Autumn in Tokyo

Just spent a morning wandering around in this beautiful park.  The colours are so fantastic at this time and today is a holiday so there were many Japanese visitors too - and it rained!

Rikugien Garden (Near to Ikebukero and Kyu Furukawa Garden)

This garden is a typical "kai-yu" ("walk-around") style garden. The thirty and sixty minute walking courses will take you round the pond, up Mount Fujishiro which is a miniature mountain, past Garyuseki Rock which represents a dragon, and past Horai-jima island which is shaped like a turtle. The garden dates back to 1695; it took 7 years to build and throughout history it has been described in many Japanese "waka" (31 syllable) poems.

Hakone

I really should have written this before the last one - but you know how it is, sometimes there is a gap in inspiration and action!

At half term in October we got away from the city for a few days.  I was busy with a course so could not leave town for very long but we decided to make the best of it - and we did!  We stayed in the Hyatt in Hakone - a beautiful, small, exclusive hotel set in the mountains and foothills of Fuji- san.  We had the most fabulous suite with a view of Fuji san right outside the big picture windows - when the clouds weren't there!  The weather was OK - not too wet and quite chilly so we enjoyed the smell of woods and rain and crisp, clean mountain air.  The hotel itself resembled a Swiss ski lodge - all natural woods and pale colours - stunning.  The added bonus was an onsen (bath) that drew water from the volcanic ground underneath at a temperature of 40C.  There is a ritual around Japanese onsen (more on that at another time) but suffice to say it is a hugely relaxing experience and one that became quite addictive!

On our first day we took a short walk form the hotel to a little train to catch a cable car to catch a boat!  It was amazing.  The cable car dangles over sulphurous springs and volcanic landscape with a fine view of Lake Ashi as you approach your destination, Togendai.  The silence of a cable car and the eerieness of floating above a primordial landscape was unbelievably relaxing and totally absorbing. The arrival at Lake Ashi was something of surprise - we were greeted by the sight of pirate ships that plough their way across the lake!  Hmm, we thought, but we did it anyway!  To be greeted by a pirate on board demanding to have a photo taken was an interesting start to the cruise but I think Dave's short, but courteous, "No thank you" did the job - he didn't bother us again!  (She fails to mention that she did actually agree to it but felt very silly!)

Waiting to board the boat was an interesting experience.  There were many Japanese there, doing what we were doing.  This is an area of outstanding natural beauty and the Japanese are big into nature - they love it and find it very spiritual (well, if you live in Tokyo, it is the perfect antedote).  So, queuing then.  Dave, at 6 feet 2 inches, was quite literally, head and shoulders taller than all of those around us. They could not help but stare at him;  and stare they did.  We do not get this in Tokyo but it did remind us of our time in China - we were very used to being the centre of attention there!

Day two of our short trip was equally fascinating.  In the wilds of the Hakone area we found the most amazing open air art museum with the biggest collection of Picasso I have ever seen.  We had intended to pop in, do the tour and then push off to Odawara for the rest of the day.  No way!  We were there all day and could so easily return.  The photos say it all.

Sulphurous Springs

Pirate Ship - "Ahoy, me 'arties!!"

View from Lake Ashi

Fuji san himself

Art Museum - fabulous place

Ladies in Kimono

Travelling around Tokyo on the Yamanote Line today (a bit like the Circle line, but above ground all the way), I noticed three older ladies dressed in the most beautiful kimono, complete with the kimono coat (the temperature is low today) and those flip flop type shoes that are oh so difficult to walk in.  These ladies were obviously on their way to some rather formal occasion - perhaps to the Shrine to remember a loved one and pay their respects to the spirits; or it may simply have been a birthday lunch for a friend or a concert.  The juxtaposition of such traditional dress and the modern mayhem of Shinagawa Station struck me as a real conflict of ideas.  The kimono shoes are built to support the weight of the obi and therefore throw the wearer forwards on their toes.  The flip flop design means you can't move very quickly and the kimono itself means that you can't take huge strides;  you have to tip toe and shuffle along in a very feminine and humble way.  Shinagawa by contrast was bustling, with people dashing from one platform to another, from one train to a bus or taxi and all at a rate of knots.  Japan, I thought, is an island of contrasts. 

