Scuffmarks

2007-11-21T23:35:00.001+09:00

Semi-Organised

Finally, I've got my flights booked. Arriving in Paris on the orning of the 7th of December. Yay! Home! Home being anywhere in Europe.

Also, I got my camera back form being repaired today.
Again.
Yay! Working camera. And there was much rejoicing.

Now the bad news

I just got an e-mail from the casting agent in Chiang Mai, near where Pinkerville will be shot. Due the the Writers Guild of America Strike, the Oliver Stone film I was going to play an American soldier in (not a major role) has been postponed indefinitely. No pinkerville for me, or toys. sniff. I was looking forward to keeping the costume.

2007-11-03T22:00:00.000+09:00

Vang Vieng

Tubing. That's what Vang Vieng is all about. And that's what We couldn't do because it was too cold! It was hilarious. I loved it. The grey skies and constant drissle reminded me of home and were very refreshing, but I think I was alone with those feelings.

All the guide books go on about Bars showing Friends all day every day, and it's not something you can really beleive until you see it. But there they are, bars full of travellers, staring vacantly at screens, and that bloody annoying, and misplaced, laughter track. I'm not a fan of the show.

Having said that, the system works really well. People are out late most nights, and are too tired during the day to really do anything that requires higher brain functions. So the bars fit in perfectly. There's even an "Irish Bar". Unoffially. Irish in that it's full of Irish people, not because of any name or regalia. The reason? Unlike all the other bars, it shows "Family Guy" constantly.

The third day came, and we had decided that rain or shine we were hitting the water. Luckily there was shine! And plenty of swings out into the centre of the river with 20m+ drops to keep me aching the next day. Oh yeah, and the next day? A kayaking trip down the river to the capital, Vientiane. We got tossed into the water on two of the white water rapids.
All part of the fun.

2007-10-31T23:24:00.000+09:00

Plain of Jars

The logic was that although I was the only one without a licence, I still had the most experience driving "manual", or anything close to a 1970s Jeep. Result: Jeeps on dirt roads are cool. I didn't even make it roll!

There was only one point I wasn't so sure of myself; when our guide, Khong, took a little too long to answer the question "This road has been cleared of mines, right?"

No one really knows why the jars were built, but the assumption is that they were used as giant funeral Urns. Walking around, I kept on thinking of how much the place reminded me of the fields full of Megalithic tombs in southern Sligo.

If they were in the middle of 100s of thousands of Unexploded Ordinance (UXOs) The Mines Advisory Group, partly funded by Irish Aid, is working to clear the area so it can get World Heritage status. But as Laos is the most heavily bombed country in History, this is going to take some time. I did learn from our guide, Mr. Khong, that American Cluster bomb casings do make excellent BBQ Grills, horse feeds, House stilts, and Aqueducts. Provided they don't first blow up in your face when you move them. And his final bit of insight: In Laos, the rich don't go to jail, and the poor don't go to hospital.

Until then, DO NOT WALK OUTSIDE OF THE WHITE MARKERS.

It started to pour rain half way through the day, so we didn't stay long, and the others hid in the relative shelter on the other side of this monster.

"This is not the dog's bollox, this is just bollox". Khong said, while also also claiming that it wasn't raining, but just mist. Definitely, if you vist the area, he is one character that will make your trip.

Even when we were stuck by the side of the road for a half hour after the lady at the petrol station poured Diesel into the Petrol jeeps tank, we were still having fun.

Draining an engine: A life skill.

Got back into Phonsavan for the last bus for Vang Vieng, and the town's speciality, bbq Swallow.
Tastes like Liver.

I hate Liver.

2007-10-30T00:48:00.001+09:00

Luang Prabang

We took the slow boat from the Thai Border town of Chiang Kong / Huay Xai for two days down the muddy Mekong to the beautiful city of Luang Prabang.

It's the kind of place that sucks you in and forces you to relax, no matter how tightly wound you are. We arrived on a Sunday, and the Festival would be the following Saturday. In between, take in some Wats, and hang out with some monks, giving plenty of English, French, and even Japanese conversation classes. Internationalisation at a grass roots level: Once a Jet, well, you know how it goes.

I enjoyed the two day slow boat, not least because of the "Slow Boat Family" that forms on board. The result is that when you get to Luang Prabang, you've got a very large number of people you already know fairly well to hang out with. It made a nice change from the solo traveling I've been mostly doing.
Of course, it wasn't long until i heard a familair accent. There's Cillian and I on our trusty steeds, taking on the mudiest tracks around. Go on ye good thing!

I didn't really do a hell of a lot there though as for three nights in a row I wasn't sleeping properly. It wasn't full on insomnia, but it did make me feel like a zombie during the first half of the week, and barely able to even read the notices outside the temples, or really take anything in. Another backpacker gave me some Melotonin, which helped a litttle, and then the pharmacy gave me something that saved the week for me. I was sleeping well, and feeling alive for the first time in days. The tablets had some generic name on them, which I later learned had the same main ingredient as Valium. Oh dear...

It did mean I was able to get up for the Alms giving each morning. The monks and novices filed out of their temples from half 5 each morning to collect their food for the day from the faithful. Women and children lined the streets around the temples, waiting to give their offerings of sticky rice and biscuits. Women and Children. The other thing that struck me about Luang Prabang was the women. From before sunrise to well after sunset, I saw them on the streets, manning their stalls, every day. It seems that here, the women do all of the work, and it's not easy.

There are a ridiculous number of photos form Luang Prabang here, most with comments giving more detail than this post.

After a week or "relaxing", and wandering, and impromptu teaching, finally came the end of Buddhist lent.

There are some more photos of the night itself up here.

Then, a final farewell to those of the Slow boat famil who were still around, and off with some new partners in grime the South.

2007-10-19T20:18:00.000+09:00

Thai

Bangkok hasn't changed so much.

I wandered around meeting people, from the toothless old canal fisherman to the high flyer who spent more on one drink than I did in a whole day.

There was an evening in the local park translating between a Thai juggler and 3 Japanese students learning poi, in between practicing handstands and doing some Brazilian dance martal art (Cappella? Capoeira?).

There was lots of eating great food.

Dancing with a horny Indian on his first ever holiday.

And all topped off with learning more about the historical Buddha.

Finally, Laos Visa in hand, I arrived early in the morning in Chiang Mai after not sleeping very well on the train. The bunk was not David sized. I planned on leaving that afternoon for the Laos border, but thought it better to get a decent night's sleep first. This turned into 5 nights after finding first a cookery, and then a massage course.

Despite the look on her face, my Japanese partner / victim is REALLY enjoying the head massage. Honest!

Timmy, our teacher was amazing. Someone has already wrote a little bit about her here so if you are going to Chiang Mai, I highly recommend looking her up.

Oh, and the Sunday Market is much better than the Night market, and is enormous.

All of the photos form Thailand can be found here.

This is one of the many signs posted on the trees around the main Temple in Chinag Mai, as teaching aids for the novice moonks. You can wander around their garden, taking in some of the Dhamma, feeling the serenity from the trees, or go here for photos of the rest of the signs.

2007-10-10T00:39:00.000+09:00

Craggy

I've almost been this scared before; climbing wall in UCD. But here, the feeling is FAR greater.

It's when I'm holding on with both hands, unable to reach for a better grip because I know my other hand doesn't have the strength left to hold me on its own. Then I feel the strength quickly seeping away until I know I can't hug the rock any longer. Palms sweaty, I always make one last reach, and fall.

There I am, completely knackered, and the view across the bay. Railay Beach, Krabi, Thailand

There are a couple of other photos from Kabi, mostly from a half day I spent with a horse riding company there. I had my camera so I offered to take some shots for them to use on their new website and flyers. That was fine, but they also wanted some of me, as a tourist, with the horses. We went for an hour long ride on the beach, and I practiced a host of cheesy grins.

Then on, and the night train to Bangkok.

2007-10-07T22:41:00.000+09:00

Leaving Malaysia

At last!

To say that I am behind schedule would be a bit of an understatement. I think it's safe to say that I will not be coming home by rail from Beijing now... Hopefully onto Hong Kong by December and home from there. Well, back to Europe at least. I still intend to hang out with Marielle and Francisco in Paris, and what increasingly seems like half of Dublin in London (Well, the two people who read this most at least).

Right now, I'm on Penang, in Georgetown to be precise, but not for the beaches or sightseeing or anything like that. For the bus to Krabi. I've heard there is good rock climbing there.

I should be honest; this is the only post on this blog with the real date. Everything else was posted tonight, although some were half written earlier. I've posted them with he dates when the events took place to keep everything in order.

I'll sign off with a picture from the largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia.

A scene reminiscent of my teaching in Koyasan, deer, attentive students and all!

2007-10-05T01:09:00.000+09:00

Kuala Lumpur

You'd think I had had enough of this place after spending almost a week here waiting for my camera to be repaired. It's not the place though, it's the people. And it's becoming the refrain of the trip. On the bus back from Melaka, I got some text messages from two of the couchsurfers I had hung out with there, TJ and Shah. There was a CS meet up, breaking fast together in KL. Was I interested? Food? Eating? Silly question.

We were there for at least four hours before we started to drip away, and then began the second party. First to the Petronas Towers where a protest in support of the Burmese people was supposed to be taking place. No one there, but then again, we were 3 hours late. Then on to what Shah and I seem to do best: Random driving around Kuala Lumpur, getting hopelessly lost, and enjoying every minute of it. I think the others enjoyed it as well.... maybe...

2007-10-04T01:07:00.000+09:00

Melaka

The people, not the place. Don't get me wrong, Melaka was a great place to wander, lots of museums, some historical sites. Actually, lots of Historical sites. But my memories are of the food, and the people I ate it with. I met up with Paul, a CS lecturer at the local University, and with a Law Student, Yin May, the next day. Paul was on his way to a pot luck party and invited me along. I didn't have to bring or cook anything, but if I could show them how to make something, his friends would love it.

