Hey there's a festival in our street!! And other stories

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I am in Japan!!! A long way from Adelaide, Australia, but here I am in Shizuoka for a year teaching at an English Kindergarten while seeing and experiencing as much of this crazy, mixed up, amazing country as I can!

Woohoooo!!! One of my favourite things in Japan and right here in my street!! We had heard about this festival before, but didnt know when it was or anything. To our utter delight we arrived home from kindy on Wednesday afternoon to find vendors setting up stalls and preparations being made for walking on hot coals!!!! Yes you heard right- the very thing that Nigel Smart did that could have cost him his football career! And Marissa and I did it without one blister!! We are now assured to have good luck for a year!

The other photos are from our last long weekend, we drove along the coast to Shizunami and Omaezaki and Hamamatsu, then came back and went out in Shizuoka. Went bowling on Sunday night.

Also- some of my kindy kids, in the classroom and in the playground and assorted other Random Japan photos.

Keep writing me with all your news- whether your buying houses, winning trophies, having a fantastic night out or even just missing me I wanna know!

Love you all to Australia and back!

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Photos

Ryo and Ayuka
Two MEK kids eating toffee apples at the festival

Mizame
Pliable toffee on a stick- you can choose what food colouring they drop onto it and then you whirl the two sticks around to mix the colour.

Kids at the festival
We didnt know them but they thought it was a great joke to try to speak English to us!!

Fire
The very important people walked through the flames to start the proceedings.

Fire
And then everyone stepped back coz the fire got cracking!

More random kids
Still feel like a celebrity here sometimes!!

Yes thats me!
Thought Id put it in again!

Rice Paddies in Asabata
They have turned very yellow- and some have been cut and the rice hung up to dry.

Couscous shot bar
Some random minty mixture the owners wife made us!

Comments

[Mum and Dad]

Fire Walkers
Another once in a life time moment - We can't believe that everyone does it. Love your children - so glad we'll be seeing them and you two soon.

[Dad]

Rice
Obviously the next installment of the "Where Rice Really Comes From"story is due to be told - see you soon.

[Lol]

cute
your little ones are very cute. Loved the lighthouse too- great photo. Things are going well, Tom is back working locally and we're all loving he and Anita being here. Feels like family again. Catcha Lol

[Karina]

Brave Fire Walkers
Bet you went first? Hope your parents and grandmother have a great time with you!

[Dundon]

you girls are crazy!!
If you ask me i would say you girls are already hot enuf!! You didnt need to walk across any hot coals to change my mind. Miss you both! POO (amy) Spiro for president (Marissa). XOXOXOX

[Stephen Paul]

A is for Asahi
Thanks for the compliments! I love your pictures more, because they are more illustrative and tell a story. Your technique is great too! The Omaezaki ones are haunting. And whats that I see you step on before the coals, a wet cloth? CHEATERS! And whats up with the drinking and driving... ohh wait the steering wheel is on the other side of those cars! ha ha.. By the way, if October 28th comes and goes without a blog entry from BlackManx- your month time limit has expired and all of your readers become officially depressed... :)

[anonymous]

Hey Aims
Well I've finally got broadband up and working "properly", some sneeky little bastard was pigging backing on my netgear so it was alll slow and stuffed. Now it's mutli supa dupa encripted so alls good. Caught up with ya Ma n Pa n Gran on the weekend, they were glad to be home for a decent nights sleep in a real bed, I think?. Went out on the Jetcat across to Southbank for lunch. Came back to the hotel and Gran cleaned up on the pokies. Me well I just donated 10 buck and then Love your pic's, not sure about fire walking though? All the family are fine, though Cam had a bout of Gardia, so he's a tad scrawny now. Cate thinks this is the best blogg site and I tend to agree with her. Little Zach is almost walking, which is incredible cause he's like only 9 months, so that'll be interesting, for them. Sam n Shelly's house is almost finished and me well I'm just bumming around, waiting for Dec and the Ashes to start. I've booked to be down there for a week, so hopefully no repeat hospital visits this time around. Not much happening in sunny Toowoomba, too bloody dry, not much chance of rain either. The M1 Freeway into Brisbane has been closed because they've discovered cracks in the overpasses, so that is causing havoc. Anyway send me ya phone number again and I'll give you a buzz. Love Ben.