October 2003
Muky and Saj are still here celebrating their honeymoon. The plan was that today they would get up very early (5:30am) for a coach trip to see the Bridge over the River Kwai.
All went to plan until they stepped into the taxi which got terribly lost finding the pickup point. The last I heard was they turned round, came back home and went to bed!
Having recovered from the taxi ordeal the happy honeymooners braved Bangkok a second time to go shopping like there is no tomorrow. They arrived back home at 8pm last night for a traditional Thai meal and an early night.
Today they are planning to see the Grand Palace and Emerald Buddha.
It's not quite Wednesday here yet but back in Thailand the Wednesday (working day) is nearly over.
I've just heard about the weight that Nick's lost:
"In the photo of the band below, you can see they're all wearing the same suits........that is, except me. They didn't make one large enough. Well, I've just been back and I've come down 2 suit sizes and managed to get one. As for the rest of my clothes, i'm keeping them at the moment. Baggy clothes lead to people asking if i've lost weight........and i like that!!! (vanity rules!!)"
Today's clue: This is the most remote land on earth (or so they say!)
I've just been interacting with the most marvelous piece of technology. I put my dirty clothes into this big white box, inserted three coins, then 30 minutes later I had clean clothes! I then had to navigate round this item they call an ?electric Iron?. A fascinating device which made creased clothes smooth. A mere four hours work and now I have three fresh smart shirts again!
And now a big clue as to where I am. Click on the link below and you might catch a glimpse of me on the webcam!
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| Hoola | Hawaaiin Instruments |
Making Fire |
(Move your mouse over the pictures above to see the video clips)
Today began with a tour of Pearl Harbour. The Arizona Memorial museum has taken on a new significance after the September 11th tragedy. Very moving nevertheless.
The afternoon saw my neck getting redder and redder as I sauntered around the flea market at Aloaha stadium. Very predictably I ended up buying T-shirts and a flowery Hawaiin shirt that I'm sure I'll never wear once I leave the Island (though everyone wears them here).
The evening's entertainment was provided by the Irish pub, a rowdy crowd and an excellent band.
My old Tamarak drinking buddy, Mark (from Georgia), responded to the question I asked him about what time of the day it is OK to start drinking:
Re: at what time the Drinking Lamp should be lit. I believe that drinking is permitted as long as it is Noon on the continent you happen to be standing on. Since I live in North America and Cape Spear, Newfoundland is the easternmost point on our continent (and a beautiful spot. You should go there someday), I encourage the use of Newfoundland Standard Time as the basis for lighting the Lamp here. Since NST is 1 1/2 hours ahead of Atlanta it is perfectly OK to quaff your first pint, schooner, bottle or can at 1530 on weekdays and 1030 on weekends. I don't think that Hawaii is part of North America but by any measure you are already way behind if you are thirstily looking longingly at some chilly cans of brew at 1900.
BTW, I believe this reasoning is used by many across our continent. That is why, as you get father West, the screwier things get. Just look at California.
Cheers
Flicking through the 80 or so television channels they have here I started to watch this new show called Scare Tactics. It's a little like Candid Camera but rather than being funny it's quite frightening (well it is to the victim). They set up situations where members of the public are set up to be scared to death by some situation acted out by their team. Just as you think the victim is about to have a heart attack they tell them to "Smile at the camera, you are on Scare Tactics!"
Another new "twisted" Reality TV Show I read about is called the Joe Schmo Show. The premise behind this show is that one guy was selected to be on this fake Reality TV Show called "The Lap Of Luxury". Everyone else on this show with him are actors, so its really a show to see how this guy reacts to the situations they put him into.
Part of the course I'm on at the moment was a video conference with a school in Japan. The Japanese School have posted photographs of the event:
An early finish for the course today allowed me to spend the afternoon on Hanouma Beach, the stereotype tropical paradise on the eastern shore of the Island.
Sad goodbyes to everyone on my course as the last day rolls around. The two weeks flew by and though it's sad to go I have my week in Japan to look forward to now.
No idea when the next post to this diary will be as I think Japan will be a computer-free zone for me.
