Briefly from Koh Chang

First, let me say that the flight from Narita was excellent. Because we were flying with Northwest, who we fly with regularly for the frequent flyer miles, is notorious for their poor service, we were not expecting much. However, their Thailand-Japan route is much much better than their Japan-Detroit route. We had our own TV screens, polite service and quiet neighbors!

We landed in Bangkok around midnight, and took an overpriced taxi downtown to our hotel. The White Orchid is a rather run-down affair in China Town, and we were happy that we were only there for two nights! After spending one full day and two nights in Bangkok, we were happy to board Bangkok Airways for a very pleasant 40 minute flight to Trat airport, and from there to make our way (very conveniently by van and ferry) to the idyllic island of Koh Chang.

Koh Chang was Brian's idea, and I think we stumbled on a gem. After looking at maps and other info, we decided to head to Klong Prao Beach, on the western side of the island. And, though we had initially thought to stay at the Coconut Beach Bungalows, we found upon our arrival that they were booked (Brian and I almost never make reservations ahead of time for this kind of island vacation!). So, we walked down the lane toward the beach, following signs for the Chai Chet Bungalows (click here to see them online). Well - we got lucky again. Not only did they have a bungalow available for the very affordable price of 700 baht per night, but it is even better situated than the Coconut Beach place. As we opted for the cheapest bungalow, we also got the simplest - no TV, no phone, no hot water, nor air con. But a beautiful balcony that looks out onto the ocean. No noisy backpackers, no music blaring late into the night...After the seedy White Orchid Hotel, the hub-bub of hustlers and the rats on the streets in Bangkok we find ourselves in paradise.

Unattractive White Orchid, taken through waves of Bangkok traffic:


Me, relaxing on the balcony of our bungalow in Klong Prau:



Today we walked about 6km to the Klong Plu waterfall:

In the heat and with the convenience of little public taxi/pick-up trucks, we opted for a ride back home.

Merry Christmas to All

Last night, Christmas Eve, Brian and I went out for dinner with some friends at a nice izakaya in Gotemba called Ebisu. It's an awesome, atmospheric little place with great food and good beer.


Here are Brian and Chris, enjoying some Christmas cheer:



And Wendy, enjoying a little Cassis Orange:



And, of course, me:


I shot these in RAW format, and it was a good thing, too - I was able to rescue the first photo from some awful white balance choices!

Today Brian and I are leaving for Thailand; despite wanting to pack light, I am bringing my large Nikon D50, in its own separate bag and all, and I hope it pays off with some good shots of Bangkok and Koh Chang!

We'll do our best to post photos and blog while away.

Winter Vacation

Well, here we are. December 23rd - a national holiday (the Emperor's Birthday) and the first day of our winter vacation.

The official holiday period in Japan is from December 29th to January 3rd or so, and Brian and I are privleged to be working for a company that generously gives us from the 23rd to the 9th off this year.

In case you're wondering, the fact of being on vacation hasn't quite sunk in. Last night we celebrated with a little bubbly but today we went to buy kerosene to further ward off the winter chill.

The winter, however, will chill us no more! On Sunday (Christmas day) we are leaving for Bangkok, and from there to (perhaps)Koh Chang, where the sun is hot and the beer is cold!

Under the Kotatsu

December 21st - the shortest day of the year. This means that our winter evenings as well as the mornings are long, cold and dark. We live in a fairly mild climate, but still, with no central heating, things can be pretty bleak.

But never fear! Brian bought a new kotatsu about two weeks ago (after hearing me complain about not having one anymore!). A kotatsu is like a square coffee table with a heater built in under it (see pics below). Anyway - I spent my entire weekend under the kotatsu, reading books and watching tv. How fabulous! Brian even loves it as we snuggle under the table to watch our rental DVDs.

Winter ain't so bad really.

My kotatsu - the blanket, placed between the table top and the frame, keeps the heat in.



Here is the heater that is part of the table:

Bonenkai

Bonenkai are year-end parties, generally celebrated with colleagues, bosses and sometimes friends. It can be literally translated as "Forget-the-Year Party", and is just another custom that I thrive on here. I mean, who the hell wouldn't want to forget the year?!? But seriously, bonenkai are an important part of company and social bonding, and they usually involve a lot of drinking - the better to put the old year to bed and get ready to start afresh in the New Year. I love that idea - that we can let things go, we can live in the now, and mistakes made can be "forgotton". Everyone welcomes a fresh start, afterall.

Brian and I had a very small bonenkai this year - just four of us all told, and we just went to our local izakaya. It was great - the people we work with are good, intelligent, competent folks, and personable to boot. But still - the four of us work side-by-side, day-in and day-out, year after year...You see what I'm getting at. A bonenkai was definitely in order!

The evening started innocently enough:



But shortly turned into something like this:




It was a great night, and a great way to tie up business and personal affairs. The evening finally ended with two Japanese businessmen joining our table for a chat - for me, the best part of the evening. A rare chance to just talk to regular, local folks who were themselves having a bonenkai.

Future Me

Have you ever wanted to remember what you thought, how you felt, and what your dreams were years ago?

Now you can remind yourself with this free "Send an email to myself in the future" website called FutureMe.org

Boing Boing, a great and greatly popular blog, picked it up more than a year ago, but Yahoo reported it just today - read more here.

Akihabara!

We spent a great weekend in Tokyo, probably our last for a while. We'll be going through again on our way to Bangkok soon, but being unhurried and having two days really is a completely different experience than visiting a favorite restaurant or shop on the way to the airport.

