First days on Ishigaki and Iriomote

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25 / 06 - 2010
So i woke at 06:40, totally startled, surprised that my iPod hadn't notified me at 06.15 as the alarm was set to. So i looked at it, to find out it was out of battery.. damn lucky i woke up by myself. (praise jet-lag), had I woken up much later, then I wouldn't have made my flight from Hanada.
Got onboard the plain around 10, after spending sometime going through security. The good part of the trip was I didn't have to pay for the 6 kilos of overweight I had in my trunk, luck was really with me on that day. There where no problems at all from Hanada to Ishigaki, though it was a bit long and tiresome. When I arrived at Ishigaki airport, I hit a wall of warm/hot wet air. Average temperature at daytime is around 33 degrees, and at night I would grues about 30. I walked out to the arrival-hall with a danish flag in my hand scouting for my pickup.
Takuma-san saw me immediately and we said greetings. We took a taxi to the Terminal house, where I am staying during my vacation at Ishigaki. Got my “room” and threw my stuff in(wouldn't really call it a room). went out to settle some business with the landlord and went shopping for some cloths for Takuma, who had just come from work(still wearing a black suit). After that we walked around for a while, saw some of Ishigaki, while trying to have a conversation in Japanese.. hehe fun! There are a lot of pubs in the vicinity of where I'm staying. Understands a lot of what he says, I just cant respond in the same casual way... yet. He showed me the fune no minato(seaport) where the boats go from Ishigaki to Iriomote, where he lives.
Suddenly his phone rang, and a friend asked if we came over to the Izakaya, restaurants of sorts, but traditional japanese where they serve alcohol and you can smoke.. :) we tasted all sorts of food, from sea-saled(sashimi style) to 豚の足buta no ashi (pig's foot) and grilled fish. Furthermore I tasted gyoja”i think it's called”, which is a special vegetable they only grow on Ishigaki. The vegetable is then sliced in thin slices and is boiled to the texture of chips!! really yummy! Has some bitterness, but better chips cant be bought.
After the dinner, we walked around to see the nightlife of Ishigaki. Takuma decided to introduce me to the phenomenon of “hostclubs”. These are not to be mistaken for brothels. Infront of these clubs are 3-4 beautiful girls, looking for potential costumers, and shout “Irasshaimase”(welcome to our store/come on in”. When entering, you are accompanied by 1 - 2 girls who sit and talk with you as long as you buy the beer. I was accompanied by Ruka (stage name) and we talked back and forth about what we are presently doing, had done, and probably will do, etc. etc. (all in Japanese).
We left after a couple of hours, having to talk Japanese for that long is a really strain on the brain!! but anyhow we went to a sports-bar, where we had a couple of rounds and several beer, and around 02.30 we went home. Takuma had rented a hotel room, near where I'm staying. I got home, and feel a sleep within seconds.

26 / 06 - 2010
06.30 I awoke to and weird looking man stand over me, trying to shake life into me.. “Henriku-san... Henriku-san, okite yo!” as last nights memories returned, I remembered Takuma and our plan of going to Iriomote-jima, I sat up startled, confusion still painted in my face, and a breath reeking of hells leftovers! Hurriedly packed the stuff I needed, and was ready 20 minutes later, without having showered or brushed my teeth, I was so slow. With a head that felt like mount Fuji, I left with Takuma towards Iriomote-jima. We docked and took a bus to the hotel he works, there I got a room, I could spend the night for 2000yen. That was cheap compared to how much room I got. Takuma had to work from 10 - 12 and from 17.30 - 22.00, therefore I had a couple of hours for myself. So I took a shower, went a trip around to see what the island had to offer. I went back to the room, smoked a couple of cigaret and read an hour in my E-book on my iPod. Around 12.00 Takuma came to the room, and we went out for a swim.
There are many dead/living/poisonous(doku) coral, therefor you have to wear some sort of slippers when you go out into the sea.
When we went back to the hotel, I was totally red, even though I had used suncream F15... (still red this day today, though it doesn't hurt anymore). I relaxed some more, with a book and some soda and just chilled. Around 8 o'clock I went into the “restaurant”, Takuma had placed a danish flag at one of the tables for me. I sat down, and ate a wonderful meal with fruits afterwords and a cold beer to cool me down. Wonderful!! That's what life is all about!.
On my way back to my room I saw a crab, took a little picture of it for you guys a home.. :) came back, and went straight to bed!

**NOTE** I'm a bit behind schedule with writing these entries, but I promise, I will get it done over the next couple of day, now things have settleted a bit down, and I have gotten the computer on internet. :)

またね！
Henrik!

PS. its still freaking hot down here!!!!

Stay tuned!

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