A little bit of England

I had the good fortune to be taken to a small and very beautiful area of Tokyo which was like a mini Kyotyo!  It was full of streams, verdant greenery with ferns, bamboo and beautiful maple trees that are most definitely on the turn for autumn.  We wandered around this area, Jindaiji, famous now because of a Japanese soap opera which has just finished and that was filmed in the area - and also based on a story about two people from the area who continue to live there - a Japanese equivalent of Emmerdale, if you like.

We enjoyed a rather huge lunch sitting in an old style building full of tatami rooms and sliding doors where we ate the soba noodles that are the speciality of the town and tempura whilst sipping green tea.  It was idyllic.  My companions were able to tell me a lot about the area and it was a real privilege to a part of it all.  I was the only gaijin in the the place for the whole day - I saw no other foreigners.

After lunch we went to the Botanical Gardens nearby and strolled through the most beautiful rose gardens with fountains and glass houses and lovely shady areas.  It was like a little bit of England on a summers day.  The rose perfume filled the air and it was a delight to watch artists recreating the scene in front of them with great accuracy and definition.  Such a talent.  The rose flavoured icecream was delightful and a must to try.

Fruit and Veg in Japan

It's cooler now (24C) and has been raining for days at a time as we get buffeted by the typhoons that sweep the Pacific Ocean - autumn is clearly on its way.  It's a time for wet shoes, wet feet, wet legs, umbrellas and looking like a drowned rat.  So, hiding in my apartment from all that, it's time for a few short snippets on the practicalities of life in Tokyo.  Starting with what my American friends call produce (pronounced pro-doos).

Have I ever told you how wonderful the fruit and vegetables are here?  What's on sale in the shops is mostly grown here somewhere and the great thing is... if it's not in season, you can't buy it so it's absolutely perfect for the time of year and I have to say the quality is extremely high, mind you, so is the price.  My local greengrocers stocks a wonderful array of plums, pears, apples and other odd looking fruits (and veg) I am not quite sure of!

It's grape season here at the moment and about 5pounds (UK) will get you an average sized bunch.    They are beautiful.  They are sweet and juicy and if you are very lucky you can get the seedless ones.  They are in three colours too so make a fabulous arrangement in the kitchen - black and green, obviously, and some pretty little pink ones which are so sweet.  I firmly believe they are better than chocolate! 

Sumo, English Tea and visitors

Early September saw the arrival of Matt and Kirsty to stay with us and experience a little of what Tokyo has to offer.  They were the perfect visitors - up for anything and, even in the very high temperatures, seemed very happy to be dragged from place to place to see temples (lots of those) and buddahs and stuff.  Matt had expressed an interest in sumo before they arrived and as luck would have it the BIG tournament was going on while they were here.  Because of all the bad press around sumo at the moment, getting tickets was not so difficult and we were lucky enough to get a tour guide as well so we could learn a bit about what was actually going on. 

To be honest, I was not at all sure it was going to be my thing but Dave was keen (he loves any kind of sport), Kirsty was up for it and Matt was hugely excited!  So I toddled along for the ride.  Anyway, when we got there I was totally taken with it all.  Just seeing those giants of men strolling around the place and then learning about the discipline of it all was a huge eye-opener. 



Can you see that tiny ref in the middle?

The art of sumo is steeped in tradition linking back to its Shinto roots. The wrestlers bout may only last a few seconds but their sense of respect for each other and the sport comes across to you in waves. The tournament lasts fifteen days and we are now at day 12. I have to confess that I am to be found watching it on TV whilst I iron!

Who would have thought it? 

It was Matt's birthday whilst they were here and what do you do for a bloke who has everything?  We took him to the Ritz for Tea!  Yep, English Afternoon Tea at the Ritz in Tokyo - what a fabulous experience that was.

 A big thank you to Matt for the photos

Now the Welsh bit....

We returned from Bali, only to fly out a few days later to visit Wales.  Now this was something really exciting for me - I had never spent longer than a weekend in Wales and I was to be allowed almost two weeks this time.  We rented an absolutely state of the art apartment in the Swansea Marina (.... should that be on the Swansea Marina? Beside the Marina is probably a a more accurate description!).  It was part of the tallest building in Wales.  To be honest, it was a bit of a blot on the landscape and truly visable from miles around - very clear form the Mumbles so not worries about getting home after a good meal at Patricks!

