Golden Week refers to the cluster of national holidays that fall on April 29th, and May 3rd, 4th and 5th. Golden Week is one of the three biggest holiday times in Japan, and many companies will close from the 29th through the 5th, giving employees time to vacation or return to their home towns to meet with family.
We also have these days off, but as we weren't sure whether we'd have to work or not, we failed to plan ahead and are left without either flights or hotels for this period. This is okay, since our motorcycle school is open from the 29th to the 1st, so we're two hours of lessons each day. After than, from the 2nd, I haven't given up hope and am doing some research to at least find a hotel in Izu for a night or two, but the days we want to travel is the peakest of the peak season, so prices are high and availability limited.
Perhaps this holiday will give us a chance to catch up on exercise, and just rest and relaxation.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
First Motorbiking Lesson
As Brian mentioned, we signed up for motorcycle driving school here in Susono (at the Susono Chuo Jidousha Gakuin,).
The induction was simple and pleasant enough. The eye test was both fun and funny - part of it entailed looking at dot-letters in a small book, and having to say what the 'letter' was (an English equivalent would be "A", "Ce" etc). The trick for us was that the letters were, of course, kanji! So while we could see it perfectly, we also had to say it aloud (meaning, we had to read the kanji). I felt pleased when, not only could I see each 'letter', I could also voice it aloud (although I know I gave the wrong reading, I'm sure!).
Anyway, the real fun happened yesterday, the day of our first practical lessons.
The lessons start very simply and are really great. Everyone gets a private instructor for their allotted lessons; my instructor made sure I'd put on the school's elbow and knee pads, as well as rain gear (it was pouring!). I loathe the pads, but put them on, especially because I'd never been on anything bigger than 150cc before. Yes - I've off-roaded (slowly!) on islands in Asia, but this was my first time on a big bike, and preparing for real city conditions.
Anyway, I donned the gear. Asked whether I understood the gears, I said, "Well, isn't it 'neutral, 1, 2, 3, 4 neutral?'". But no - I was informed that the system that I knew was called "rotational", but that the normal bigger bikes are a bit different. So, the shifting's a bit more complicated in one way, but much more simple in another (pushing down=down shifting, up=upshifting).
My first lessons consisted of everything from releasing the clutch in 1st gear and bumping into a wall (deliberately), to picking up (righting) a fallen (very heavy!) bike, to riding around the circuit practising turns and shifting appropriately. Speed is my friend, I say, and I'm not comfortable when the big bike (Honda CB400 4cylinder) gets too slow as I feel like it will topple on me, so, slow corners were a bit tricky. Otherwise, I think I did okay, and I know that Brian certainly impressed his instructor since Brian didn't have to do the wall-bumping exercise and was, in no time, zipping around the circuit at about 60km/h!
We're looking forward to our next lesson tomorrow night.
*Oh, by the way, why we are going to motorcycle driving school. In Japan, just doing the test and getting the license is a long , looooong process. As in, you will fail three times. Brian has an American license for motorcycles of unlimited cc, yet it's better for him to go through school. For me, with limited riding experience, the school is really, really good! I'm learning how to handle a larger bike, and buidling both confidence and skill!
The induction was simple and pleasant enough. The eye test was both fun and funny - part of it entailed looking at dot-letters in a small book, and having to say what the 'letter' was (an English equivalent would be "A", "Ce" etc). The trick for us was that the letters were, of course, kanji! So while we could see it perfectly, we also had to say it aloud (meaning, we had to read the kanji). I felt pleased when, not only could I see each 'letter', I could also voice it aloud (although I know I gave the wrong reading, I'm sure!).
Anyway, the real fun happened yesterday, the day of our first practical lessons.
The lessons start very simply and are really great. Everyone gets a private instructor for their allotted lessons; my instructor made sure I'd put on the school's elbow and knee pads, as well as rain gear (it was pouring!). I loathe the pads, but put them on, especially because I'd never been on anything bigger than 150cc before. Yes - I've off-roaded (slowly!) on islands in Asia, but this was my first time on a big bike, and preparing for real city conditions.
