May 3rd- 7th is a series of holidays in Japan, starting with a National Holiday for the Emperor who liked gardens and the environment on Wednesday and Children's Day (also Boys Day) on Friday. Thursday is literally a holiday called 'in between day'!!! No nonsense about that! Boys Day is where the big fish (carp) kites originated- families that have sons hang them outside for good luck, strength and long life. Hiedi and I took this oppurtunity to see a bit more of Japan and so on Wednesday jumped in the car and went driving. Our initial plan was to head [View Full Entry]

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We have two new additions to the mansion. They are turtles ( hopefully not teenage, mutant or ninja) from the east and west sides of America named Fuji and Sushi. We got them from our friend Daisuke who owns the reptile shop. I just had them out and was playing with them, Sushi escaped and bolted, he can move pretty fast!! And Fuji tried to bite me so I think he was hungry. He has no teeth but a tongue! Also included in this Blog photos of Saturday night at Chatty, Mrs Nagata and Mrs Fuijiwara cooked up a storm and [View Full Entry]

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My first karaoke experience in Japan was on Friday night, we went to Shidax which is a huge place right in the middle of the city, with Blake (from the Pub School) his girlfriend Meagan, and two of his friends. Shidax is amazing, with at least 5 floors and hundreds of rooms and a Moulin Rouge theme. You book a room for a certain amount of time, we had two hours and then order drinks over a phone in your room. The song books are in the room and you just punch the number into the computer and away you go!! [View Full Entry]

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I had the Beatles song stuck in my head all day, but the strawberries were ripe for the picking at Shimizu on Saturday. Believe me, there is a limit to the amount you can eat at one time, and i guess it didnt help that i was smothering mine with the condensed milk they gave us (Dad, you would have been proud). Yum. We also saw the 'beach' and found a spot for some great fuji shots and experienced a dodgy Japanese restaurant where the picture menus were limited and a little blurry so the 'chicken' that i thought id ordered [View Full Entry]

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On Saturday night we went out with Daisuke, the snake man to a club called Boom Boom Bash in the city. He picked us up in his huge Landcruiser and we went to the club. We met some of his friends who spoke limited English, but we got express free entry to this club. It was really different, they had a few dj's and this thing called 'show case' where professional dancers come on and dance. Kind of like time warp, but more, and better dancers. They also had a couple of singers. We were one of only 4 non asians [View Full Entry]

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While all you aussies were enjoying your easter weekend, gorging on chocolate, not working on friday and monday, holidaying at the beach and being rained out at oakbank or the clare races Marissa and I caught the shinkansen to a touristy town called Kamakura a couple of hours away for a Saturday trip. The sun was shining, the birds were singing the octopus was hot and the beach was cold. All in all what a lovely (and long) day!! Also a few random photos from driving around on Sunday [View Full Entry]

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Have been checking out the surrounding area, the weather has been a lot nicer and everything is so green and pretty when the sun is out! In my area of Shizuoka it is mainly residential, with lots of green tea hedges on the surrounding mountains and vegie gardens that you see men and women tending. It is a quiet area, mostly families and older people so we feel quite safe walking home from tuition at night, and there are often people out walking until 10 ish at night, especially when the weather is nicer. Its quite nice to pass people in [View Full Entry]

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Heres a little glimpse into everyday life in Shizuoka. Its getting warmer here so even tho cherry blossoms are thinning the chance of having a clear day and a good view of mt fuji are improving. My week consists of kindy 9-2 Monday to friday, where i have a class of 24 3 and 4 year olds with varying levels of english. 5 are new students who need to learn the routine etc, so its all a little chaotic, expecially seeing two of them are escape artists with basically no english!!! I then have tuition tuesday, wednesday and thursday nights, with [View Full Entry]

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On Friday night we went to a welcome party for me and Hiedi at Mrs Nagatas 'School Pub'- 'Chatty' where we met the guy who is going to be working there when it is up and running. The idea is that Japanese people can come and have dinner and just have English conversation. I f they get any bookings I might have to work there but they havent had much interest yet so for now its just the MEK staff pub!!! We then went out after to Flyte tyme and then back to the mansion! [View Full Entry]

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Saturday night was my first experience of Japans night life and while very different to Oz thoroughly enjoyable! Everything is so much smaller- the clubs are just one room with a bar and sometimes a dance floor, you pay about 20-30 bucks to get in and then get given drinks tickets. Para para dancing (think it should be called paro paro, coz thats wat you look like when ur doing it) is a pparently all the rage over here- its a bit like when the nutbush or bus stop comes on at timewarp- everyone knows the steps to the songs and [View Full Entry]

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