Back to the apartment...  there were a few very strange little foibles in this brand new apartment.  For example, if you put the TV on and then opened the french windows you lost half the channels and if you opened the french windows AND hung onto the handrail you lost them all!  Quite an amazing inbuilt feature we thought.  It's not one we have come across before or would wish to again.  Then there was the very noisy extractor fan in the bathroom which was linked to the putting on of the light.  Fine during the day but at night it really wasn't going down too well.  Found a solution though - we found the fuse!

We saw lots of the Gower during our stay.  It was beautiful.  My first glimpse of Three Cliffs Bay was quite breathtaking - and there were very few people about.  The sun shone, we topped up our Bali tans and had a fabulous time. 

We were there to support Dave's brother and we saw a lot of him whilst we were there.  He is in the later stages of Alzheimers and we both felt we made a difference to his day - he certainly knew who Dave was and his face would light up as we came onto the Unit.  As the weather was good we took him out for a walk most afternoons and even took him in the car a couple of times.  On one occasion, Dave pulled up behind traffic just outside a pub.  Roy took one look at the pub and had his seat belt off in a heartbeat - "Going for a drink, are we?" he said with a big smile on his face.  Sadly not.

At the end of our stay in Wales Dave's son got married in Cardiff. It was a lovely day for them all.

After all the family stuff we decided a break in Bournemouth would be just the thing.  We booked the De Vere - a place we know well and have stayed at many times before.  Imagine our surprise when we discovered that it had turned into Fawlty Towers!  The room we booked was supposed to have a seaview - it did, just, but was very hot and had two tiny little windows that could open. The bed had two very flat pillows on it and no evidence of any spare pillows in the room - it looked like a room you might have in a B&B fifty years ago.  The TV had a mind of its own and kept turning itself off after a few minutes and the final nail in the coffin was the ironing board which was a struggle to put up and then collapsed as soon as any pressure was applied!  I complained and we were shown three more identical rooms - we opted to stay where we were until the following morning when we were offered the most amazing room with a huge balcony to sit out on.  It was a gorgeous room and although it looked a little tired we were very pleased we'd made a fuss.There were grumbles through out the hotel - no one seeed   happy with their time there.  It was very sad for us - it will be our last visit.  There must be better places to stay!

Bali

In early July we flew to Bali for some rest and relaxation after a challenging year here in Tokyo.  Both of us were quite exhausted by it all - mine was based on inactivity rather than a hectic lifestyle and David was exhausted and exhilarated by the many successes for him this year.

Bali was everything we'd hoped it might be.  It was the typical tropical island with the palm trees, frangipani trees and cicadas.  Our first stop was at our Villa which was absolutely charming  - the best bit for me was the outdoor shower in what I can only describe as the garden.  It was a huge monsoon shower surrounded by tropical plants and charming Balinese statues - a real oasis of tranquility. It was walled in - so don't worry - I didn't frighten the natives!   Our very own pool was cold and refreshing and we also had use of the pool at the complex which seemed to be totally unused by anyone else.  Oh and don't forget access to the beach as well and we were well served for water relaxation!  We read a lot and rested a lot and recharged the batteries.  Food was just a phonecall away or a short stroll into the town for the delights of Balinese cooking - beef rendang became our absolute favourite!

Week 2 saw us move over to the Hyatt in the same town of Sanur.  This was an altogether different experience - five star treatment and service and a wonderful view of the sea.  Dave celebrated his birthday here - a very windy dinner served by the pool watching the charming Balinese dancers.  I mention the wind because it was such an issue - almost everything that wasn't nailed down blew into the pool and had to be retrieved by wading waiters!  Daves birthday cake arrived - lighting the candle was a struggle and blowing it out, unnecessary!

Having celebrated a birthday Dave was now looking for ways to prove he wasn't old.  Parasailing for the first time seemed just the thing....  so after a brief conversation and the "If there isn't a queue" get out clause we strolled along the beach.  No queue, Trysh paid and Dave was airbourne in minutes!  You'll love the photo...