Anyway, I donned the gear. Asked whether I understood the gears, I said, "Well, isn't it 'neutral, 1, 2, 3, 4 neutral?'". But no - I was informed that the system that I knew was called "rotational", but that the normal bigger bikes are a bit different. So, the shifting's a bit more complicated in one way, but much more simple in another (pushing down=down shifting, up=upshifting).
My first lessons consisted of everything from releasing the clutch in 1st gear and bumping into a wall (deliberately), to picking up (righting) a fallen (very heavy!) bike, to riding around the circuit practising turns and shifting appropriately. Speed is my friend, I say, and I'm not comfortable when the big bike (Honda CB400 4cylinder) gets too slow as I feel like it will topple on me, so, slow corners were a bit tricky. Otherwise, I think I did okay, and I know that Brian certainly impressed his instructor since Brian didn't have to do the wall-bumping exercise and was, in no time, zipping around the circuit at about 60km/h!
We're looking forward to our next lesson tomorrow night.
*Oh, by the way, why we are going to motorcycle driving school. In Japan, just doing the test and getting the license is a long , looooong process. As in, you will fail three times. Brian has an American license for motorcycles of unlimited cc, yet it's better for him to go through school. For me, with limited riding experience, the school is really, really good! I'm learning how to handle a larger bike, and buidling both confidence and skill!
Sunday, April 26, 2009
No Bed to Sleep On
I don't know why this is only occurring to me now, but I realize that some people might not realize that we do not own a bed, and only very rarely (on business trips, in business hotels) sleep in a bed.
Most apartments and even houses are quite small here, and space is at a premium, so futons are ideal. Some Japanese, mainly families who own houses, will have beds, but anyone who lives in an apartment will most likely have futons, not a bed. Futons are (for me) very comfortable 'mats' that unfold and are put down in the tatami room for sleeping. In the morning, you fold them up and put them back in the closet. Of course, on sunny days, you might want to put them outside over the balcony for a few hours of air and sunshine, to dry out any humidity and prevent mold and bugs!
And for the record - I enjoy my futons and am happy not having a bed to sleep in!
Most apartments and even houses are quite small here, and space is at a premium, so futons are ideal. Some Japanese, mainly families who own houses, will have beds, but anyone who lives in an apartment will most likely have futons, not a bed. Futons are (for me) very comfortable 'mats' that unfold and are put down in the tatami room for sleeping. In the morning, you fold them up and put them back in the closet. Of course, on sunny days, you might want to put them outside over the balcony for a few hours of air and sunshine, to dry out any humidity and prevent mold and bugs!
And for the record - I enjoy my futons and am happy not having a bed to sleep in!
Friday, April 24, 2009
Another Whirlwind Week
Whew, TGTIF (Thank God Tomorrow is Friday)! This week Tracy and I both worked seemingly non-stop, but furthermore:
*Registered for the National Japanese Language Proficiency Exam held in July
*Trained for our 'marathon' 13.6 km road race coming in May
*Cleaned house, requiring several trips to the city incinerator
*Took all our collected loose change to the bank
and finally
*Enrolled in Motorcycle Riding School!
The Susono Chuo Driving School is so very near our place that it is quicker to walk than drive, but it is hidden between large factories so has gone relatively unnoticed by us, until we decided to learn to ride medium-sized bikes. The process can be a red-tape nightmare, but going to the school first ensures we'll be well-trained before the licensing test. Surprisingly, we were the only two students last evening when we enrolled. Here's Tracy in the admissions office:
We then waited for the induction and aptitude tests in classroom #2:
The aptitude test was given in Japanese too, of course, but luckily we were shown some of the questions in English after the Japanese to confirm understanding (True or False: When I see a car in the rear view mirror, I believe I am being challenged to a contest of speed...) The rest of the test involved numbers, patterns and colors, so it was all OK even in Japanese.
Overall we are confident that we'll get good instruction here, but we need to wait until the weekend for our first practical training. The test bikes are heavy (Honda CB400F), so we are curious to see how difficult riding one will be. More on Saturday!