My goal on Saturday was to 'get an estimate' from a vein specialist, but that will be a post for another day. The plan for Sunday was to eat a huge breakfast and spend the day walking it off among the crowds in Akihabara, which is Tokyo's 'Electric Town'. This has long been the realm of audiophiles and East-bloc agents searching for replacement vacuum tubes, but it has grown to be the realm of legions of nerds and geeks looking for the latest in gadget/gizmo technology.

I happened to be considering a replacement pc for myself, and possibly establishing another wireless network at the 'other place'. I knew local sources for both of those needs, though, so mostly we were there for the fun of it. We found loads of digital cameras (digicam) of the newest variety, plus even more of last-years models hugely discounted. Same with notebook pc's, digital audio players, electronic dictionaries, portable navigation systems, computer gaming hardware and software... whew!

Here is an example of some of the more mainstream wares:



Yes, those are toilet seats (washlets) that warm, rinse, massage, and even air-dry the user. Those prices are right, too, at $500-800!

Here is a scooter (autobai) with at least its own satellite navigation system, among surely loads of other gadgets:



Also increasing with the influx of geeks is the number of girls encouraging the kinks of the guys hopelesly lost in fantasy games. One shop was hosting some 'maid' theme of costume play (cosplay), and beyond the organized event, girls dressing and behaving as 'maids' could be found everywhere. Here is one taking her task seriously in a random spot of a department store, complete with sudsy sponge:



Anyway it was all a great time and surely we only scratched the surface of this tiny corner of Tokyo. Watch this space for our love hotel expose, coming soon!

Hush Puppies

There was a time, not so long ago, when I though Hush Puppies shoes were for old folks or people with no (or at least very little) style. I say this knowing fully how my father always loved his Hush Puppies - there was simply no other shoe for him.

A few month ago, in need of some decent shoes that could be worn as either business or casual, I went shopping, and found myself inside a Hush Puppy store. Inside, I found my new shoes - a pair of simple black leather loafers.

Brian and I spent this weekend walking (and walking and walking and walking and...) around Tokyo - Roppongi, Shinjuku, and Ebisu on Saturday; Akihabara (fashionably called Akiba) on Sunday. I made it through the whole weekend, even carrying a few extra kilos in my backpack, with not a single blister! Now I can truly say, "I love my Hush Puppies - there is no other shoe for me".

Stay tuned til tomorrow when we report on the excitement our love hotel and of hot electronics in Akiba.

Tokyo Bound

Saturday - finally. I bright, sunny and cool day - perfect for spending time in the big city.

Tokyo is not so far from us, really - just logistically impossible to get there by car, painful by local train and expensive by express train. All this means we don't go as often as other people might, and we enjoy it more when we do go, I think.

We're catching the Romance Car (not the bullet train) this morning at 10:40, and will arrive in Shinjuku at 12:30. Not bad, really. From there, we're going to head to Roppongi (the so-called sleaze capital of Tokyo!), and then maybe a pit-stop in Akihabara (a.k.a. electric town)

And - for my favourite geek - I will try to get some photos!

Deer Sighting and My Singlespeed

My first thought this morning as I headed out on my Rig in the pre-dawn light was, "Damn, it's cold!". Frost covered the fields and crunched under my tires as I made my way up into the mountains of little Susono city; and as I climbed steadily higher, I began to feel warm. Whether the warmth was the result of my exertion, or of the hedonistic joy of being - simply being - alone, in the semi-darkness, on a frozen morning, I won't say. But I felt warm. Brian, sleeping still, peaceful and beautiful, may have felt the same warmth.

I established a rhythm - breathe in, push down, breathe out, push down - pedalling up the hill to my final destination

Finally - there it was. The Incinerator, the end of the road (quite literally - this little mountain round was blazed strictly for access to the local dump!). The Incinerator is up in the hills, isolated, along on non-trafficked route; frankly, the perfect morning ride. And there, at the top of the hill, in the field that skirts the wood that surrounds The Incinerator, were two lovely deer. They didn't bolt - just watched warily as I tucked in my shirt, perhaps they noted my regret at not having brought my camera - and then we were off; I headed back down the hill, and they back to their woods.

I have to say - I fully credit the stealth of my Singlespeed (no derailleur thumps, no chain slap) for the pleasure of having been able to see the deer, and share a minute or two with them, at The Incinerator.

Chillier Mornings and Sunnier Weekends

We are beginning to remember why we always sleep more during the winter here - the mornings are rather cold, hovering around or just below zero, and, worse, they are dark. The sky doesn't get light now until 6 a.m. or so, and it is dark again before 5 p.m. This means that morning rides are shorter, and evening rides are pretty much non-existant.

The reward, however, is that we are nearly gauranteed dry, clear weather every day; and once the sun rises, its warmth can be felt for the whole day. Other seasons here are generally overcast and/or rainy; winter, on the other hand, in winter we can plan long weekend rides which are not too hot or too cold.

Oh - right - and we really don't get snow here.

Flat Stanley Departs

Another momentous event that I forgot to mention - Flat Stanley, who came for a visit in October, has gone back home.

Brian and I thoroughly enjoyed Stan's visit, and we got to see some places we might not have bothered to visit had we not had Stanley to show around!

ni-qyu - done!

So, I've been pretty busy recently; work's been hectic, and I've also been studying for the big Japanese test, level two (ni qyu) , which I wrote yesterday (Sunday). How did it go? Well, I learned a lot, certainly, and I hope to have done well, but...

A nd I am so glad to be done! I feel so...free. No doubt, in a few months, without a concrete goal in mind, I will feel bereft, but for now, so FREE. In fact, Brian and I are going to celebrate this freedom by spending next weekend in Tokyo.

Brian himself has ulterior motives for going to the Big Toe, but I'll let him explain that...