We took a tour of the island too.  A car and driver duly arrived to collect us and we spent the first part of the day driving out to Blue Lagoon for some fabulous snorkelling.  It was a huge success for Dave who found the right spot by just going with the current and having the technical know-how to snorkel properly....  less of a success for Trysh who simply couldn't sort her snorkel out, was washed downstream in the current, looked at some very brown and disappointing corals with a few brightly coloured fish and drank way too much salt water resulting in a very stressful swim back to the boat - strong current and not a strong swimmer - climbing on board and sitting in a rocking boat - yep - you guessed it - I was seasick!   By the time Dave got back in the boat all enthusiastic about the coral and the fish and sea and the....  he glanced at me and muttered those endearing words of support - "Over the side Trysh, over the side!"

When the boat man suggested moving to an even more spectacular cove to snorkel, I declared that if I wasn't taken back to dry land instantly I would, quite simply, die.  Dave did consider it an option I think - I'm pretty sure I detected a pause ( a dead wife cannot nag any more, can she?) before he said to the boat man - no thanks we'll go back.  Wise man.

In true seafaring tradition, I was absolutely fine once I arrived on dry land and met up with our guide.  He put us back in the car and drove for hours to show us the wonderful sights inland - the rice paddies, the fruit farms and the spice farms.  We saw so much.  Then we had a fabulous lunch in a restaurant overlooking Mount Gulangong - well it would have overlooked the mountain but it was cloudy - so we just had to imagine it there!

Bali was absolutely stunning and the people were so friendly and helpful - they could not do enough for us.  We are seriously considering going back in the autumn.....

Dave's finally on terra firma!

English as she is spoken

Last Saturday, Dave and I had the great privilege of being invited to the Japanese School with whom The British School shares a building, to judge their spoken English competition.  There were many students who took part and they all seemed amazingly calm in such nerve wracking circumstances.  Some had to recite a speech made by President Obama about education, some had to write and then repeat their own argument for or against something and then we had recitations from The Odyssy (odd choice, I thought) and from Ceasars "Lend me your ears" speech.

To be honest, I was in awe of them all.  None of them had English as a first language but all of them spoke with such fluency that it put even first language speakers to shame.  I doubt many of my fellow students at 14 could have spoken so well, and so publicly (apart from the one who went on to be a politician, of course). 

The judging was very difficult - the criteria given to us was very demanding.  The students had to look the part, sound the part and give the impression of being the part!  A huge task.  They all did brilliantly, some more brilliantly than others!  The other judges were a Professor from Waseda University and a teacher of English at the school.  We did well and managed to pick all the right students to win.  One girl gave a fabulous presentation on the power of happiness only to burst into tears when she heard she had first prize!  There was a certain irony, we thought.

Another interesting day in the life of the Williams's.

Thoughts on Jet Lag

I have been suffering from jetlag for five days now.  It is nearly over - I am quite sure but I have come to the conclusion that it is like a mild form of  mental illness. 

1. You can't sleep when others are sleeping and you inhabit a world that is dark and grey, flinching from the bright lights that herald the morning sun - knowing you will only want to go to sleep now that everyone has woken up.
2. You find it impossible to eat when others do.  You feel hungry at the most odd times - I actually ate two breakfasts one day - one at 4 am and the other, with Dave at the right time.  It felt right.  Lunch is a no-no but come 3pm I was reaching for the kitkats and anything else that had a million calories a bite.  Dinner?  Well, that's a little easier, you see, it should be your lunchtime in that other place.
3. You do odd things.  Why did I leave that glass in the wardrobe with the sweaters - as my husband kindly pointed out? And why did I put my diary in the fridge?

Thankfully these symptoms pass and you get back into the swing of things.  I had rather thought that the more transitions I made, the easier it would become to adjust - it seems to be the opposite.  Flying to England is not such a problem - it takes 36 hours and I am back on track but coming this way, east, is a nightmare and it is the same for everyone I talk to about it here.  Weird, isn't it?  Still, as I quickly remind myself - it's a bit of a privilege to be able to moan about jet lag, isn't it?

