Sunday 7 February 2010

What is it about planes...


The sun, quite literally, sets on Northwest. I never ever thought I'd be nostalgic about this airline, but I am. I am.

台湾 Taiwan


I have been lucky enough to visit Taiwan twice in the last few months. It's a fantastic place, so close to Japan and yet quite different, in character and landscape. It seems to be less ordered than Japan, yet somehow more laid back with a quirky sense of looking at life. Delicious food of ALL types, literally, and... tea. Tea. I am not known for drinking tea, but spent 3 wonderful hours on the terrace at a tea shop on the mountain at Jofun as the clouds misted and tendriled around us, finally forcing us inside in a burst of wind rain and clattering awnings. Hi Chen!












Nagoya 10Km Run!


In November 2009 I did a very foolish thing. I agreed to take part in a 10km run in Nagoya. The run itself was absolute agony, but sheer doggedness (and a toilet pit stop in 7-11 at 5kms) got me through. Did the 10kms in 67 minutes. Drank about 8 steins of lager afterward in about 15 minutes. I know which was easier! On the way to Nagoya I passed Mt. Fuji, close. It really is a rather large mountain. I climbed it a long time ago, and am tempted by it again. The Japanese have a saying that if you don't climb Mt. Fuji once in your life, you are stupid, but if you climb Mt. Fuji more than once, you are equally as stupid (thank you Mr. Deno). I feel the first stirrings of stupidity...


Sights and Sounds of Abiko (just imagine the sounds...)



Dinner, dinner, ohmyohmyohmy dinner!