Visitors from Wales

Hooray - my first visitors from Wales arrived yesterday! Matt, Mandy and Livi are armed with JR rail passes, comfy walking shoes and a sense of adventure and are ready to explore Japan. I missed most of their first day as I was in work, but David showed them the delights of Makuhari which included a trip to Saizaria (family restaurant), a games arcade and a 100 yen shop. Classic.

Last night we thought we'd take them to a local izakaya (pub), but everywhere was full. I'd forgotten how busy Friday nights just after pay day could be. Salary men cutting loose. We did go into a yakiniku (DIY BBQ) place, but we weren't that impressed with the menu....It's one of those places where it would have been better had they NOT translated the menu into English. Delights included "cow's third stomach", "uterus", "pig's foot" and "tripe"....Livi wasn't impressed (and to be fair, neither was I). We made our apologies and ran.

We went to the local steakhouse instead. Although the food was good there, the service was unbelievably bad. We've been there many times and had never experienced that before. We'll blame it on poor Shoji, a Kanda student majoring in Spanish. His English was great, but his serving skills left a lot to be desired. So many of our students work part time in the restaurants of Makuhari and this neighbourhood gets so many foreign visitors, I reckon we should teach courses in "English for waiters and waitresses." The course should include note-taking skills and provide tips such as, if there's a hungry 10 year old from Wales at the table, she should get her dinner first.

Tulip Fair

Spring is my favourite time of year in Japan as I really love the flowers. There's always a big deal about them too. A couple of pots of tulips in Maronouchi are given their own "fair". Tokyo-ites queued for hours to buy them. They were lovely, but I didn't feel the need to spend my weekend in a queue.

The line to buy tulips

Celebrity Maronouchi doggies

Me with Kazue

Graduation ceremony and party

My first day back in work after my Mexico trip wasn't so bad as it was graduation day. Here is me with one of my favourite students, Rika, looking lovely in her graduation kimono. Congratulations Rika!

Back from Mexico

OK, I'm back. I was in denial yesterday that the holiday was over and having to be in work was a shock to the system. Here I am again - early hours of the morning slaving over a laptop. What did I say about lifestyle change???

After 5 weeks of eating out in Mexico, I am feeling very chubby. The plan was to start an exercise/diet routine as soon as I got back. I planned to go jogging this morning then into Omotesando to meet Kazue, but there is a storm outside. The winds are so strong that they have even suspended the trains. Is it possible for me to be in the same room as my laptop and not be working?

Off on our travels again

I have been working flat out (like a crazy person if truth be told) for 3 solid days and nights. I wanted to get my list of things done before I left the country for 5 weeks. I've been getting ready for the new semester, finishing an article, planning orientation for new staff in April etc etc. So much for finding time for other things... anyway, I will be taking a break from the grind which can only be a good thing.

I have just been chatting online to my Mexican friend Sergio who has helped to organise our visit to Xalapa in Veracruz. We are stopping for a couple of days in San Francisco to meet up with George, Amy and Chloe and then spending a couple of days in Mexico City before getting the bus to Veracruz.

Before I start on the journey, I still have to do some last minute jobs in work tomorrow and pay a visit to the ward office to pick up my new alien registration card. How I hate those jobs.

My bag is packed. I have 6 outfits plus hiking gear. I've no idea what I will need exactly. I know that 5 weeks of rotating 6 outfits will mean that when I get home again I am going to feel like I have lots of lovely new clothes.

Adventures continue on my new Mexico blog: Http://joblogsinmexico.blogspot.com

Finding the Nagoya version of myself again

Things have changed a lot since we moved to the Tokyo area. I've become a lot busier and more invested professionally, which has meant that a lot of the things that I used to love have barely surfaced. Half way up a mountain yesterday, I took stock and intend to rectify this.

1. I will go back to blogging. Facebook isn't the same. I don't get to describe things in as much depth. This process is quite therapeutic. For example, I can see the funny side of frustrating aspects of Japan. I also notice the cool things around me. I have stopped noticing Japan which is a crime.

2. I enjoyed being in the mountains again yesterday. It was my first hike since November and there is nothing like a good hike to clear the head and give you perspective. No matter how busy work gets, I need to climb a mountain at least every 3 weeks.

3. I have logged on to MySpace again. I used to get real pleasure from finding new bands.

Off to the Philippines

I am a traitor. I am trying out a new blog site as I got it free with my travel insurance....

Please have a look if you are interested in following my adventures in the Philippines February 27 to March 18, 2009.

http://journals.worldnomads.com/joblogs/