China on my mind

To those of you reading this, you will notice no changes; however to me, as a writer, I can tell you I have discovered the secret of enjoyable blogging:  wifi.  As I write this on the new laptop, I am sitting on one of the balconies looking towards Mt Fuji (I can't see it - there's too much haze), enjoying the sunshine.  I used to have to write in the study - a darker room with some great features:  a large screen and a wider keyboard mostly.  The wifi was my doing - what fun I had setting that up, but on to other things.

China. Remember when we were there?  Remember tales of travelling on our first Chinese bullet train, me feeling like Michael Palin, eating unforgettable delicacies which I eventually learned to refuse politely?  Well it really was deja vu for us. 

Early May saw us on an early morning flight to Beijing to celebrate the wedding of our lovely friend Helen.  Helen used to work in the office at Rego school in Tianjin and became a surrogate daughter for us.  Her wonderful ways with the English language entertained us and soothed us over the two years we shared with her and her command of Mandarin got me out of jail free - being arrested for not reporting as an alien in my early weeks in the country.

She and Michael set the date of their wedding by interrogating the spirits and gods at a Taoist shrine - they came up with 4.13 pm  on a particular day in May - so we were all duly summoned to a lovely Chinese Restaurant, overlooking the Haihe River where the Master of Ceremonies was installed to conduct her Chinese wedding.

We arrived a little early and , to be honest, it didn't look like there was much going on at the place the taxi dumped us (having negotiated an inflated fare by stating that his meter did not work - oh that old chestnut I thought! Still, doubling what should have been a pound to make it two seemed quite a bargain really compared to taxi rates in Tokyo!)  The building looked as though it might just be still under construction but a few conversations, with lots of gesticulations and smiles, later and we found we were in the right spot.

She arrived in the traditional red car and was greeted by her husband to be who carried her all the way to the fifth floor - ah.... bless.  The firecrackers were so very noisy and the bad spirits well and truly chased away.  She looked stunning and a bit shocked by it all - she spotted Dave standing well back and shouted "Oh Principal!" - it was a lovely greeting.  We were treated like royalty all afternoon.  We met her parents for the very first time and were greeted warmly - an invitation to go to their home was issued immediately and the fact that we had come all the way from Japan seemed to make them all feel very happy.  We were humbled by the whole day - it was wonderful to see our old friends and they, in return, seemed so pleased to see us.  We had a fabulous time with Max, Sara and Frank, May and Harry and many others.

The wedding was true China meets Las Vegas and it was hugely emotional for us all - I even shed a tear or two while they decared undying love for each other (you had to be there really!).  Dave and I both think they are well suited and  hope they lead long and happy lives together.

We did not waste our time in China and took the chance to revisit a few of our favourite haunts - we stayed in Beijing, travelling to Tianjin on the bullet train.  It was such a privilege to feel so at home in a country that we have learned to enjoy - we really felt we knew what we were doing!  When it was time to leave we were a little sad - it is unlikely that we will return - Helen's wedding was the last thing on our agenda and that period of our lives is probably closed forever - but who knows?  Babies will be born and if we can, we will travel to see them too.

The Kindness of Strangers (and friends!)

Volcanic Ash?  Yes, we did get stuck.  We'd been back for Jemma and Ben's wedding and then to our dismay discovered that our carefully laid plans to get back to Tokyo were absolutely snookered.

We'd planned to fly the day after the wedding and all our arrangements hinged on that.  It was not to be.  As Sunday 18th April neared it became very clear that the skies would not be open any time soon.

A quick email to a very good friend of ours was greeted with an absolute yes and we thank Ann hugely for allowing us to stay in her home - even when she wasn't there!  Even now, looking at all the TV reports of the time, we thank our lucky stars (and Ann) for being so comfortable during the delay!  The enforced downtime was good for the soul and we explored Reading as never before.  (Recommend the Jamie's Italian just outside the Oracle!!)

We pretty much kept to our plans and I had to return the hire car to Healthrow on the Sunday as planned.  I drove up an eerily quiet M4 heading to Heathrow with road signs saying "Heathrow Airport Closed" all the way. It was about 7pm and I did rather wonder if the Hire Car place would be open.  The roads around the airport were amazingly easy to navigate - no one on them! 

