Japan

Japan in four days
March 27, 2007 - Nichinan, Japan
England is only four hours away. Having left Tottori prefecture twenty-one hours ago, I am looking forward to arriving at our next destination. The last four days have gone very quickly. We arrived in Nichinan just after 7am on Saturday morning. I looked in awe at the scenery as the train carried us from Yonago. This area, near the north...
Placed by Lauren and Henry in Foreign Postings

De plane, boss, de plane!
March 24, 2007 - Nichinan, Japan
(Note: this entry was written yesterday. Since that time, we've arrived safely in Japan. More later!) Thanks to Henry's technological gadgetry, I'm writing this on the plane somewhere between Sydney and Osaka. The flight so far has been tolerable, as flights go. I am not a fan of flying. Henry claims to like it because it gives him several...
Placed by Lauren and Henry in Foreign Postings

Mark turns 40!
February 24, 2007 - Tokyo, Japan
After taking the long way to Tokyo, we returned to Kofu in Yamanashi prefecture for my birthday on the 20th. I am now 40! Ouch! We went to Miki’s parents’ house for a birthday dinner. More like a feast! There were 10 of us total. Afterwards five of us went out for for the karaoke nijikai (second party) until midnight. Terry is good at...
Placed by Mark & Terry in Mid-Life Crisis Pacific Dive Tour

Tokyo: fish and freaks
February 19, 2007 - Tokyo, Japan
From Yokohama we went directly to Shinjuku to buy a few essentials like a replacement strap to fix Terry’s pack. I introduced Terry to tachigui ‘eating while standing’ stands on some train platforms. We had curry and Terry loved it. She is a natural from all the times she ate from the frying pan standing up in the kitchen. I always had the...
Placed by Mark & Terry in Mid-Life Crisis Pacific Dive Tour

Hakone -> Kamakura -> Yokohama
February 18, 2007 - Yokohama, Japan
After Monkey Park, we returned to Kofu. We visited Erinji, a local temple and Kaisen onsen, but the theme for us here in Kofu is friends and food. Terry and I are really enjoying the food here. We agreed to skimp on accommodations and transportation if necessary, but not food, as it is so much a part of the culture. We ate my favorite ramen,...
Placed by Mark & Terry in Mid-Life Crisis Pacific Dive Tour