"Hhhhmmm... Do they have an oven?"
"Yes, Of Course."
SPUDS!

There was no oven. Just a regular microwave. No need to worry. Enter the magic of international SMS. A few messages from Dad later, and they were ready to go. Baked Potatoes with Cheese and Garlic-y Buttery goodness. I could taste the difference, microwave instead of a proper oven, but everyone else loved 'em! Then up into the night playing "Bullshit" and other highly mature card games.
Next day, I met Yin May, who introduced me to a type of desert that could easily become my staple food stuff. I was surprised when she knew the phrase "taking the piss" and then discovered that Celia Bloody Larkin is a bestseller in Malaysia. So, there you go. Malaysians are very capable of locating little Ireland on a map, thanks to the combined forces of Celia Larkin and Westlife.

"I have a dream, I cross the stream."
Feck Off!

Photos of Melaka are here.

2007-10-02T00:52:00.000+09:00

Singapore Sling

Thursday 26th September to Tuesday 2nd October.

Singapore consisted of sleeping, dropping peanut shells all over the floor of a very expensive Hotel bar, and a day at the Zoo. That leaves a lot of time unaccounted for. Hmmm Well, there was an awful lot of wandering around, hanging out with with local couchsurfers. More photos here.And there was also LOTS of eating! Hawker stalls everywhere, and a David sized appetite to satiate. It's what the locals do, and when in Rome.
Any excuse.
I went a bit nuts with the camera at the zoo. It had just been repaired and I wanted to know for sure that it was working. So, there are loads more animal photos here. I'm sure Sarah will be happy.

2007-09-25T01:25:00.000+09:00

Notes from Kuala Lumpur

Thursday: The Monorail is the best way to see the city at night.

Friday: I'm watching a Magic show in a Chinese Temple.

New Tang Dynasty TV interviewed me about the Mooncake Festival and lantern and Dragon parade. I'm big in the PRC

"NTDTV, Jong Ju Chie Qwy Law* from Kuala Lumpur!"

*Happy mooncake Festival!

I'm crap at Mandarin tones.

In the market I feel so wanted and popular. Everyone wants to be my friend...

Saturday Night: "You have beautiful Blue eyes".
And you have a beautiful Adam's Apple.
Should have guessed from the name "Thai Bar".

Sunday: I don't need a laptop, I don't I don't!
I already have a laptop, I do I do!

Couchsurfing is great. If I hadn't met met Tj, Celine, Frank and Shah, Kuala Lumpur would not be nearly as good.

Must NOT buy any ridiculously cheap VERY shiny electronics!

2007-09-20T15:53:00.000+09:00

Kuching

Monday 17th to Thursday 20th September 2007

They take the "Cat City" thing pretty seriously in Kuching. All of the roundabouts have statues of Giant Cats, that look like they are about to jump out and try to take over the city. And a lot of people don't even think that's how it's supposed to be translated!

Apart from the cats, there were two main attractions to keep me busy while I waited to fly to Kuala Lumpur. One was the largest flower in the world.

it's supposed to smell like a decomposing corpse to attract flies...

The other was an Orang Utang Rehabilitation centre

I'd been to the larger one in Sabah with Erin, but was happy to go to and support this one with my entrance fee.

There wouldn't have been that much else to see there, but I happened to arrive at the beginning of the Chinese Moon Cake Festival.

Good stuff lads! Thanks for timing it so well.

More photos can be found here

2007-09-17T15:46:00.000+09:00

Brunei

Friday 14th to Monday 17th September 2007

Rhokia and Charles had warned me: Brunei is incredibly dull. Luckily for me though, I wasn't there alone. Casey reminded me of couchsurfing.

I was back in Miri, and not feeling the best. Spending a month traveling with Erin had done it. It was the first time I had traveled with someone full time, instead of just meeting people for some of the way, and it had been AMAZING. So good in fact, that I wondered if I really wanted to keep going on my own. I would have seriously considered going home were it not for a phone call to a fellow Jet. It was the kick I needed. The next day I crossed the border into Brunei, met up with another couchsurfer, and had an absolute blast.

Brunei really is quite boring, but watching the Bourne Ultimatum with my host, and drinking fabulous red wine, made it worth while. Oh yeah, and the hitchhiking

"This is my Mom, she doesn't speak any English."
"Oh okay."
"Do you have a girlfriend in Brunei?"
"Em, no, I don't..."
"I could be your girlfriend in Brunei"
Eye opening.

For some more photos, click here.

2007-09-12T15:46:00.000+09:00

Bario

2nd to the 12th September 2007

I met Nancy at the airport with a young French couple and Dutch girl. I’d forgotten that she had said she’d be on the flight when I met her a few days before. The others hadn’t really organised accommodation, so we all decided to stay at her place. We got on the tiny plane, and Sebastien immediately started to sweat. He doesn’t like small planes, and the sight of Nancy opening a Bible for some light reading just as the turbulence was at its worst did not help!

I was enjoying the view, when it happened. I had my camera ready, had the view in sight, and then nothing.

The top of the camera just flashed Err99.

It had been working perfectly that morning, and now, as soon as I had left the tiny city of Miri, with it’s malls, and camera shops, it stopped working. Actually, not only had it stopped working, but I had just received the Canon version of the "Blue Screen of Death".

I spent a day trying to figure it out, swopping parts back and forth with the Dutch girl who had just bought a smaller Canon. It was the lens. Using the one payphone (A satellite phone it turns out) I called the Canon agents, and realised I had to wait until I got to Kuala Lumpur or Singapore before I could get it checked out. I got it to work on some of the fully manual settings, but the aperture is now locked in place at the highest degree, so enough light is only reaching the sensor on the brightest of days. Even then, sometimes it just doesn't work.

Luckily I had a two year old disposable camera with me as a back up. Apart from that mini personal disaster, Bario was great. The four of us went by the “road” during the day to another village, stayed at a homestay, where the Diesel generator seemed to be switched on more for the personal karaoke machine that the lights. A load of people from the other houses came around after dinner. Not to see us though, but to watch Pirates of the Carribbean 3.

Sebastien didn’t feel comfortable with English, which was great practice for me! We had an English-free zone for a few days with French and some very feeble attempts to speak the local Kelabit language.

The way back to Bario was through the jungle proper with the son of our host as our guide. Leeches suck. And there were lots of them. And cursing in French at the blood sucking bastards is entirely more satisfying. The French couple and Dutch girl left, and I stayed close to Barrio for a while, trying to sort out the camera, wandering around the area, and hiding from the rain in a shed with the migrant rice pickers from Indonesia
Then on to Indonesia!

You probably can't make it out, but that's the border marker there between Petrus and I.
I wasn't going to do it. I was cursing my decision not to bring my boots (The ones I "borrowed from Dad 5 years ago") but there was only one way to find out if it would be possible with runners, and within an hour of setting out it didn't matter anymore.

I met Petrus at Nancy's house, when we got back form the other village. It was his house we had stayed in, and he had recently just brought a group of English Gap year kids to Kalimantan, the Indonesian state on Borneo, so I asked him if he'd like to go again. We had just left his village when we reached the first stream, and the water came up to my knees. I looked down at my shoes, at the water above where the top of my boots would have been, and sighed.

We met two teachers from Brunei, and Englishman named Charles and a local named Rhokia, and got them to join us when their own plans were washed out by the rain, camped out in the jungle one night, and spent another above a shop in Kalimantan. Then back across the border,

and on to Ba Kelalan, where I thought I would be heading back to Miri right away.

Instead, I got to talking with some people on a confidence building mission with the International Tropical Timber Organisation. When they saw how interested I was, they invited me to join them back in Bario, and when we arrived, everyone thought I was a member of the NGO. There was a reception, Pineapples, flowers, dancing, music, the works!
I seem to have shown some knowledge in Micro-hydro power, so now I have to see how feasible 14 generators would be for the outlying villages. It's all part of their confidence building measures. The logging company is promising a road to this isolated community. That would greatly reduce the price of everything that is now currently flown in. The community is split 50 50 on whether to allow the logging. A couple of generators might tip it the right way.

For loads more photos, Click here.

2007-09-01T23:30:00.000+09:00

Miri

I'm in Miri for now waiting for one of the semi-regular flights in tiny twin otter planes, that frequently get cancelled due to the weather: Apparently it rains quite often, and heavily, in the rainforest. Or so they claim...

After Erin left Kota Kinabalu, it became clear that if I wanted to get to Bario any time soon, I would have to go from Miri in Sarawak. The flights from Kota Kinabalu are even less reliable. So onward to Miri, just on the other side of Brunei from KK. Malaysia was celebrating it’s 50th year of Independence (One Brit commented “It doesn’t count if we gave it back without a fight”) and Miri was to be the focal point of celebrations in the State of Sarawak, so I didn’t mind so much that I would have to stay there for a few days waiting for my flight.

I was very curious about what the party would be like. In Sabah, there was a suspiciously large number of flags everywhere. It seemed that they were the result of a government campaign, rather than an outpouring of nationalistic fervour. This seemed more plausible after conversations with the locals, all of whom were unhappy with the way the government operated, and many of whom felt there was nothing to celebrate: being a part of Malaysia was not what the people in Sabah I spoke with considered “independence”. Culturally, they felt very distant from their Muslim King.

In Miri then by contrast, I first noticed the relative lack of flags. But the boys going around town on their scooters, horns blaring out tunes, made me hopeful for some kind of party atmosphere. So as the clock counted down the hours to midnight, I joined the crowds gathering at the town's open air amphitheatre where a stage was set up.

I was very surprised. Everyone seemed to be waiting around, very bored, as different acts took to the stage. I heard the MC starting to chant “Merdeka!” (Independence!) at the top of his lungs, but the response he hoped for never came. The first four rows cried back, and no one else. Maybe everyone else was just trying to act cool.

