mitsuko. Another mate Jeremy was rather gracious to swing by and before you know it we're a pack or two of Asahi 500ml cans empty and it's time for bed as some of us have to work tomorrow. Slept in the company of some fine Japanese crawlies, however awoke unscathed albeit a little balmy. After sending off an order of manga and dvd's to my most precious, I intended to treat my ride and newly found friend, Mitsuko to some brekkie. As luck would have it the car, whilst buzzing at the lights, decides to shut down and go to sleep. Slipping it into neutral and looking for a challenge to start the day, I was able to push it back and then forward it the nearby Family Mart (combini) and suss out the situation. All liquids at appropriate level, oil good. Able to get it started again and the timing also seems fine. Hmmmmm? The friendly Japanese surfer who has come to help and I can quite get a grasp on the situation so Mitsuko and I decide to puff it home which is only a short distance away. Back home she starts making some calls. Being quite esoteric in nature (yoga instructor) she starts rationalising the circumstances. "Yesterday a flat tyre, today the engine....what will happen tomorrow? This must be sign!" She proclaims with a rather convincing aura. Oh, I forgot to mention, today she will be starting her first shift at a bar down in the next suburb. In about an hours time! What to do?! She calls to inform her boss that due to unforeseeable circumstances she will be running late as she has to see that her car is seen to and repaired. Miss Boss doesn't sound all that please, but...but these things happen don't they. She calls the car repair/yard/mechanic/everything to explain the situation and they promptly call back with the best news of the day thus far. They will arrive within the hour with a tow truck and courtesy car to attenuate any inconveniences they have caused thus far. Serious?!?! Nah, man! I remember this place being good, but not this good. We then meander off to a nearby cafe for some hard earned grub and coffee. Big Mama's, which should have opened by this time, doesn't look like they're ticking yet as it's 10 minutes past opening and not a soul, nor cat in sight. It seems not all Japanese are punctual. We head over to the nearby Hawaiian joint which, surprisingly, is alive and sizzling. Anyways, after some Hawaiian Poki, Diamond Head/Vanilla flavoured coffee concoction we head back to Paul's and chat whilst waiting. Within a half the sales people arrive (in tow truck carrying courtesy car) unload the car, load Mitsuko's and their off. 5 minutes later Paul arrives from work for some lunch. Mitsuko, an hour and half late, bounds out the door to experience her new job.
Paul, after some lunch see's me off at the Ichinomiya station and I'm now off to Noda. 5 changes and 3 hours later I pull up into Noda station. 30 something degrees, 70 something percent humidity and 30 something kilo's to lug and a half hour walk a head of me and I charge. This is always an exciting part of the journey for me. I am almost always, to some degree, exasperated and nauseous each time I first arrive at Noda for keiko, but the thrill of what await just pushes me on. I walk past the taxi rank and think, 'not this time, guys. Maybe in twenty years or so' and charge on through past the mini-stop and past the iconic Kikkoman factory.
Walking, I feel, is such an intuitive and natural activity for us people. Why not exhaust our own finite resources, burn the excess calories most of us gratuitously consume and get around? I think about Trav and his love for running, Simon and his stories of meeting hard-core soldiers during his teaching stints around the country. One story of a man, burly and built like a freight train, strapping on a 50kg back pack (army issue) and just headingn down the main highway for 30km's in his own country town in NSW. I remember also as a kid, walking to the shops with Mum to help her with the shopping. We would walk up 30 mins, do the shopping, have it delivered and then walk back 30 mins. I must of been in primary school and although the memories are vastly fading I can still remember feeling knackered and mum shouting back at me, "Hurry up big bum!" This kind of stuff would be unheard of these days. Something has to change. We need to wizen up and get moving again. Walking, bikes, anything really that is self-propelled. For the planet and for our physical well-being. Lift Aussies!!
I finally make it to the hombu. It's locked and nobody is in sight. I drop off my bags in the hallway upstairs, mentally jot down Sensei's number and head back to the local convenience store which I passed only 5 minutes earlier. I buy a couple of riceballs and a red bull. 500 and something yen, change received and what'ya know? The number has been erased from the impermanent white board which is my brain. "Lady, I beg a favour from you. Might you allow me to peruse your phone book", I politely ask the sales attendant. No go. Only the business pages. Oh well, back to the hombu for another attempt. No pen you see. This time I'm successful, Sensei is home. "Just returned from some mountain climbing" he cheerily informs me and promptly comes to hand me the keys to my accommodation for the next ten days.
How's that for a day?
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