Herz was indeed open and the staff there could not have been more helpful.  I returned the car and waited in line for a receipt.  In front of me were two men - I thought they were friends but no, the first man had driven all the way from Madrid and to avoid paying the extortionate 3000 Euros that Herz were demanding to drop the car off in a different country, he had waited outside all day with a sign in Spanish saying "Please take this car back to Madrid".  It had paid off.  The second man was from Madrid and was looking for a car to take him there.  We got chatting and he actually offered to take me to Madrid to catch a flight for Tokyo. I explained that my husband and luggage were in Reading so I was unable to go with him.  He was so sweet and said that he had a Channel Tunnel Train booked and did not have time to go via Reading or he would have done so.  It warmed my heart.

The elderly couple I met on the Herz bus were also very sweet - over from Canada, they had finished their visit with relatives in Wales and now could not get back.  They were preparing to sleep on the bus station floor until things changed.  I suggested going outside of Heathrow to get a hotel room and I really hope they did.

Now the volcano has started up again..... we have travel plans for the summer - most of which do not invlove going anywhere near the northern hemisphere but for just two and half weeks we will be in the UK.  If you get a call from us saying we are stranded.... please take pity on us - your garden shed may come in handy!

Cuddles and Confetti - what a week!

On a Tuesday in early April, little Ruby Elizabeth arrived  - so her nickname, of course, is Ruby Tuesday.  She weighed 7lbs 5ozs and is a beautiful and settled little girl.  She is, quite simply, adorable.  Now, this is not new news to all you grandparents out there, but this is my very first encounter with a grandchild albeit a step grandchild.  Dave and I were on a flight within the week and had the enormous pleasure of spending five days in Liverpool, dropping in for cuddles and telling her all about our life in Tokyo! Her mum and dad, Sian and Andrew, are wonderful parents and we know she has the best start in life.  What a privilege to spend time with them all and, for us, Skype is a magical invention - we saw her within 24 hours!

It was something of a week - not only did Ruby arrive but my very own youngest little girl, Jemma (in pink and who will not relish this description!) married her best friend Ben.  They have known each other since they were teenagers and Ben's mum and I used to joke about becoming The In-Laws - no joke:  on Saturday 17th April, it really happened.  It was a beautiful day in Salisbury and Jemma looked amazing.  The wedding was a small affair and we all had a wonderful day.  Sadly Dave and I had to leave after the lunch - the party continued!  We had to get back to Heathrow to see if there was any chance of our flight the following day. This is a story for another blog - it's quite a tale with stories of the kindness of strangers and our friends.

Hot springs and little fishes

The day dawned bright and sunny and I headed off to meet my Japanese friend at Roppongi station to sample the delights of a real, Japanese onsen (public bath).  It is in Odaiba - a part of Tokyo Bay which has been built on reclaimed land.  The train out there has the most wonderful view and is well worth the trip!  What amazed me most about Odaiba was the wind strength.  It was blowing a real gale and whipping up the dust out there - not a bit like the sheltered parts of Tokyo that I usually frequent.

The Onsen is built in the traditional style and the whole place resembles an old fashioned village from the Edo period.  So having taken off your shoes and paid a modest sum for entry you are guided to the counter where you choose  your Yukata - a casual dressing gown type thing that covers you from neck to calf or toe.  There is a good selection in many sizes and we were soon kitted out.

We headed outside.  It was a lovely day and the temperature was not too low.  This part of the Onsen was, what the Americans call, co-ed - mixed, male and female so you keep your yukata firmly tied!  We spotted a place that has a shallow pool with doctor fish in it.  These are small black catfish like fish that just love to chomp their way through the dead skin on your feet.  We plonked our feet in the pool and the agony/ecstasy began.  The feeling was like a million bubbles bursting all over your feet - very gentle and very tickly!!  A fellow Japanese guest screamed throughout the whole process ....  but kept her feet firmly in the water!  The effect, after 15 minutes, is beautifully manicured feet - quite the best I've ever had!  I will return.