Then the Prime Minister arrived, apparently. I was told by a local that he was walking beside me, but I couldn’t figure out which of the men in colourful shirts he was supposed to be. A security was, well, they let ME walk beside him. Come on guys! I lived in japan. Clearly I'm a Ninja!

Everyone else from the Hostel decided to call it a night, but I stayed out until the fireworks at midnight, which turned out to be a damp squid. Back to the Hostel I went, a little deflated, and feeling very sorry for the MC.

2007-09-01T23:25:00.000+09:00

Updates

I think I've finally got this thing up to date. Good thing too, considering that I'm heading to Bario tomorrow. I've booked a one way ticket, adn the date of my return, and thus more updates, depends on the weather. If you're reading this, and think it a bit sparse, I've put comments on most of the photographs here so going through those will probably be more interesting than reading these posts.

And that goes for the older posts such as the Naked man festival and India.

Mom and Dad, You can get to those by clicking "older posts" link at the very bottom of this page. Start at the bottom then and make your way up. Then click back at the top left of the screen. If that doesn't work, click on these links for the main posts.

India1
India2
Naked Man
Fish Market
Nachi Fire festival

or click on this link to see the albums

http://picasaweb.google.com/DavidlMorrison/

2007-08-27T23:05:00.000+09:00

More Toitles!

On Monday we took the same bus back to Sandakan that we had taken down, and just like before, it broke down. The cabin once more filled with steam from the radiator, and we pulled over to hose down the bus. I think they have it factored into the time table at this point.

The next morning we headed for the protected Turtle nesting grounds off the coast. The island serves as a hatchery for both Green Turtles and Hawksbills, so there are turtles crawling onto the beaches year round. Luckily for them, there is a curfew on tourists being allowed onto the beaches after sun down.

We sat in the office for a few hours that night until the Ranger spotted a nesting mother, and then went out to watch as the eggs were collected and deposited in the hatchery. Then back to the beach to let loose that night's hatchlings.

We got up at 5 next morning to watch the sunrise over the Ocean, and found two Green turtles blocking our path. Keeping a respectful distance, made a wide arc around them, and watched as they dragged themselves back to the more comfortable seas.

It was back to Kota Kinablu then to do sweet f-all, and relax. That was the plan, but instead we trekked through the rainforest on the island some shite show called Survivor was filmed on, and had a bath in the mud volcanoe. That was actualy quite nice. Not as warm as you'd think though. Erin's flight back to Tokyo was at midnight on Sunday, so left the island early that morning and spent the day in Kota Kinabalu stocking up on bras, as they had a good brand on sale there, and the ones in Japan are shit quality, apparently.

Click here for some photos of the hatchlings, amongst other things.

2007-08-19T22:37:00.000+09:00

Sipidan

We'd heard so much about this island. From some that it's one of the top 5 dive sites in the world, and from others that it's on of the top 10. Either way, it was the best diving I've ever done. We spent a week in the town of Semporna with Scuab Junkies, taking the boat out every day, and coming back knackered every evening. It was brilliant!

Erin did her open water course, while I did the Advanced course, and we met up on the fourth day as dive buddies.

The other sites had more life than I hgad seen before, even in Thaialnd, but it was at Sipidan that I was blown away by the sheer density of aquatic life. In every direction there were fishes darting in and out of the coral, with Turtles joining the scene, gliding gracefully above.

As I looked over to the side, I think everyone could hear me exclaim as I saw my first shark in the gloom.

But there were more to come. Sipidan was an incredible diving experience. I could go on and on about everythign we saw. Instead, click here if you want to see more.

2007-08-11T20:16:00.000+09:00

Are you America's next top model?

"No, I'm sorry, I'm not. Are you Malaysia's next top model?"

"Emmmm... Yes, I am!"

And so the interrogation from the teenage girls continued.

That was Saturday night and and we were staying with a family in a small village of Orang Sungei, "People of the River", who of course, as well as boats, also had dodgy satellite dishes. Electricity was for two hours a day though in certain buildings. Our main guides were some local kids with ridiculously good English who put on a show for us that night.

The "traditional" dance, was only as old as Malaysian state and I assumed it would be some type of plastic tourist show, so I was pleasantly surprised to see the boys and their friends in front of us on the jetty making mistakes, forgetting their steps: clearly just having some fun.

We arrived at that village from further up the Kinabatangan river, after spending 4 wonderful days at Uncle Tans jungle camp. Resort it is not, but I found the presence of a mat on a raised wooden surface, a mosquito net, and something resembling a Chinese prison cell as accommodation, to be far more luxurious that what I had prepared myself for. And the cacophony at night to be very soothing.

That place is wonderful. The local lads who work as guides all have some mild levels of insanity, with an infectious enthusiasm. They organise treks through the jungle at night and during the day, and rides of dinky boats up and down the river in the morning, afternoon, and after dark, where all the cool kids in the wildlife world hang out. Erin and I were lucky every time we went out and the amount of wildlife we saw was almost overwhelming.
Orang Utangs: We saw them up close at the Sepilok Rehabilitation Centre (they do good work, the centre that is...) but, of course, seeing a Mother and juvenile eating in the trees right above your head is a different story. Probiscus Monkeys, Long Tailed Macaques invading the camp at all hours trying to steal...everything! Horn-Bills, Kingfishers aaaaannnndddd CROCS! Yeah! They really do look a hell of a lot like logs...

Before heading back to the city, we stoppped off at the Gumantang Caves, and saw where the Bird's nests are harvested (now controlled with quotas) for Bird's Nest soup. Apparently the nest is made from some kind of scum that lies on the surface of the river. It's supposed to taste very good. I'll have to let you know later...

Important information I learned in the Malaysian Rain forest:

The most expensive coffee beans in the world are those that are first eaten by the nocturnal, and very rare, Civet cat, shat out, and THEN collected by the Coffee bean.....farmers...

Adult Male Orang-Utangs look very happy when they are peeing from trees onto unsuspecting trekkers and have ENORMOUS bladders. Mountains of Guano smell like... spores... Best not to breathe too deeply.

Tarantulas eat their young if they can't get a bird.

Long tailed Macaques are loveable BASTARDS who will one day figure out how to take a photo with the digital cameras they steal before they smash them on the ground. Some also have an unfortunate coke habit

Irish people are everywhere: I met two people from DCU who knew Ailbhe, Ross, Bernard, etc. etc. Bloody hell.

Oh, and I had great fun surprising Casey. We'd talked about our travel plans before leaving Japan, and realising how similar they were assumed that we'd just bump into each other in Laos or somewhere along the line. There she was walking towards me through the forest, and as she passed,

"Hi Casey"

"OH MY GOD!"

Yeah, I wonder who else is arsing around this corner of the world.

Click here to see the rest of the pictures, mine and Erin's.

On more serious note. The trip down the river was also a great eye opener into the destruction caused by Palm Oil. It was horrible. From any elevated position on Borneo, for as far as the eye can see, Palm Oil plantations have replaced the rainforest. I spent a lot of my time with the locals asking them about their thoughts on the plantations. The opinions were universal. Corporations are granted concessions to transform Virgin rainforest into plantations. Local people do not benefit economically from the plantations, and in fact their livelihoods suffer as fish stocks are depleted as general river health worsens, and much valued revenue from Eco-tourism fades. And the effect it has on other wildlife is even worse. Orang Utangs WILL be extinct in the wild within two decades at most because of the use of Palm Oil products to wash hands, instead of soup. The Rhino will be extinct in even less time as all attempts to breed them in captivity have failed. The list goes on and on, and is even worse in Indonesian Borneo. Google Earth it.

Palm Oil is not a sustainable biofuel, and will not help in cutting CO2 emmissions. Promoting the vast destruction of rainforest, and with it destruction of habitat, will only decrease biodiversity, increase CO2 levels over all, and destroy possibilities for sustainable economic growth in these developing countries. Like many other things, deciding whether to promote this or not begins at the Supermarket.

2007-08-06T22:11:00.000+09:00

Mt. Kinabalu

I arrived in Sabah from Osaka on Friday afternoon, and met Erin who had arrived the day before. We had a nice look around the capital, Kota Kinabalu, and a nearby island, but were there for somethign else. We wanted to take on Mt. Kinabalu. Fuji was 3775m, and this was 4095m, so no worries. Well, maybe one. We didn't have accomadation booked at the final way point, and staying there is mandatory. Climbers rest for a few hours, and then tackle the summit that night to arrive just before sunrise.

We spent a day looking around the park at the base, which was had a really nice Botanical garden, and got permission from the ranger to climb to the final way point with the condition that if there was not even floor space for us, we would come back down. We agreed, and off we went with our guide (mandatory), a cheery local young man who much preferred getting paid to chat with us while exercising than working in a factory in Singapore.

On the way up, we were passed by a japanese woman in trainign for the race taking place the next week. She passed us again on her way back down before we had even made the station. The porters also put us to shame, carrying what looked like appliances on their backs!

We arrived at the final way point, but no joy. Even all of the floor space had been taken up, so it looked like we would have to go back down without reaching the summit.

Off we went, thiundering up the mountain, before our lungs reminded us that the air was a good bit thinner...

The dealine came and went, our guide was waiting behind, so onward and upward with two random Malay guys who trying the same thing. We got to the top and had the tiny summit all to ourselves. I took out my flute to celebrate by playing "Mary had a little lamb", but it was not to be. No matter how hard I blew, I couldn't get enough air through the flute to make the tiniest of sounds.

All the practice for nought. Should have taken up the violin...

With the sun swiftly setting, we raced down the mountain, getting past the second ranger station before dark. Out came the headlamps, and on came the sore knees. Our legs were in bits for the whole of the next week!

Click here to see more photos.

2007-08-03T23:03:00.000+09:00

Last Random Snaphot

Sniff.