Trying to decide what to eat at the Coliseum, one of my favourite live music venues. This was taken last night before I had my first drink. This morning I am suffering
Just as I planned, my week in Japan was computer free, well apart from all the high tech gadgetry to be found when booking train tickets, ordering food and even on the side of the toilet in the good hotels. That?s my excuse for not keeping the diary up to date last week.
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As I had such a good time and everything went so smoothly I thought I?d take a moment to at least record the main details; place names etc for my own use really, so that in ten years I could go back and retrace my steps. Health warning? the next few paragtraphs will be even more boring than usual, you had to be there really.
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Arrived in Japan on Sunday and met up with Sak an hour or so later. Took the Keisei local train to Narita station and checked into the Mercure Hotel (50% discount thanks to Accor card). Decided to take the JR train into Tokyo station and find somewhere for Dinner. The journey took longer and cost more than I imagined but we found a great restaurant (name escapes me) but it was under a bridge in the Ginza district.
All day Monday at DisneySea ? the latest addition to the Disney resort, only two years old.
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Tuesday traveled to Odawara and checked in to the Kunimi Hotel. Drinks and eventually dinner in Cafe Ten, a husband and wife run Jazz pub? thought it was great.
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Wednesday by train and bus to Tenzan Notemburo hot spring. Weather was terribe, it rained all day but who cared, we were in boiling hot water. Caught bus to the Sengokuhara Youth Hostel in Hakone National Park. Cooked our own dinner then drank too much Sake in the local bar.
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Morning hike to Lake Ashi where we had lunch, then chair-lifts up a volcanic mountain to an area marked on the map as ?Sulphurous Vapor Erupting Area?. Took pictures of the locals eating hard boiled eggs just cooked in the bubbling pools. Had first view of Mount Fuji rising above the clouds. If I had been good at English when I was at school I?d now be able to paint a vivid picture in words describing the exciting, spooky feeling when it first came into view. Unfortunately I?ll just have to say that a shiver ran down my spine. Next cable car and bus back to Youth Hostel. Cooked our own dinner again after an interesting spending spree in the Japanese version of Tesco.
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Friday returned to central Tokyo. Free night?s stay in Sofitel next to Ueno Park(thanks to Accor card again). Afternoon and evening spent shopping and eating with a little bit of culture and Sake for good measure. A quick tour of Electric Town (Akihabara) followed by a rather too fresh eels and shrimp Tempura meal. Saturday more shopping in the department stores at Ikebukuro then headed to the airport for the flight back to Thailand.
At last, I've bought myself a keyboard (musical not computer) Yamaha DGX500 88-key, Portable Grand any my self learn lessons start today. Next time you come to visit we can all stand round my stool singing songs like in Victorian times.
I can now read the music and play with my right hand the following songs: Hot Cross Buns, Mary Had a Little Lamb, Au Clair de la Lune Rain, Rain, Go Away, Jingle Bells (Short Version), Aura Lee (Love Me Tender), Ode to Joy, Good King Wenceslas and Row, Row, Row your Boat. Aren't you glad you don't live next door to me?
Muky and Saj leave today for Sydney. Last night we had dinner at the worlds largest restaurant followed by a late night spending spree at the night market. We had originally planned to go on to Radio City after that but I left them shopping at 11pm and came home to bed
Early morning start for me (4am) travelling to a mystery location for a training course. The first clue is that I will?@be crossing the date line today ... and living through the 4th October twice!
Happy birthday to my sister times two.
Arrived, went to the hotel, had a snooze then a walk around this famous place. The temperature was in the high twenties with a refreshing breeze blowing. Had a sub for lunch and a Mexican for dinner (though I couldnt eat a whole one!)
Bit of a lie in followed by a swim and hot jacuzzi. Another sub for lunch then I moved into the hall af residence where I will be staying for the next two weeks. Todays clue: I can see a diamond out of my window!
From Shep:
A lad knocks on the door, Got any jobs, mister?
Sure, take this tin of green paint and paint the porch. I have having tea, come and tell me when you have finished.
Half an hour later the lad knocks on the door again.
Have you finished the painting?
Yes, says the lad, but it is not a porch, it is a Ferrari.
Clue of the day as to where I am: This weekend I have been invited to a Luau.
Today's clue for where I am at the moment: There are waffles and pancakes for breakfast and this is the view out of my window (very early in the morning).