The rest of the place (single sex places this time) was full of hot springs to wallow in, steam rooms to indulge yourself and a couple of places which were very unusual - there was the sand bath (yep, had to have a go at that) and the hot salt bath (nope, not doing that!).  In the sand bath we were wrapped in our yukatas, in towels and then buried in hot volcanic sand.  The sand was at 43 C.  They bury you from your neck all the way to your toes.  The sand is hot and very heavy and they keep checking on you.  Believe me they need to!  You cannot move and you perspire very heavily for 15 minutes then they unwrap you and guide  you to a cold shower.  I'm sure it does you good.  It left me feeling very sleepy and totally spaced out! 

We took a break, ate an ice cream and then headed off for lunch.  There were plenty of places to be massaged and pummelled if that was your fancy.  It was a great day out - another tick in the box for things to do in Japan!

Jet Lag and other irritations

I know it seem churlish of me, but I have to confess to being fed up with jet lag - nice to be able to travel, I hear you say, so stop moaning!  It's just that, as I sit here, at 2.42 in the morning, there is no one else on line to chat to so it feels as though I'm the last person on the planet.  I'm not one to suffer from insomnia so this is a frustrating experience for me.

The reason for the jet lag is that we have been back in the UK doing the recruitment for Dave's school out here in Japan.  It was great fun to be able to see some old friends and to spend my mother's birthday with her.  We arranged a lunch for a few friends and family and we had a fabulous day at Brancaster.  The sun shone, the wind was gentle and the company was fantastic.  Ryan drove up from London just to be with us and that was such a wonderful thing.  It was also an absolute treat to be able to spend a couple of days with Kirsty who helped me to take out an old cat flap and put in a new one for my mum.  It was not without its tribulations - of the four screws one was not going to undo and we had to enlist the help of a neighbour - brute force was the answer and neither of us had the oomph!  Fitting the new one was a cinch by comparison.  Dave, meanwhile, was travelling the country, observing teachers and working very hard!  Do I feel guilty?  Not really  :)

I was also lucky enough to spend the following day in London with Jemma, Ruth, Kirsty, Manda,and Jean searching for (and finding) the perfect wedding dress for 17th April.  What a blessing to to take part in that rite of passage and what fun we had.  Lunch was good too - a Dim Sum restaurant just off Carnaby Street. 

While we were in the UK our lap top picked up a virus - it was a huge inconvenience and I tried to get PC World in Swindon to fix it for us.  They happly took my eighty pounds to fix it and then had the gall to tell me they didn't have time to get to it!  We were not happy.  Still they did refund the money - just as well!!!  However, it meant that we were without internet for a couple of days and having arrived back after the long haul flight I had to set to and resurrect the old desk top machine that has been sitting in the corner of the study for months since our arrival in Tokyo.  Actually, it's quite nice to be able to see a huge screen so it's not all bad news!

So back to the beginning - now I'm nine hours out of synch with Tokyo and writing my blog!  The joys of travel!  Off to make tea now - care to join me?

Secrets of a subway traveller

I don't often use the subway (or Metro as it is also known here) at peak times.  All those stories of men in white gloves shoving passengers into cars to get as many on as possible seemed rather unbelievable.  I mean, the Japanese are so particular about their own personal space and anyway, they have pretty strict health and safety rules, don't they?

Well, yesterday saw me boarding a train on the Yamanote Line (the equivalent of the Cirlce Line in London) at just after 9.00 am.  It isn't peak time as the Japanese start work late (and finish even later) but the station was busy which, given that the trains run every 3 minutes, was a bit of a shock to my system.  I found THE spot to stand and waited.  The train appeared.  Hmm, I thought, this will be tricky - the carriages were already jammed with some faces pressed up against the window with their noses squashed against the glass. 

Fortunately, Shibuya Station is a real hub for transport and some people got off the train, so that allowed a very few to get on.  The aforementioned man in white gloves was hovering at the ready, but, as always here, there is a protocol.  To get into an already packed train, you turn around, very much like getting into a lift.  You then push yourself back against the people standing at the front - not needing to make eye contact (and this is the secret), they simply have to move backwards.  This means the person at the very back - standing against the doors on the opposite side are then pressed against the glass but you have a space and you can begin your journey.  If by any chance some of your belongings (or body parts) hang outside the door  then this is the point at which the man in white gloves becomes your best friend and he will ensure you are all aboard before the train moves off!