The final collecion of random photos that I've taken with my Mobile Phone, forgotten about, and then discovered on it's memory card months later. Click here for more.

2007-08-01T01:00:00.000+09:00

Packing

It's getting late, and I'm going through a going through a very special old box in my apartment: a box of letters. I spent some time sitting on my couch re-reading them, some sent almost 2 years ago. I'm glad I did. I wasn't sure what I should keep, but I know I must keep them all.

At the impersonal level, if someone should ever care to write something about me, they would be an invaluable source. Far more informative than any e-mail, many of them have that feeling of intimacy that only a pen scratching into paper can reveal.

At the personal level, they are gateways to memories of old emotions. Emotions felt again, fleetingly, as I'm transported back to their time. I don't forget what happened after, or how those emotions changed, but that does not stop me from enjoying them for that moment. And so, I shall keep them all, adding to their box as the years pass, and reading them again when I'm feeling forgetful.

2007-07-28T15:20:00.000+09:00

How they live in To-ki-yo

The 20th of July was my last proper day of work, giving me nearly two weeks before I headed off of Malaysia. What to do? Time to see those sites in Tokyo I kept missing. Before that was Shirahama for Pete's final House Party before heading home to NY. Three years of living in a massive house near Shirahama Beach had made it the ideal location, and now that chapter was coming to a close.

The next day I headed to the beach again to go underwater. It had been almost a year since I had dived, and I needed to get back in the water to refresh my memory before starting any advanced courses. Nothing much to see, bad conditions, but I felt a lot more confident about the coming trip.

Onward to Tokyo for some sightseeing with Erin. And to pick up a supply of crazy Malaria pills for the next few months: The Head of the International Clinic was a brilliant octogenarian Russian who entertained me tales of patients gone by, mostly musicians passing through the Hotels, and thought more of his photo of himself and Michael Jackson than he did of the one with Jacques Chirac.

The Tsukiji fish market is massive, serves the Tokyo area, and is best seen in all is chaotic glory just after the sun rise. We chanced our arm on New Years Day, and of course it was closed, so this time we sleep in he cheapest option in Tokyo (A very comfortable "love hotel"{charges by the hour}) and made our bleary-eyed way there.

It wasn't as crazy as I had hoped, but by Japanese standards, it made a good attempt.

I enjoyed wandering through it, seeing the different stages my Maguro goes through before entering my belly.

Then on to the justifiably controversial Yasukini War Shrine.

I'd heard so many terrible tales of how the Shrine blatantly lies about atrocities committed by he Japanese forces in China and elsewhere, I felt I needed to see it for myself before I could really believe it. I was angry. But not near as angry as a Korean may feel. I told the Vice-principal in my main school of my plans the week before. His reply was "Most Japanese don't like that place." Fortunately that seems true. Unfortunately, the Government and Department of Education don't fall into that category.

More from the fish market and Shrine here.

2007-07-16T22:12:00.000+09:00

Typhoon Falls

One of the last events before I leave Japan, and a left over from last years to do list; the Nachi Fire festival took place last weekend..... Despite the Typhoon!

12 50kg torches were carried up and down the steps from the Nachi waterfall, as Sake was spat into the flames to make them rage. I got down as close as I could and had to retreat from the heat as they went by. You see more of it here. It happened to be the last long weekend we had before people began to head home, so Saturday night involved taking advantage of the fact the Kate and Lily's apartment building is completely empty but for them. Beaching and onsening on Sunday, follow by a far more subdued party that night involving Teams "The Game of Life" (There were three on our team, so of course we had to be the polygamist family) and chocolate cake. Then swimming at a beautiful, but Typhoon gorged waterfall the next day.

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

Operatic Seisiún

Yesterday, Takeshi and Veronique told me of a Japanese Opera singer who would be jamming with them today after work. I arrived a little late, and could hear a note held aloft for longer than I thought possible, as I approached.

Not 4m away from a flawless soprano, the power of her voice felt like a blast wave about to throw me out onto the street; striking the head and ear drums like beautiful cascading brick walls.

The others accompanied her with Indian string instruments, falling swimming goggles, Werthers Originals dancing around inside a spinning hat, a two year old speaking Fra-panese, and an An-pan-man guitar.

2007-05-30T12:18:00.000+09:00

Eastern Extremes

A catalogue of disturbing political trends in our partners to the East. The day power was due to pass to the second Dail, some TDs were secretly armed. Reading the article reminded me of our own Civil War spun lack of Politcal centre. Different times yes, with shirts of every colour, so I hope and trust that it will not take as long as it took us.

2007-05-29T22:45:00.000+09:00

Booked

Just two months left now. My employer has to provide me with a one-way ticket home. They are going to to that, and then I am going to cash it in with their knowledge. They are not concerend, so long as they can point to a flight number in their records and say that they fulfilled their contractual obligations.

My real flight is booked, and that's for Malaysia. And yes, the American lady will be accompanying me there. She'll then be returningto Japan for another year of work at the end of August while I start travelling home slowly. Actually, she was staying with me for a week, all last week. There's loads of hiking and other things to do around here so there was plenty to do if she ever got bored while I was working. And I learned how to play Scrabble.

278 points the first time playing. Apparently that makes me an expert. I won't say what she got except that, clearly, so is she...

2007-05-14T19:39:00.000+09:00

Okay, here goes

The photos for when I was working with the NGO can be found here

http://picasaweb.google.com/DavidlMorrison/India

and the ones from the little bit of traveling around I did can be found here

http://picasaweb.google.com/DavidlMorrison/Delhi

I'm really happy I went, and it's one of those things that made staying in Japan for a second year worth while. I know that sounds odd, but if I had not been in Japan, I don't know ifI would have ever gone to India and done something like it.

The people we were working with were so appreciative and happy, it was very humbling. We were working in a village of Untouchables, or Dalits, but specifically working with the 10 poorest widows in the village, who, being widows, were the most at risk of exploitation, and who are ostracised the most by traditional Hindu society and the caste system. What was startling was how much they varied in age, with one being younger than some of the people in our group, including myself: Accidents killing more than old age where we were.

The most obvious thing that we were doing was helping to construct small houses for the 10 women and their familes. But that had started before our arrival and continued afterwards as well. The main point was that we were seen to be there, working with the ostracised and maybe changing some people's minds. Actually, the founder of the NGO, a local Indian man named Ravi, made it clear to us that that was the main point. The NGO group we wereworking with is called Building Communities, and he chose the title very deliberately.

Another aspect was that our presence, as had happened in the past and with us as well, would act as a catalyst, forcing the local provincial government to act. The problems are not with the law per se. The problems include that the people are not aware of their rights, the opportunities available to them, and the responsibilities that the local governemnt has to them: something we were also there to inform them about. When a bunch of foreigners showed up and started working, there was suddenly a lot more movementon local issues. Also, the fact that India was having a heat wave, that Indians in Delhi were getting heat stroke, that it was 45 degrees at midday where we were, and that we were still working up until the afternoon, hopefully had an effect on the attitudes that people had towards the women with whom we were working.

I, and I think everyone else in the group, was very happy with the work we did, and felt that our presence had made some difference. We're still in contact with Ravi, who has a Ph.d. in Human Rights and works mainly to in that field , and get updates about how things are progressing. There's a report with everything in even more detail I can send you if you like.

I got sick on two occasions, both times being the plumbing. The first time I was fine. I stayed back for the day and went out the next morning. The second time was when I was traveling afterward. It was much more severe than before and I doubted that I would be on my feet and running around for a few days, so I admitted myself into hospital. A few hours later, I was back on my feet and travelling, with some help from anti-biotics, IV drips, and other drugs. Not fun, but I only missed half a day really. That actualy happened after seeing the Taj Mahal, so I only missed the other sites in that city, Agra.

Then it was on to Jaipur, and on the train back up to Delhi. The train was a good experience itself as I got talking to a lot of people, or more accurately, they got talking to me. I'd heard about Indian trains and meeting people before, so I had to take at least one.

Then it was back to Japan, and some sleep.

And heated Toilet seats

2007-05-13T23:15:00.000+09:00

India

I have so much to tell about India. In fact, I have too much to tell, and no idea where to begin.

I know you want to see photos now though, so Click here for the first part of the trip, when I was working with Building Communities.

And then click here for the photos from travelling around the "Golden Triangle" for a few days afterward. I've put comments on most of the photos, so I think it might make more sense to go to the albums and read those.

2007-04-20T12:36:00.000+09:00

Drift, Drift, Drift!

I've started singing a new song from Teriyaki Boyz' Buddhist cousins.

"I wonder if they know,
how they live in Ki-Yo-To,
if you've seen it then you mean it, then you know you have to go.

SLOW AND ZEN LIKE!

Sweep, Sweep, Sweep!"

Coming soon to Music Station (Japanese pop music TV show).

2007-04-20T12:11:00.000+09:00

6 Months?

Passport is back, with a surprise: the visa is valid until the end of October, with multiple entries. Such a thing to waste...

2007-04-17T22:03:00.000+09:00

Reith Lectures

"Places riven with division internally, between rich and poor, are places that are also subject to distrust and find it hard to cooperate abroad. Whereas places where there is more equity internally tend to be more cooperative and peaceful internationally. What happens internally in our societies is reflected internationally." Jeffrey Sachs (Paraphrased from BBC Radio 4's Start the Week programme)

I love having my eyes opened by much smarter people, and am looking forward to listening to the Reith lectures, which he is giving this year. For more information on this suprisingly short and digestible series, have a look here. I searched for, and subscribed to it via the iTunes shop, which I will be using until someone of you tells me of another sevice.

2007-04-15T20:00:00.000+09:00

Lucas

Is a fecking drinks magent.
That is the lesson from Kobe. It doesn't matter where he goes. Random Japanese people wind up buying him drinks, and more importantly, all of the friends he has around him. Ours is not to reason why.

