Arriving in Bangkok

We have been to Thailand so many times so I am wondering whether I will be able to blog about it with a fresh eye…. Here goes….

We had already booked the Radisson Hotel online. Does having the Internet means that there will be no more adventure travel for us? Anyway, it was nice to feel pampered and have people carry our bags for us and call us Sir / Madam / Dr.Mynard / Dr.McLoughlin – this never happens in Japan. We took a London taxi from the airport to our hotel – seriously, we did! There is a company that makes them for export. There is also a new airport in Bangkok. I remember landing in the old one located right in the city. You come out of the airport and sit almost stationary in traffic jams for an hour. The new one is located out of town and linked to Bangkok by an expressway. Here’s the drill: you come out of the airport, pick a lane, go as fast as you can until something gets in your way, switch lanes and repeat until it is time for you to turn off.

When we arrived, they told us that there were only smoking doubles available or a non-smoking single. I told them it was our anniversary (it was!) and could they upgrade us. They did! Always worth asking J The deluxe room was lovely, if slightly cheesy. The hotel has a large pool area overlooking the expressway.

Catching up after the summer

It's Sunday 14th September and I am back in Japan after 6 weeks away. A lot has happened and I have only kept a sporadic diary but I will post snippets from it today in case anyone is interested.

A quick trim

I just got my haircut (not that you would notice – it still looks a mess). I always put it off for as long as possible in Japan because I find the whole process really irritating. Here are the problems:

1. It’s hard to explain exactly what you want in another language

2. You need to go armed with a picture to show the stylist. Unfortunately, Japanese hair magazines are somewhat uninspiring – all the styles look the same. None of them flattering on me.

3. The stylists always take AGES! Tonight I purposely asked for a “quick trim”. Emphasis on QUICK. I was in there an hour and I didn’t even get a shampoo or anything.

4. They always ask me loads of stupid questions (that to be honest I don’t understand properly). They seem to be asking me how to cut hair…. Why don’t they just get on with it?

5. When you get your hair washed, they place a paper towel over your face so that you can’t see anything. Why do they do that?

6. The hairdryers are painfully slow because of the voltage. The stylists usually have them on cool so that it takes even longer.

7. The stylists basically cut one or two hairs at a time and then stand back to make sure it matches the other side. This quickly gets annoying.

8. Every time you move from your seat (to the wash basin or what ever) everyone chimes in with “Otsu kara sama deshita” (good job). I don’t understand why they do this.

9. They make a big deal about the loyalty point card. As a returning customer, (why oh why?) I got a 150 yen discount tonight….. roughly 70p.

This cut should last me until I get to Wales when I will go running to Lorna, the hairdresser I have had since I was a child. Lorna knows exactly what to do with my hair and remembers every style I have ever had including that groovy perm she gave me back in 1983.

Please do it at home (2)

Another poster from the Tokyo Metro - "Please be careful of noise leaking from your headphones in the train." Would that be noise in liquid form?

Hikers scrub up well

Photos from the weekend:

Hiking in Yashagaike, Gifu-Fukui border
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=42433&l=dd0e4&id=630680819


Nick and Aiko's wedding
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=42429&l=c6d49&id=630680819


What a fantastic weekend!

Back to Nagoya

Back to Nagoya.... this time for a visit.

On the first night we went to an Izakaya with Justin. We had already eaten, but wanted to pick at something. We asked the waitress what went well with beer. Can you guess what she said? Nuts? No. Crisps? No. Olives? Wrong again. Chicken sashimi. We ordered it of course. Welcome back to Nagoya.

Wedding preparations

We are going to our friends' wedding in Nagoya on Sunday and I casually asked my Japanese co-workers if there is anything I need to know. Now I'm really nervous! Here is some of the advice they gave me:

"You know you give money, right" (yes)

"...but don't give an even number of notes, it symbolizes separation" (gasp!)

"...Oh, and don't give notes with a crease in them, they have to be perfect notes" (OK.... when I go to the ATM, do I keep sticking my card in the machine until I get perfect notes out?)

"...and you have to put the cash in a special envelope. Make sure you don't get the one you use for funerals" (more gasps!)

You don't just stick the cash in the envelope either, your name has to be in the correct place and it has to be folded correctly (if I get it wrong, I could be following protocol for funerals)

"...don't show your upper arms until and hour or two into the party"

"Get your nails done"

"Get an "up style" at the salon"

"Nagoya weddings are famous for being really beautiful. I hope you have a posh frock" (not exactly...)

I'm not sure when I am going to find time for salon visits as we have to be there in the morning and are hiking the day before...

Despite being a bit worried about doing something wrong, I am looking forward to Nick and Aiko's wedding.