*Registered for the National Japanese Language Proficiency Exam held in July
*Trained for our 'marathon' 13.6 km road race coming in May
*Cleaned house, requiring several trips to the city incinerator
*Took all our collected loose change to the bank
and finally
*Enrolled in Motorcycle Riding School!
The Susono Chuo Driving School is so very near our place that it is quicker to walk than drive, but it is hidden between large factories so has gone relatively unnoticed by us, until we decided to learn to ride medium-sized bikes. The process can be a red-tape nightmare, but going to the school first ensures we'll be well-trained before the licensing test. Surprisingly, we were the only two students last evening when we enrolled. Here's Tracy in the admissions office:
We then waited for the induction and aptitude tests in classroom #2:
The aptitude test was given in Japanese too, of course, but luckily we were shown some of the questions in English after the Japanese to confirm understanding (True or False: When I see a car in the rear view mirror, I believe I am being challenged to a contest of speed...) The rest of the test involved numbers, patterns and colors, so it was all OK even in Japanese.
Overall we are confident that we'll get good instruction here, but we need to wait until the weekend for our first practical training. The test bikes are heavy (Honda CB400F), so we are curious to see how difficult riding one will be. More on Saturday!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Whirlwind Weeks
I know I haven't posted in ages - I think I have to go on another business trip to recover from the hectic couple of weeks we've had:-)
After I returned from Hamamatsu, before even going home, I met Brian and a couple of folks at a local izakaya for a few too many beers. We got home late, slept, then got up to trek to Shizuoka for o-hanami (cherry blossom viewing) party. Then out for Mexican food. Then home and I finally had a chance to unpack...
Well, the rest of the week, both at work and out of work, played out kind of the same, and so, while I had plenty of activity in my life, I had very little time to sit back and savour it.
Toward the end of last week, I managed to go for two short but invigorating bike rides on my custom single speed, and this past weekend we both enjoyed some down time and some long runs in preparation for our race at the end of May.
Anyway - we got pics to prove we were busy:-)
After I returned from Hamamatsu, before even going home, I met Brian and a couple of folks at a local izakaya for a few too many beers. We got home late, slept, then got up to trek to Shizuoka for o-hanami (cherry blossom viewing) party. Then out for Mexican food. Then home and I finally had a chance to unpack...
Well, the rest of the week, both at work and out of work, played out kind of the same, and so, while I had plenty of activity in my life, I had very little time to sit back and savour it.
Toward the end of last week, I managed to go for two short but invigorating bike rides on my custom single speed, and this past weekend we both enjoyed some down time and some long runs in preparation for our race at the end of May.
Anyway - we got pics to prove we were busy:-)
Thursday, April 09, 2009
Sashimi and Train-Sleeping
As I mentioned, we went to a drinking party way out of our own little town on Friday night. Since it involved drinking, we parked at our hotel, then took the train two stops to the izakaya. I took a lot of photos - but here are just two showing, of course, food, and our train ride back to the hotel.
 |
| Sashimi |
 |
| Riding that train! |
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Saturday in Shimada
We went to a drinking party near Shimada on Friday night (I'll post photos soon - I'm working backward in time), then spent the night at our favourite hotel in Shimada. A new co-worker joined us, and together we enjoyed Saturday running along the Oigawa where there's a great path, and then taking a walk over the famous Horaibashi (longest pedestrian wooden bridge, measuring 897 metres).
Goofing Around with my D90 on a Gorillapod, with remote control:
Goofing Around with my D90 on a Gorillapod, with remote control:
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Taiko Drumming Video and O-Hanami
Like I said, I have a bit of blogging to catch up on. So, I'll start with our most recent day out - Sunday, April 5th, doing hanami (flower viewing) and watching some excellent Taiko drum performers and enjoying some festival food.
I took this video with my D90 and a 50mm fixed lens. It's a bit long, and I'm a bit wobbly, but I still think it's worth listening to for a few seconds.
Of course, we loved the drummers:
I took this video with my D90 and a 50mm fixed lens. It's a bit long, and I'm a bit wobbly, but I still think it's worth listening to for a few seconds.