2007-04-14T18:16:00.000+09:00

Morrisons in Japan

The second week of the school Holidays were even better than the first. I never thought I would get the opportunity because of the distance, but my parents managed to get a 5 day stop over in Kansai, on the way home from a boxing tournament in Australia that my Dad brought a team to.

Hanging out with them was wonderful! I had forgotten how at ase I could feel. Wonderful! I got to show them around my town, and even have them stay in a Temple. Oh, and coming from Oz, they were not impressed with the snow that greeted them.

"Don't look at he camera!"

Brought them by bullet train to Hiroshima and then to the holy island of Miyajima to hunt down some Monkeys. Then on to Kyoto so my Mom could some more of her own Huinting: geisha. It took a while, and then Success!

As usual, you can see more pictures here

2007-04-12T10:47:00.000+09:00

Wasabi, our saviour

Last night, Taheshi, Veronique and I ate some not very fresh smelling Sashimi (Raw Fish) for dinner, along with the Green Wasabi that I love so much. This morning, I woke up, not dead. I am now convinced that as well as being a fantastic substance for clearing out the sinuses (Try it! It will blow your feckin' head off!) Wasabi also grants the diner super-human powers of Buddhist Bullet Bending, as well as protection from anything nasty that may lurk in ones meal.

2007-04-08T16:47:00.000+09:00

Why I re-contracted

It's an exageration, but only just. There were a couple of events and places in Japan that I missed in my first year, and I was determined not to let that happen again! This was one of them.

In all it's glory, The Kawasaki Penis Festival.

A little tired after getting back from Okinawa just the day before, but a bloody good day out.

In the morning, the giant Pink Penis is carried around the neighbourhood before being brought back to the Shrine where music and dancing rule the grounds as everyone eats and drinks under cherry blossoms in full bloom. I sounds fun and beautiful, and it was.

I've been told that some of the pictures might not be considered 'worksafe' a first glance, so Click here for more photos

As always, there's a good story behind the fesival. A young Japanee woman was invaded by a Demon who had the habit of biting off he genitals of her husbands on their wedding nights. No one was very happy with this situation, least of all the prospective bride and future and former husbands, so the town decided that firm action must be taken.

Enter the blacksmith. We can all see where this is going so I'll skip to the end. The demon broke it's teeth, fled the woman, and they all lived happily ever after.

Except for her former husbands that is...

They went on to form Japanese Teen sensation SMAP

Since then? The shrine became an area where ladies of the night would pray for protection from STIs. More recently, those ladies have been replacd by Tokyos LGB scene and couples praying for ferility, making the Festival a fun day out for all the family, with a fine touch of PRIDE.

2007-04-07T17:24:00.000+09:00

Island Hopping

The Japanese academic year is a bit different from our own. Schools and Universities finish up the end of the third week of March, and start back the second week of April. It's only two weeks, so you can imagine the envy when I tell them about our 2 or three months off.

I used the Holiday last year to travel further afield, down the length of Japan stopping off with friends along the way. This year Erin and I went a bit further, to the souhern most islands of Okinawa, within spitting distance of Taiwan: Ishigaki, Takejima, an Iriomote

We noticed he vibe as soon as we arrivd. It was sill Japan, but different. A relaxed Japan. The islands had been independent before, with its own Ryuukyuu kingdom, and you could definitely sense that.

I was most impressed with the best use of a beer bottle I have ever seen. Peanuts. I' brilliant!

We flew into Ishigaki island, but stayed there just for the first night to get our bearings. Then it was on to Takejima, a beatiful island of only 300 souls, where we stayed for one night, getting to see the place once all the tourists had left on the last boat. As it was so small, we rented bikes rather than using the local bus sevice... Very effctive at crossing between islands at low tide I hear...

Then Iriomote, the wilderness of Japan, for two nights. Great hostel, and snorkelling that was even better than some dives I've done. Beautiful, with an incredible breath of colours and life, just a few metres from the sand. The colours don't really show up in he photos, so you're just going to have to trust me.

The next day, we took a kayak 8km up river, and hiked to the falls.

It was a beautiful, incredibly relaxing week.

Click here for more photos.

2007-03-16T12:41:00.000+09:00

Quote of the day

I don't know what she was really trying to communicate

S: You street children.

D: Doshi.

S: ?

D: You need a verb. A "Doshi".

S: Ah. You are street children.

D: Okay. But that's plural.

S: ?

D: Futari desu..em..One Child. Two Children.

S: Ah. You are a street children.

D: Once more.

S: You are a street child.

D: Excellent! Good work!

S: Thanks you!

D: Just one thing, "Street Children" Wakarimaska?

S: ?

D: Calcutta wakarimaska?

S: Bye!

2007-03-15T22:19:00.000+09:00

Quote of the Day

Me: "Mayana-chan, Viens ici onegaishimasu"

Destroying both the French and Japanese languages. Luckily the two-year-old is being brought up in both.

2007-03-14T10:32:00.000+09:00

Like a Robot from 1984

Teaching at Fuki Primary School. Yes, I do consider this teaching...

The young teacher that I've been working with for the past few months will be transfering to another school with the start of the new School year (April), so she wanted a a photo of me with each group in the class. Here is one of them.

2007-03-14T10:05:00.000+09:00

Cry Baby From the front page of today's newspaper. Asashoryu, the cuurent Sumo Champion, has upset the crowd. The Number 1 is not supposed to loose, and yet he has lost two matches in as many days. Some throw their cushions in disgust, while others taunt and laugh.

Ah Sumo, where else can you watch big men get ritualistically ridiculed by their fans.

2007-02-18T22:47:00.000+09:00

It's raining (on) naked men!

Hallelujah!

Yes, saturday 17th February. It's bitterly cold. It's Okayama. That can only meanone thing: get very drunk and run around town naked (almost) with 5000 drunken japanese Salary men (office workers). Oh Joy! No, seriously, joy.

Getting there last year was an adventure in on itself, and Carlton's and my participation ended up being by chance. This year, there was some organisation. Aftr much cajolling, with most of the Jets in Wakayama going skiing that same weekend, I convinced three other lads and one lass to make the journey. Susanne drove and got very wet, while we ran around in a bunch in front of her, and got very hot. It was my camera most of the time, so I'm not in any of them. There are more here, where maybe I'm in the background

Last year, my only photo from the bevent was the one on the front cover of the next day's newspaper with me in the centre. There was no topping that this year, but still a hell of lot of fun! I let theb lads know that any attempt to actuaklkly get the agic stick itself would only lead to them getting betan by the 5000 others trying to grab it.

Only one person died this year, and thankfully no injuries on our parts.

I'm in there somewhere, on the left, well away form those danmed deadly stairs.

2007-02-16T11:09:00.000+09:00

"Acting for their lives"

John,

To keep you informed for the next wedding. This time about the arts.

Nervous Censors and Staged Rebellions

I found the article dramatically (no pun intended) informative about changes since the last election. Not directly though. Just by comparing descriptions to memories. The colour of the head scarves for instance. Now plain, before multi-coloured, with hair poking out freely to the front and rear. It seems doubtful today. And the air. Even worse from lead 'enhanced' petrol.

It's long. But make it to the end.

The last paragraph is worth it.

2007-02-03T23:09:00.000+09:00

Setsubon

With no other plans, I spent the day hiking around Koya in the snow. On my way back through the town, I heard some chanting, and was gestured into a small side Temple by an old lady exiting.

It was the Setsubon, the Bean throwing, Holiday, and I had completely forgotten. One monk was offering prayers while another beat out a rhythm, as the fathful looked on.

2007-01-25T14:53:00.000+09:00

Tapping away in the Shogakko

Here's what I'm up to if you're bored today.

I'm just finishing up in Koyasan's Primary School, and I've got to say, these kids are probably solely responsible for me being in anyway fit. They are ALL little Ninjas. I said a long while back about the transformation during cleaning time from cute little kids to Sweeping-Brush-Samaurai's. Today was just us "playing" a game wherein I battle them off with swirls from my scarf and they come in with flying kicks. Dodge ball on crack perhaps.

Rhapsody in Blue is playing....Actually, check that. It's ended and been replaced with Red Hot Chili Peppers. Huh, I'm just back from the Music room where I was just talking to the 11 year old who is playing DJ now during break. They're his own cds. I can see a lesson involving lyrics here...

Yesterday in Fuki was another Primary School visit. The whole PrimarySchool (so that would be 12 students then, no 1st Class) was playing basketball together and I help Tatsuya, the smallest boy in 3rd class, score by holding him up to the rim to dunk.

He held on.
I pulled.
He held on.
I stopped supporting him.
No change.

I think he's a about half a hobbit in size, and he seemed willing to hold on, with one hand, all day. I had to jump, yank, and pry him off.

Feckin' legend of a kid.

Because the Primary and Middle School (7 students) next door to each other in Fuki are so small now, they've joined together, and you can see some pics of the 1st 2nd and 3rd years last November kicking my ass at Othello here.

http://s114.photobucket.com/albums/n267/davidlmorrison/JapanAug2006toJul2007/TeachingatFuki/

Meanwhile in Hanasaka, the even smaller village I teach at half waydown the mountain, (11 students) there is a slightly different school of martial arts to Koyasan: Cardboard Tube Samaurai. Just as honourable, but with a lot less pain. For me at least. There's some photos from December of 4th, 5th and 6th class here.

http://s114.photobucket.com/albums/n267/davidlmorrison/JapanAug2006toJul2007/TeachingatHanasaka/
Looks like an unidentifiable lunch is up.

Amities

david

2007-01-22T19:21:00.000+09:00

Du-Ri-AH
After a year and a half with it, I've just discovered a new Kanji on my washing machine. It has a drier function. God damn it.

