Sometimes I get so wrapped up in the off-and-on shenanigans at work that I forget that there’s more to Japan besides the school I work for. It’s easy enough to do, because I live on school property and have to follow their rules even after I punch out for the night.

Really, Japan is not that bad - don’t let my writings dissuade you from coming ( Read more... )

(Written from notes taken September 7th)I took it easy in the morning and rescheduled my trip once again. As luck would have it, I got the first rapid out of town, so at least I got to skip a couple of stops close to the city. I got to the platform thirty minutes early, as I needed to get a seat, preferably a good seat ( Read more... )

(Written from notes taken September 6th)

I stumbled out of the cybercafé into the burning, blinding sun-drenched streets ( Read more... )

Wow, was that ever a wimpy typhoon.

It rained heavily for a brief period around noon. That, and intermittent showers, is about all we got. It wasn’t ever really windy, and in the evening the sun was even trying to peek out.

It wasn’t a Katrina - it wasn’t even a Noel. But it was like Noel in one respect - where I lived, it seemed like the only ( Read more... )

(Written from notes taken September 5th)

On Friday the 5th, there was a nice cool breeze, and rainy skies. Because of this respite from the sun, we were better able to appreciate the Shinra-like qualities of the opening march. The sun came out again just before noon - mercifully, it wasn’t around long enough to roast us again ( Read more... )

Anachronistic updates: Yesterday at school our classes were rained out. We only had day care and later we were cutting out shapes for Saturday’s lesson. Rumour among the foreigners had it that there was a typhoon on the way, or maybe it had already come through - it rained so heavily the night before that it woke most of us up. I watched the news ( Read more... )

Written from notes taken August 10th.

On Wikitravel, someone wrote, “The climb [between Temples 11 and 12] is notoriously tough!”

Il a raison.

Even getting to 11 by bicycle in the heat was taxing. On the 192 in Yoshinogawa we met a Japanese fellow on a scooter, who, as my mother’s father would say, “had more to say than a white man.” He was one ( Read more... )

The rain this morning caused me to abort my trip, so it's now almost noon and I'm still at home. I guess I could still go to Hiroshima, but it's just a little bit too far away and too much stress and trouble. It might have to wait until my next time in Japan (if I come back again). Maybe I was only going out of a sense of obligation ( Read more... )

Written from notes taken on trains on August 5th.In the morning I had a Cup Noodle curry for breakfast before finding out that there was a free breakfast included. Heh. At least this way I got something to chow down on, though ( Read more... )

Written from notes taken July 19-21

A. climbed into the front passenger seat later in the night. I was sleeping in the back; A. told me later that he had been scheming a way to get the keys off my person so that he could turn the air conditioning on, especially as the sun was rising and the van began to get hotIt turned out the others had a busy ( Read more... )