In Hamakita
I'm working out of town all this week, and have the pleasure of staying at the Hamakita Plaza Hotel. Not very far past the biggish city of Hamamatsu (and now technically part of Hamamatsu), this little area has a lot to offer - such as a large park perfect for morning jogs and a quaint little Indian restaurant called Nepal Kitchen.
Here's part of my solitary dinner at the very empty restaurant:
I'm working from my laptop, and have a good connection at the hotel, but am missing my most powerful tools. However, Google's Picasa 3 is quite a useful photo organizer and was able to process my Nikon RAW pics. Also, being in a hotel, will likely free me up to blog more than I have been. And I do have to catch up, since we did quite a lot this past weekend!
Here's part of my solitary dinner at the very empty restaurant:
I'm working from my laptop, and have a good connection at the hotel, but am missing my most powerful tools. However, Google's Picasa 3 is quite a useful photo organizer and was able to process my Nikon RAW pics. Also, being in a hotel, will likely free me up to blog more than I have been. And I do have to catch up, since we did quite a lot this past weekend!
Friday, April 03, 2009
Shaken Again
It's that time of year again. Or, I should say, it's that time of every-second-year again - early April when my bi-annual shakken (car inspection) is due. Luckily, my friendly neighborhood mechanic/car dealer is very nearby and keeps convenient (for me) hours. I drove by at lunch time the other day just to make an appointment, but he was able to take the car and give me a daisha (replacement car) right away. I was then able to pick up my own Pajero Mini on Saturday morning, fully inspected and certified road worthy for another two years.
There is nothing exciting or unusual about this, just that, once again, I was impressed with the service here. My car is old (13 years old, I think), and, though in excellent condition, it was showing some signs of its age. Well, mainly just one sign - the metal part of the windshield wipers had lost their paint and were looking a little rusty. Brian had been planning to buy some black paint to touch them up (since they're too old to buy new ones). Well, just this morning, passing my car, we both just noticed that the wipers had been touched up during servicing. Huh. I didn't ask for this, and they never mentioned doing it - yet there ya go. A little extra bit of service!
For those who haven't seen my cute little car, it's the foremost one in this pic. The car in the back is Brian's full-sized Pajero.
There is nothing exciting or unusual about this, just that, once again, I was impressed with the service here. My car is old (13 years old, I think), and, though in excellent condition, it was showing some signs of its age. Well, mainly just one sign - the metal part of the windshield wipers had lost their paint and were looking a little rusty. Brian had been planning to buy some black paint to touch them up (since they're too old to buy new ones). Well, just this morning, passing my car, we both just noticed that the wipers had been touched up during servicing. Huh. I didn't ask for this, and they never mentioned doing it - yet there ya go. A little extra bit of service!
For those who haven't seen my cute little car, it's the foremost one in this pic. The car in the back is Brian's full-sized Pajero.
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Skype on my iPod Touch
It's finally happened - Skype has become available for the iPod Touch. I read that Skype would be available at the iTunes Store starting on Tuesday,March 31st (2009). For me, that's today. So, early this morning, I cruised over to check out it out, and sure enough, there was Skype, free to download for the Touch and iPhone.
I quickly installed it on my device, then plugged in my microphone/headphones (which are necessary if you want to make a Skype call on the Touch), and used Skype Out to call my landline. The functionality was good, the user interface intuitive and the sound was clear. This was the same for Skype-to-Skype calls, and the 'Chat' works great, too.
To say that I'm thrilled would be an understatement. The only thing I need now is a better mic/headset, since what I'm using is not exactly the best quality.
Anyway, I hope to get more test-usage out of it later.
I quickly installed it on my device, then plugged in my microphone/headphones (which are necessary if you want to make a Skype call on the Touch), and used Skype Out to call my landline. The functionality was good, the user interface intuitive and the sound was clear. This was the same for Skype-to-Skype calls, and the 'Chat' works great, too.
To say that I'm thrilled would be an understatement. The only thing I need now is a better mic/headset, since what I'm using is not exactly the best quality.
Anyway, I hope to get more test-usage out of it later.
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