2007-01-14T10:48:00.000+09:00

Doya-Doya Festival

http://s114.photobucket.com/albums/n267/davidlmorrison/JapanAug2006toJul2007/OsakaDoyaDoyaSun14thJan07/

It's the Doyadoya (No idea what it means) Festival in the main shrine of Osaka. It's in one of those compounds that houses both Shinto and Buddhist buildings, where the Buddhist monks pray to the Shinto gods to protect their buildings, and vice-versa.

This willingness to take the foreign and adapt it to native needs is all over Japan, most notable in the use of foreign words within the Japanese language. Bread was introduced by the Portuguese, so it's "Pan". They didn't have a word for part time job, so they borrowed
the German "Arbeit". The list is endless, especially when it comes to things that can be described in English in far fewer syllables than in Japanese, even when there are Japanese words than could do the job.

Back on track. It's a Naked Man festival, in which men (high school boys in this case) wearing sumo nappies crowd into a temple and try to grab the good luck charms dropped by a priest from a platform above them. It's a daylight, less violent, less crowded version of the
Festival I took part in last February, the one where I'm visible in the newspaper clipping, and was hilarious to watch this time around.

ESPECIALLY when the participants screamed as ice cold water was poured over them. Here's the photo I submitted to the agencies to put on the wire.

And it was already bloody cold out to start with.

What's the German word for pleasure from someone else's pain? Schadenfreude, I think is how you spell it. Japanese entertainment, TV and Live, is all about the Schadenfreude.

2007-01-09T20:52:00.000+09:00

END OF BREAK

The rest of my time in Gunma was mostly spent engaged in my favourite pastimes of eating, sleeping, and watching films. And more sleeping. It reminded me of being back in Dublin those first few days. Bed, bed, and more bed.

And then an expedition at the end to another Ski slope, this one with over a metre of snow.
Everything was alright for the first two hours, it was snowing, so visibility wasn't so great. And then, WHITE.

I lost all sight of everyone else on the mountain, and of, well,everything! The wind was so hard that I wasn't even sure if I was still standing; moving or still. My experiences on a board went from too little snow to a BLOODY BLIZZARD! They had to close the mountain because the ski lifts were going to attempt loops. Before their gymnastics practice could happen though, some people were using themto get DOWN; as it had become more dangerous to ski down.

Anyway, you can see photos of the entire break here.

http://s114.photobucket.com/albums/n267/davidlmorrison/JapanAug2006toJul2007/Christmas2006/

2007-01-04T20:41:00.000+09:00

New Year's Sa-ke

New Year's in Tokyo was.... interesting.

A big group of us went to Roppongi, which is infamous for being about as dodgy as Japan can get. Before we had even left the Metro station, we had come across the first of many DUMB AS SHIT Marines. How did you SURVIVE growing up? And then 10 metres from the station, I started hearing voices.

"Hashish-Hashish"

But no bodies to accompany them....

Not even very pale little Japanese boys wearing eyeliner, or little girls crawling out of wells.

"The Grudge" and "The Ring" being documentaries in their original Japanese form.

There was Mexican food (Tokyo having surprisingly few Japanese restaurants. Does Dublin have many “Irish” restaurants?), and dancing, and watching "dancing" and lots of laughing at other people's expense. And a bizarre set up on one floor whereby the men and women had to sit on separate couches, only there was no couch for the men.

Just as it ended, Erin and I left the rest and took a chance. We really wanted to see the fish market in Tokyo at it's busiest time, 5 to 7 a.m. Apparently the sight of Multi-Tonne Tuna being tossed through the air as people argue on price is well worth the lack of sleep. What a way to go, being decapitated by a flying dead Tuna. I'm sure it's happened. So we took the metro there, but, as expected, it was closed for the National Holiday. The restaurants weren't, so we had some of the BEST sashimi (raw fish) EVER. The monster feed was stunningly gorgeous, as was the Knife Master who was preparing it right in front of us.

Maybe he was just stunning.

Desert was provided by a Buddhist Temple we stumbled upon on the return to the station. We joined the crowd for the New Year's ceremony, and were poured a bowl of Sake at the end. It was just after sunrise, but it's very hard to say no to a guy on his 34,567th incarnation who has just blessed the unpleasantly early alcohol for you.

Completely knackered, there was another site I wanted to see.

New Year's is THE big holiday in Japan, and the first visit to a Shrine of the New Year is a grand occasion. We took the Metro to The Meiji Shrine

(First Emperor, and former father figure for the Japanese state, after Imperial rule was restored at the end of the 19th century; Hirohito's grandfather)

the most important Shrine (Shinto, not a Buddhist Temple) in Tokyo to see the first visitors of the New Year. Some wore Kimono, many were with their whole family, and all were deep in thought and prayer for a prosperous coming year.

The police were there just as crowd control at the front of the Shrine where people pray, but had to wear visors to protect them from the offerings being thrown at the Shrine.

A couple of days later, just before the Tokyo stock exchange opened, the Shrine to the god of business was the place to be.

2006-12-28T21:36:00.000+09:00

Inventing the Sport of GrassBoarding

Just after Christmas, Erin and I headed to the site of the '98 Winter Olympics for some downhill action. It was about a four hour drive away and we had a room in a pension booked for the next two nights, giving three days there. (I opted to navigate....even though the rental car had it's own dedicated satellite armed with Turbo Laser Batteries; Ion canons were extra.)

We ended up spending one.

We arrived at Hakuba at 8 in the morning, commenting on how lucky wewere that the roads were snow free, only to realise that the mountain was green. No, the Japanese have not yet invented green snow. Actually, they probably have. It was grass. Grass, grass, grass. As far up as the eye could see. In fact, there wasn't any snow until we got to the top most runs! Even then, I gave my rental board a good few scratches when I progressed from snow boarding, to grassboarding to ROCKboarding in amatter of seconds.

One day was enough, and we did have fun once we found the actual snow. The pension though, was FANTASTIC! A family run place, and we were the only guests! They even had a little onsen (hot spring) inside to soak in.

Warning, if you spend too long in one, you may feel a bit dizzy, but if you then stick your head under a cold tap, you may not be able to stand up. Or maybe just feel like getting sick. Not that I'd ever do such a thing.

Closing our eyes for a second after dinner, I deliberately left the light on so we wouldn't fall asleep. She woke up for a moment, 7 hours later, and turned it off. I remained unconscious.

2006-12-28T20:18:00.000+09:00

Big Round Red Christmas

Erin lives about as far North of Tokyo as I live South of Osaka, so it was an easy journey to take. A bunch of us got together on Christmas Eve in one of her friend's houses and we found the temple to those little dolls whose left eye you paint before the New Year.

Daruma, the legendary founder of Shaolin King-Fu.

We think.

Going to the temple made us even more confused about whether you burn them or not, and if so, when. But we did meet a baseball team using the temple's steps for training, by which I mean running up and then falling down from exhaustion. Until they saw Ashlee, a blonde American with a camera. Then they came back to life,

some of them.
What made the day was the old man we met at the top. He's the reason we're even more confused about it. As he began to explain it: modelled on the legendary founder of Kung-Fu etc., he realised that he didn't actually have a clue himself!

This made us feel much better. If an old person in Japan doesn't understand or know something, thenit's not worth knowing. So goes the Gospel according to David. We walked down with him, and just before he drove off, he handed us a doll each! And then jumped in the car as a picture was attempted.

Legend of a man. Still not sure if I painted it properly....

2006-12-23T23:11:00.000+09:00

The Emperor's New Birthday.

I took an overnight bus to Tokyo after work that Friday (22nd). Erin and I met the next morning to have a look at the Imperial Palace. The grounds are a massive walled enclosure that take up a big chuck of the centre of Tokyo, and normally the entirety of the grounds are closed to the public. They open twice a year, and one of those times, the Emperors Birthday, was that Saturday. So we arrive at on of the massive gates, and there is security everywhere. No barriers here, just lines and lines of police, sometimes with their arms linked.

Bit like a Céilí really.

X-ray machines, frisks, etc. And then we're allowed to get within 200m of the walls. BIG ASS STONE WALLS. Although they looked fun to climb.

Next comes the "not so secret" service. Towards the entrance gate, the crowd is funneled through a series of barriers, lined with men, and a tiny number of of equally severe looking women, all uniformly dressed in black trench coats, all with the eyes and a look that let you
know that they are taking in EVERYTHING. There's a lot of talk in Japan about security, but that's it, just talk. Their security is a joke, but in this case I think they were working on
the principle that they all knew what the three most wanted people in the country look like: two men and a women accused of involvement in the sarin gas attacks 10 years ago.

Still at large.

And standing right behind you.

Eventually inside the gates, and I realise that the grounds are not, in fact, open. Just a courtyard below a balcony surrounded by suspiciously thick glass... We're handed some crappy paper flags, and some old men start yelling "BANZAI!!!" when the Emperor and his family appear on the Balcony.

He looked like a Teddy Bear! This tiny old man with his sons towering over him (they've stepped backward above), taking in the crowd (old Japanese, and young foreigners, no young Japanese...) and thanking us for our Birthday wishes. Then, as quickly as it started, it was over and we were politely asked to
leave...release the hounds.

Ninja hounds.

So well trained in the arts that I couldn't even see them. But they were there...

I was disappointed. Not at the spectacle, that was all very interesting, but by the lack of crying. I wanted to see old men and women cry. Is that too much to ask?

http://s114.photobucket.com/albums/n267/davidlmorrison/JapanAug2006toJul2007/Christmas2006/

2006-12-22T12:34:00.000+09:00

Not memory...

Good morning! (My time)

I can't really remember what happened in November..... not right now anyway......

I've had a stressful day dealing with the inadequacies of Japan's two main travel companies. Who would have thought that trying to book a Hotel at a ski resort that does, in fact, have vacancies would have been such a chore. After 2 hours of waiting while someone did unneccessary research

(No, I don't care what type of hot spring they have, so long as the chemical composition doesn't include sulphuric acid I'm happy. No, you don't have to check.)

