Adventures in Ezra

---

Sorry ppl the next few blogs will come hard and fast - this is my first time to be able to access internet for a while and a lot has been going on! Take your time to read them!

After packing our bags and saying many farewells, me and Andy hitched a ride with some of the Toyama students and one of their lecturers (Rob) to Ezra glass studio”s open day. Ezra is a 2 hour drive heading west of Toyama. Its located in a very small town by the name of Kanazu. And its very country by Japanese standards. (In other words - there are actually small farms, fields, and forest around as opposed to suburbs with rice fields)

It seemed to be Australia day at Ezra as there were two workshops coming to a close on the day we arrived. Ben Edols and his assistant Tom Rowney were doing their last day of demonstrations when we arrived, and Marcus Dillion and Emily McIntosh had just moved in a week ago to start their 2 month residency.

As the workshops were coming to a close on the day we were visiting there was a huge party that night. We joined in the festivities and were treated to a banquet of specially prepared Japanese food. Kegs of beer were flowing and many of the students had brought sleeping bags with them instead of trying to make it home again that night. The japanese are very strict when it comes to drink driving there is a zero blood alcohol limit here. No one wants to risk it.

It was great catching up with Ben and Tom again - and also Marcus and Emily who I went to uni with. Marcus and Emily offered let us stay in their little house for the night and we caught a taxi back to their place around the witching hour.

We made it back to their place after a few miscommunications with the taxi driver, and proceeded to head inside to swap travel stories and drink sake. Marcus and Emily are at the start of a year long world adventure that will take them through Japan, Europe, and the UK. I’m very jealous!

The next morning I think we crawled out of bed at about 12pm nursing killer hang overs. I have never had such a headache! My mood was also worsened when I discovered I’d left my favorite beanie (sorry Claudia), and Andy’s scarf and gloves at the party the night before. With no chance of being able to retrieve them.

With no real plan in mind we called a taxi to take us to the train station and jumped on the next train headed for Osaka.

---