Finally...That Cocktail! Horay for Thailand! Our two weeks in one of the most amazing beach destiniations will be brought to you by both Yvette (week 1) and Dom (week 2).. Travel & Bangkok So we probably would have failed the auditions for the Amazing Race. The reality TV show where a dozen couples or friends are flung from one exotic destination to another, with challenges and activities along the way, all aiming not to come last, or else elimination from the race will ensue.... Firstly, we arrived at Hong Kong airport for 2 hours intransit, but I'd left my Hong Kong dollars in my checked-in luggage; we booked our Bangkok accommodation so last minute, non of the last-minute web sites were capable of taking our booking; and then to top it all off Day 1 of ... read more

Our First Big Ticket Item Dom finally arrived in Tokyo on 28th March. Hooray! After a day of rest and relaxation, I quickly whisked him around town for some sightseeing, and not intending to stretch things, on Day 2 we somehow managed to cover the Rainbow Bridge, Odaiba & the Fuji TV building, Asakasa Shrine, the Yasukuni Shrine and dinner in Shinjuku! By Day 3, we were then on the train to Hakone to try our luck at seeing Mt Fuji - as on most days its either covered by cloud or smog. And luck was on our side.......... The trip to Hakone is made a hell of a lot simpler with the purchase of a Hakone Freepass. Whilst it covers 2 days of travel in the region, for the 1 day trip we had ... read more

Part 2 - Entourage for a Day 4th March 2006. Super Aguri Press Conference & Media Activity 10:30 - 1:30 - Preparation & Media Time I turned up to the Hollywood Plaza in Roppongi at 10:30am to a corridor of 7 elevators serviced by 7 men in black suits, ear pieces and security tags. Feeling a bit "play school - which window to choose" I advanced confidently to the nearest elevator and requested to be escorted to Level 12. Upon arrival, I was shocked by what I saw - my colleagues had also transformed into head-set, walkie-talkie bearing uber-important backstage support crew. The floor was a buzz; media in one room, team officials in the second and support staff (us) in the third. The day's agenda had been broken down by the minute, per key ... read more

Thank God It's Friday... ...Could possibly be the best name for a pub ever. Genius. And you know your night is going to be out of the ordinary when the evening starts at 11:30pm, on the street, drinking a $3 beer bought from the 7/11. Why pay $10 inside a bar when the 7/11 provides such a reasonable alternative? Genius. Then 30 minutes later, our hands were in the air for 'Living on a Prayer'. Followed by Venga Boys 'Brazil' and Madonna's 'Hung Up'. Genius. However, after an hour and a half in the 'Mowtown 2' bar in Roppongi, we had a sneaky suspicion the same songs were being replayed. It felt like I was back at the Horden seeing the Venga Boys 'live' and listening to the same songs in the encore as were 'sung' ... read more

Shinjuku, Nakano Sakaue & Sakura House So my previous installments have touched on my living arrangement and the local area, however now being several weeks into my stay in Tokyo, I thought I would provide more insight about what it’s like living in Nakano Sakaue Sakura House. Shinjuku The first advantage, as I’ve mentioned previously, is the wonderful proximity we have to Shinjuku. I’ve discovered there are two distinct sides to Shinjuku - the western side - known for its office buildings, expensive hotels (including the Hyatt’s ‘Lost in Translation’ bar) and residential suburbs. (This is the side I live on) The eastern side however, is probably more like the Kings Cross of Tokyo! An area called Kabukicho, during the day, is a normal shopping district, but by night the club hustlers are out on the ... read more