At the end, just as I was about to hand over the money, it turned out that they place they had been talking up for so long wasn't even opening until mid-January! I think I managed my most sarcastic "Doomo Arigato" before I left to head home. The highlights of the day, which brought a smile as I took the train though, were the foot long sandwich for lunch and the success in finding armour plated underwear that fits.

The Vice Principal at my base school has organised a staff trip to a ski slope for some fun in the snow. In my case, since I began snowboarding in February and have just three days under my belt, and 8 months in between to forget everything, I expect my......everything?..... to ache like last year. Everything except my ass! Ha! Outsmarted you Gravity!

Another reason to smile is the back up plan for the school Holidays, which is more appealing than any other plan I've had. The original plan was to spend some days on a mountain until around new year, then go to Okinawa for a week of swimming, snorkelling et all. Thanks to
some folk on couchsurfing, and no thanks to travel agents, it doesn't look like we'll be going to Okinawa as it's too cold for the water stuff I like, even there. Also, after today, it doesn't look like we'll have any hotel booked in advance for the week after Christmas.

No panic though. The back up plan is to load my laptop with movies, get on a train to Tokyo and then to Erin's. Hang out there, break into the Emperor's palace, watch some films, rent a car and drive (She'll be driving, I'm navigating, relative strengths) to the slopes whenever we feel like it, eat ice cream when we don't, and have some fun in the snow. Preferably at high speed in a downward direction. She's a pretty damn good skier, and I'm a reckless ass armour clad snow boarder, so fun should be had.

There was another plan that I tinkered with.

Dublin.

Erin has a very romantic notion of Dublin, and I liked the idea of showing her around. Plus, she can drive, so I could show her some other spots as well. Again, me with the navigating, not the driving.

Relative Strengths. Very relative when one doesn't have a licence.

Or ability.

Apart from those epic lessons courtesy of Dad in August. But then again, the Dublin Sligo road is pretty easy now.

The qualification for that idea was price. Japan is expensive, and snow sports and Okinawan trips are more so, so for a while I thought that it might be the same price, or a little more, to fly home and offset the carbon. I was wrong. The flights, even before taxes came in, were well above what I would have been willing to pay. In fact, at about one months wages, well above what I would have been capable of paying.

So staying here.

I'm going to go through some photos to jog the noggin, upload them, and get back to you later.

daveeeeeed

or

day-beee-doooo

Never David theses days......

*sniff*

2006-11-16T13:53:00.000+09:00

New Year's Frames

If I were anywhere on the correct continent, this is where I would be on New Years.

http://www.theframes.ie/

The first time I went was 31st December 2000, and it was a fatastic night. Highlights of successive years, all great, have been

Eating pizza in Tamsins kitchen at gods know what in the morning.

Kidnapping Kevin on the way to the gig

and Watching the band keep playing as the management scream for them to come off, already 15 minutes late.

2006-10-24T14:44:00.000+09:00

40 years old!?!

According to the Japanese Doctor!

They arrived this morning and have been measuring our bone density. The Doctor said I MUST drink more milk, and I already drink more during lunch than all of the staff combined!

40 years old....

And the English teacher I work with is singing "I'm young, I'm young" while she walks through the staff room 'cause her test came back as 20 years old!

2006-09-09T14:51:00.000+09:00

Random Snapshot of September

I realised that I haven't emptied the memory card in my phone for and age.

This album is a collection of the random stuff I found on it that I think gives a nice snapshot into life here.

Enjoy!

(Click Enjoy)

2006-09-05T14:58:00.000+09:00

Since I've been gone

Bonjourno bella bambinos

I haven't yet completely sorted out my apartment. That's probably, I hope, a surprise considering I've been back for nearly two weeks now. It seems like longer, but that's a good thing. Things actually happened.

Heathrow was, as expected, a royal pain in the ass. I intended to stock up on supplies for the coming year in Dublin airport on my way back (read red wine and Bailey's, and those Truffles that only I in my family like) but that wasn't going to happen with only my laptop as carry on. A taped up and bubble wrapped camera lay in my bag after I realised I couldn't fit the laptop in.

The queues seemed to move quick enough though, and I had to laugh at the people who, despite being told repeatedly that they couldn't bring lip balm on board, were still emptying their pockets when they approached the x-ray machines.

The flights were fine, 30 hours in all, despite the lack of sleep that morning. I may have slept on the plane for 3 hours, but mostly I took advantage of the films being on demand. And there was a perfect selection.

It may have been me being half asleep, but I though Mission Impossible was really good! Granted, all I was looking for was slightly better than John Woo's sequel and his bloody fetish for doves flying everywhere. This time Butt-Head himself was the star, and not his hair.

And they had "Stick it!" Gymnastic rebel rocker type thingy. Again, perfect fluff for my head, along with The Matador and whatever else they had. Roman Holiday was the Highlight of the other flights.

Actually, about Stick It.

I was not in a good mood about heading back. The sun was out and Dublin was looking fantastic for the last couple of days. Snakes on a Plane came out, and I had to turn down Larry's invitation to go and see it. Brian and Ciaran would be tackling Carrauntuohill the next weekend, the Bulmer's comedy festival was.....etc. etc.

And I was pissed off about something else, but nothing you lot did.

Yes, more time in Dublin would have been good, so long as it didn't cut into time outside of the city.

I was like that until I saw this film. 2 hours of laughing later and I was looking forward to Japan again and the BBQ that weekend.

Before then, Dan moved in. He would be finishing work on Friday and losing the car and apartment as well, so I stuck him on a futon until the following Tuesday, and listened to how much he would miss Ramen and Chees-zu potatoes. I just got back from having some at the inn, Miyasan, and, admitedly they really are quite good.

I was ready to sleep as soon as I arrived Wednesday evening in Koya, but that was not to be. Our friends, the middle aged ladies, were having a dinner for Dan, so of I went. Hiroko brought her daughter who had just spent a year studying English in Iowa, and Noriko brought her
own Pharmacology studying daughter who was back for the Holiday. They were both fantastic! Dan and I were in stitches most of the evening and they were slagging me off the rest of the time for being slow.

I hadn't slept...

Dan thought someone was trying to set him up. Well, that's Dan. I thought they were great, but given that I teach their Moms and friendships not leading to marriage are something of a rarity between the sexes here, I didn't suggest hanging out at the weekend...

Finally, the Beach Party and the BBQ. A chance to meet all the newbies from the other group. Except they were unfriendly and obnoxious.
They reminded me of the Jets in the Kobe Hotel for the re-contracting conference.
We approached, said hello, and they turned their backs to us. Something similar here.

My group were still brilliant though. They've been hanging out together, opening up their houses to everyone else, and have formed a really solid support group in just a few weeks. I was really impressed. I met them after their orientation last Friday in Wakayama city and got to see just how well everyone was getting on.

There were 10 of us crashing on one of the girl's floor that night, and then the Aussie, Joe, in the closet. He eventually came out of the closet the next morning...
And freaked me out.

I knew his parents were Irish, but I didn't know he was actually born in Dublin. Not only that, but the bastard lived in Kew Park in lucan and was in the same school as me. His younger brother was in my class for a year!

And yes, he still remembers...

A muinteoir, An bhfuil cead agam dul go dti on leithreas, le do thoil?*

Johno, one of the new Kiwis found out about a rock gig with one of his favourite bands, so Joe and I tagged along on Saturday night. They were great, and the support act was hilarious. Lovely little Japanese guys trying to scream and be scary and tough.
Ah Bless.
I showed them the sites of Osaka and we argued over who the English speaking sales rep in the Electronics shop was hitting on. She gave us all business cards, without personal numbers, so I say none, but I'm sure one of them will find out when they go back to get that camera.

So I have a good group now also really interested in spending as many weekends as possible snowboarding.
They even have cars! Woo!

Before I left, David and I were talking about how, as we live in rural areas without people near our age, much of this coming year depended on what the new people were like. I've probably described the last group before. David is less polite in his terms. Anyway, we agreed that they couldn't possibly be as bad as the previous group, and I'm very happy to know it's true.

Next stop now is Mount Fuji. The lovely Erin, who lives 2 hours from Tokyo and has put me up every time I'm there, has asked me to join her in a climb. If I didn't mention her, she's the one who would have plans for, and vice versa, if she didn't live a whole days travel away.
I'm really looking forward to putting my boots to some good use. And now that I have a tripod for my camera, experimenting with a sunrise.

Now I'm going to go down through all those e-mails I have yet to open, and reply to them. Except that one about a breakthrough in medicine.

You can never trust a subject with 5 exclamation marks.

Unless it's from Claire Lyons.

amities

david

"I can see for miles"

*(Teacher, Do I have permission to go to the toilet, please?)

2006-07-21T15:11:00.000+09:00

Today's Lesson Plan: ULTIMATE

I guess you could think of it as a promotion.

I am now an Ultimate Frisbee coach, swimming instructor and soccer coach.
Emperor, preserve these poor children.

Ultimate training with all of the Primary school classes begins with an explanation of my expertise. I took part in one tournament, at the beginning of the month, and we came 19th....out of 20 teams. They seem to find that point encouraging.

I think they may have their numbers confused.

Ultimate was the first weekend of this month, and was fabulous. I deliberately didn't bring my camera, but I know a few people who did, and one even put this together.

Tajima Ultimate Frisbee Tournament Album.

You can see us in our Shrivelled Ume Jersey (Alcohol rich plums. We gave them out to the other teams and feasted on them all weekend. The drink itself is syrupy and sweet)
and also see Brad flying through the air.
Next time he tried that he came down and broke his collarbone.
Now he's back home in Canada having surgery....