I was staying on the train for five stops.  This meant that by the time I needed to get off, I was the one at the back with my nose pressed against the glass.  Of course, this is all very well if the train is absolutely packed because even though you cannot hold on to anything to keep you stable, your fellow travellers keep you upright.  In fact at one point I got a fit of the giggles.  As we rounded a bend the whole train shuffled first one way and then the other - very much like penguins on an iceflow.  It really was a ridiculous sight as we all tried so hard to preserve the personal space rule.  It's totally impossible, of course, and you do get to know everyone around you very well indeed.  The real danger comes when the carriage has one or two spaces;  THEN you are in trouble as you move so much further and there is nothing to stop your rolling except the next person upon whom you trample! 

You learn a lot about physics.  The safest way to stand on a moving train is across the middle, facing the direction in which you are travelling.  You can balance much more efficiently in this position.  More advice?  Don't wear three inch heels and don't ,whatever you do, carry a backpack on your back - take it off and put it on the floor beween your feet.  One final bit of advice - turn your phone off - if it rings there is absolutely no way you will be able to reach it and the Japanese do not take kindly to a mobile phone ringing out! There is a lot of sighing and sucking of teeth!  (No, it wasn't my phone thank goodness and it belonged to a Japanese businessman!)

Nine o'clock is not a good time to be moving in Tokyo but it was an experience not to be forgotten.  I'll stick to the bus or to moving around after 11 - you usually get a seat that way!

Winter survival

Not here of course, but in the UK!  We spent a glorious couple of weeks in the cottage in Broad Town over Christmas and the New Year and we were amazed to discover that the snow had descended just 24 hours before we landed at Heathrow.  The M4 was clear though and at that time the snow stopped at Reading - a lot like the trains!

Our first morning dawned clear and crisp and we drove over to Cheltenham through the beautiful country roads, surrounded on either side by a frozen landscape.  Trees covered in that wonderful hoare frost and with the sun shining on them it was truly a magical land - just like Narnia!  We were pleased to be home.  Britain is a beautiful place and has all the plus sides of being familiar in a heartbeat.  We know what to do and where to go - life in short is easy.  We spent our time with friends and family - sadly we did not spend ENOUGH time with either but we will be back again in the spring to celebrate Jemma's wedding to Ben - a truly surprising announcement made on Christmas Day and the arrival of Ruby, Sian and Andrew's first baby (Dave's second grandchild) who will, no doubt, arrive with a Liverpool scarf around her neck!

We escaped from the UK with just hours to spare.  We left at 1pm and the snow began to fall at 4pm.  We arrived back to Tokyo with temperatures at 10C and the sun shining brightly.  It was good to be back in the land of the rising sun.  It too felt familiar and easy to be here.

Stories of being snowed in abounded on CNN and BBC World and we were genuinely concerned for all those left behind.  Some councils doing a magnificent job whilst others were creating more chaos by salting and gritting in all the wrong places.  To add insult to injury, they are running out of salt and grit so that too will cause mayhem.  Anyway - photos and emails from our friends have shown us that they have (mostly) loved it.  The enforced stopping of life, the necessary break from routine and the marvellous and creative snowmen that have been produced by those of you old enough to know better!

A few days ago we saw the devastation caused by the earthquake in Haiti.  We too live in an earthquake zone and we are waiting for The Big One.  We had a small wobble on Sunday and before that it was in mid December. It is amazing how blase one becomes to these.  As one menopausal friend said the other day - you are never sure if it really is a quake or if your hormones are playing up!  Probably the best way to look at it. 

'Be prepared but not obsessed' we have been told.  Prepared we are.  I have just ordered and received an Emergency Pack from the US.  Not only was I amazed at the speed of its arrival from LA (three days if you please - Royal Mail eat your heart out!) but also what can be put into these backpacks.  The whole thing is designed to keep you motivated for about 36 hours - some of the wonderful things in it are a radio (plus batteries of course), waterproof stuff, medical basics, pack of cards - it even contains a tent for goodness sake! The next dilemma is, do we take out the tent and practise assembing it then fail to get it back in the backpack or do we wait til disaster strikes and tempers are short anyway before attempting it?  Any advice?

So winter survival in all its guises.  Not long til Spring is here in Tokyo - I think it starts tomorrow!