Miyazaki

Asia » Japan
June 30th 2006

Published: July 15th 2006

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Quest for the Golden Carrot

Sunset at the park

Another Japanese entry from me!

So next stop was still in Kyusu, but a different city- Miyazaki. We're now at Shiv's place, and Natasha and Ann-Marie have joined us. We spent our first night at what has to be the best restaurant so far- Yawaraku. Really varied food- pumpkin and potato pie, chicken Nan Ban (chicken with tartare sauce) and familiar spicy noodles with veg!

On Thursday we had a very busy day visiting shrines and castles. This was the first day it hasn't rained since we've been here. First stop was Aoshima, a small island linked to the mainland by a bridge. Here there were some funky rock formations called the Devil's Washboard and a shrine.

Next stop was Udo-jingu, a really pretty shrine set in the rocks. There was a small rock pool, where if you managed to throw in a clay rock, you'd either stay with your partner at the time for life, or you'd find someone soon! I didn't manage it, but Natasha and Meera did.

At Obi, a small town, we saw the remnants of a castle and a Samurai house. We also ate some fantastic vegetarian food at a small restaurant.

BBQ in the park

On the way home we stopped by the beach and had a bonfire and some fireworks. Meera went into the sea for a swim, but us girls were terrified of Andrea's shark warning for around the world, so we kept our feet dry.

We went shopping on Friday and a lady in a kimono shop offered to dress Natasha up in a kimono- it was very elaborate, with loads of belts and collars, but she looked lovely! We also visited Shiv's elementary school and the children there taught us how to make origami. They were very good! We were there during their lunch break, but after lunch a bell rang and that signalled cleaning time- they all get to grab a broom and clean up the yard or sweep floors. Imagine getting children to do that in England!

Abs came to see us again and we went to another delicious Japanese restaurant and to a small karaoke bar. Everyone had fun blaring our Bohemian Rapsody to a bar of Japanese men and women. There seemed to be a lot of Japanese middle aged drunkards about who enjoyed talking to us.

Yesterday we went to a gorge for

Abhi and Shiv leaving the porn booth

a swim. We were imagining warm, crystal clear waters and a nice path to get us there. But when we arrived we discovered a choice of a 15 foot jump or sliding on our bums down moss-covered rocks. We chose the bum option and slid our way down, to discover the water was actually freeezing cold and quite murky. We'd come all this way and it was over 30 degrees so we still had a swim around and tried to avoid the flying mosquitos.

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