Ahem, so this non-contact sport is all about "Spirit of the Game", but we concluded that we and our sister team (Juicy Mikans=Oranges ) were almost the only ones there out to just have a laugh. It was very odd to be coming up against people who would actually think about fouling
you, but we had a hell of a lot of fun, illustrated by the number of injuries (8 players knocked out by strained ankles and such.)
Did I mention it rained the entire time...?

It was still fabulous.
I have NEVER run so much, and was thankful for finding those runners in Tokyo the week before.

5 games over 2 days, we drew one....

and came first for 'style'.

Next year, we're even thinking about 'training' before hand. But many still see that as a form of cheating, like using tactics.

I'm curious about what little jobs I'll be given in September after the Holidays. My supervisor gave me a taste this morning. There's a nursery school just down the road from the Secondary school I'm based at, and the town would like me to start visiting it whenever I feel like a break from my base school.

They don't expect, or want, them to learn any English, oh no. My job is much more fun: They want me to hang out, play, and, hopefully, hold them upside down by their ankles.
That is, of course, why the Department of Foreign Affairs pays for half of my salary:
Make the young Japanese not afraid.

For now though, I'm kept busy with a little project that landed in my inbox

http://www.geocities.com/wakayamaajet/

It's my first website (Does this mean I am now a "Master"?) and is waiting on the new arrivals and their terrible orientation mugshots. I'll be taking them and will go out of my way to show them as the jet-lagged stragglers they are.

While I'm there, about 30 or so people from my prefecture will be heading home. We had our goodbye party for them the weekend before last, and after a quick glimpse around the room I realised that most of those leaving didn't bother to show up, and hardly anyone knew them
because they're hermits.

Less of a queue at the all you can eat Ice-cream bar so..

Of those leaving I do know, Carlton is the one I'll miss. Along with the other David, we spent some of the evening inventing new drinks. Me the Chuhai Shake, and they the Beer Shake. Mine was nicer (A scoop of Vaniila ice ceram, and another scoop of Cookies and Cream
mixed with the Chuhai, the Japanese.... drink. It's difficult to describe, but it's what one gets if you want a pint but don't like beer. )

You might remember him as the one I got lost in Kobe with for 3 hours.
Damn Expressway.

We did still make the Naked Man festival. He's on his way to St. Petersberg now to take a train to Beijing and then on to Oz mostly overland. Well, maybe. His plan, like all of our road trips, is completely fool proof due to the lack of planning. All he has is a Russian visa and a ticket. And a lovely Aussie friend of ours for company. I expect to see him commanding his own pirate crew
some time next year.

I've put up some photos of some guys on their bmx bikes form a trip to Kobe

http://www.bebo.com/PhotoAlbumBig.jsp?PhotoNbr=1&PhotoAlbumId=1387159800.

and from a camping and fire festival evening for my 5th class students

http://www.bebo.com/PhotoAlbumBig.jsp?PhotoNbr=1&PhotoAlbumId=1387321008

If anyone wants to see

Last weekend bad winds and zero visibility scuppered my attempts to dive the Northern most Coral Reef in the world, which happens to be in my prefecture. I was the only one with a licence of those who met up anyway. The waves were too choppy for even some snorkeling, so we
retreated to the river, and hummed the Jaws theme at Japanese canoeists as they floated by.

Terrifying locals.
Twas a fun weekend.

For now, I'm looking forward to the closest one can get to negotiating an asteroid field in a Correllian Freighter: Cycling down a busy Dublin Quay.

Before that trip comes though, I have the pleasure of showing my sister around, and answering the questions of the jet lagged newbies.

until then,

amities

david

"and he will make the face of heaven so fine that all the world shall
be in love with night and pay no worship to the garish sun"

P.S. I've put the research into that sabis position in Beirut on hold.....

2006-06-27T21:36:00.000+09:00

Remember now the rule of three.

Part 3.

In my best ST:NG computer voice, "And now the conclusion"

Got in at 11, and then up at 5 the next morning.

A Working Holiday to Tokyo. Essentially that's what the end of the week was for me. After a mixture of Cable cars, local, and Shinkansen Bullet Trains, I arrived in Tokyo along with Katherine for the Orientation of the Orientation. We would be helping out with the
babysitting of homesick culture shocked new JETs at the beginning of August, and had our own get together to prepare for the event on Monday and Tuesday.

This left me with Tuesday afternoon and Monday morning to get to know a city I had seen before only from a Hotel window and aeroport shuttle bus.

(Back when I first arrived, I was too busy on the phone to London, arranging for them to post over the money belt I had left behind, to enjoy the free evenings.)

Limited time, so I visited the one Shrine I could remember from photos, Asakusa, on the Wednesday and another, the Meiji Shrine, I discovered by accident while looking for a place to sit after finding runners in my size (I know, shock!) on the Tuesday. In between, there plenty of wandering and a lovely mattress to sleep on courtesy of Erin.

http://www.bebo.com/PhotoAlbum.jsp?PhotoAlbumId=1187737534

And just as I was about to get my train back to Osaka, a beautiful discovery:

The World Press Photo 2006 exhibit.

http://www.worldpressphoto.nl/

Beautifully humbling.

And absolutely worth not getting back, yet again, until 11.

Hannasake Primary School was the next day. Owww*.

So a weekend of rest was a damn nice change.

And if those links don't work, you can find them, as usual, at
davidmorrison2.bebo.com and in the Photos section.

Now I think it's time to go home,

amities

david

P.S. If I said I would send you photos, and haven't yet, remind me.
Clarence, did I send you that photograph from the cafe in Osaka?
Carlton, did I send you the ones of you in the Corcaigh jersy from that Friday Himmeji after the Kobe conference?
Everyone: Hey, what's the story? How you getting on?
Francsico, I'm not going home this time via Paris, so you are spared the sound of me destrying your language for a while. And Karima's address no longer works.

Como é você?

*I'm their soccer coach. See "Chocolate covered ....." for details...

2006-06-27T20:27:00.000+09:00

Surfing on Sand
Part 2.

I thought my Adult class the word Bittersweet on Friday, but that's a different story,

That weekend, I headed off to a beach party in Tottori-ken, about a five hour train ride from Osaka. It was certainly fun, but so would have going to Tokyo early. I got there about 5, met with some friends from the other kens and press-ganged Rachel, another Irish Jet, into helping me with the tent. Gods bless her camping-mad mother. We got it all set up just in time for my first ever Yoga class.
Beach Yoga.
Twas a good way to watch the sun go down.

With the light beneath the waves, the Beach World Cup and Frisbee training came to a close as a guitar armed Japanese TV presenter from Dun Laoghaire (Ronan) found his place by the fire, and we let out a country and western freestyle version of that Classic tune,

"Pinky and the Brain"

One's an idiot, the other's insane.

The lyrics go remarkably well to an acoustic Beastie Boys tune.

At another fire, I even saw a Bodhran, and a girl named Brid was practicing earlier with two hurls and a sliotar. And so the great art of talking shite was passed on to others throughout the night. There was a DJ elsewhere, and there was dancing, but singing and talking shite on logs by the fire was my highlight.

Next day, Peter, Ben and I took a detour home and climbed a mountain of sand. Everything went fine until we tried to race up. Arrgghh my heart. I'm too young for coronary problems.

There were no sand boarders that day, but plenty of Para gliders (I think) and retirees with professional camera equipment. They took a shining to Peter as he relaxed on the crest of a dune, and easily went through a couple of rolls before he realised he was being watched.

Ben then discovered that his car's engine is set up to stop one from going over 145kmph as he pushed it to it's rattling limits on the Expressway to get back in time for my last train. 5 minutes to spare.

Legend.

http://www.bebo.com/PhotoAlbum.jsp?PhotoAlbumId=1187709101

amities

david

"as she moved through the fair"

2006-06-27T19:32:00.000+09:00

A bloody busy week
Part 1.

One of my sisters said something a few days ago about length of e-mails, so I'm going to try something with this overly long one. I'm going to spit it up.

This last weekend, I did nothing

And it was fabulous.

Although not technically true, I did do some grocery shopping, the rest was much needed. The previous week was bloody busy; which, yes, is how I like it.

It started off on the Wednesday of the previous week, with a night parade. The 15th of June marks the Birthday of Kukai, posthumously called Koba Daishi, the founder of my town, Koyasan, and of Shingon Esoteric Buddhism.

He's not dead, but in a state of deep meditation at the end of Okunoin cemetery, where our Birthday celebrations for him begin. He's a great guy all round, and still has monks bringing him
food each morning as well as changing his clothes every few months.

It may sound gross, but think about it: How often would you really need to change if you spent nearly your entire day in deep meditation?

The parades glowing floats glided through the town with the Conan-esque pushing of the local scouts and primary school students.

I followed them to the Great Gate, Daimon, chatting with different friends taking part, or the other JETs who had driven up to see it.

On the way back, I met an interesting young lady who was researching the commercialisation of the Kukai, and we serendipitously came across a friend's cafe that was open late for an impromptu session of freestyle music. We all stayed there until the small hours, and I listened
apprehensively as first Sonia, the Croatian nun, and then Dan, the private English teacher, were asked about their feelings on the commercialisation subject.

If you read his blog you'll already have a good idea of how awkward that could have been.

The next morning, I was tasked with pushing the large float of Kukai from the night before along with my students. The other students from the Junior Secondary School danced down the street, while my Primary school students did what they did best, made musical noise. The "rain" (drizzle at worst) terrified the monks into a phalanx formation of Umbrellas, and we marched through the town, using pikes to move braches away from Kukai's delicate paper-mache head.

It was another great opportunity for us to grab our festival gear and shout at people, and the pre-schoolers loved the chance to take over the road. And, as per usual in this country, the Oba-chan (Grannies) showed up everyone else taking part.

http://www.bebo.com/PhotoAlbum.jsp?PhotoAlbumId=1189188052

amities

david

"Veni, Vidi, Vomiti"