Suzuya Miyazu

... weather was great and everybody was on form. Thanks to the cool-box the beer kept flowing and dusk found us sitting around drinking and chatting until we decided that it was time for home. So, we bid everyone fare-well and headed back about 6ish as Ely and myself still had to pack and organise for our train back to Tokyo the following morning. After one more night on the squeaky inflatable mattresses we had breakfast and finally left Kev ...

... around the park vendors sell deer biscuits (not for human consumption, as the guidebook claims numerous misguided tourists do.) And knowing my love of all things cute i couldn't resist buying a packet in anticipation of my deer-encounter. As it turns out these were the scruffiest deers (and probably scruffiest National Treasure) we had ever seen, they were missing big chunks of fur and what was left of it was all matted and ...

... Ohta sensei). We are going to a place near the mountains, and viewing the cherry blossoms there, and having lunch in a 'country-style' restaurant. According to Ohta, it serves 'mountain fare'. I'm not really sure what that is, but I guess I'll find out! After that, we are going to watch the Geisha and Maiko (apprentice Geisha) do their annual spring dance. I'm really looking forward to it!

... br>
So that's it! We've bought our plane tickets from Christchurch to Athens, from Athens to Frankfurt, and from Frankfurt back to Christchurch!

We've paid a deposit on the motorhome that we're hiring from Frankfurt!
I've got my full license! :-D
Just have to learn how to drive a manual van now...

And we have booked accomodation in Athens (near to the ...

... to see. Left Kyoto just after lunch time today and arrived bang on time in Tokyo just after 4pm. Staying in a more traditional Japanese Ryokan hostel - you have to leave your shoes at the door and you have to sit on the floor! After 6 days I now feel I am fluent in Japanese both written and spoken, so are moving onto Bali tomorrow evening to touch up my Indonesian! Hope you like my photos Sayanara

... we did with the bullet train. We got a lot of sleep an took advantage of the nice shower and free shampoo an stuff! We went to a couple of temples and looked around the massive department stores-they are everywhere!! We ate our first proper meal since we left England-pizza!!! We visited the tallest Pogoda temple- 5 stories high. Today we have come back to Tokyo on the Shinkansen (bullet train) and have arrived at our next hostel where we are just staying tonite. However...took us a ...

... calls. How soon the moon does wain. Although the shadows now run long, and battles we must face, safe within those castle walls, my hearts eternal safe. To arms! The ancients did encry, too I, must share their fate? With many scars, and weapons gleen, to shine at heavens gate?

... continuously for over 900 years! Outside the hall, our book guided us to a small wooden structure that you could get one arm into. Inside was a heavy stone, next to a shelf. Supposedly, the stone is heavier or lighter according to the weight of the person's sin who is trying to lift it. The idea is to pick it up and put it on the shelf. After a little straining and some frightening popping sounds from my wrist, I was able to get the heavy sucker up there. Cierra wasn't able ...

... we're all from different countries, someone always manages to say something that makes the rest of us laugh. Today it was a girl from Ireland. She was talking about a sports weekend we'll be having in a few weeks. "It'll be great," she said. "We'll have karaoke and water sports and a bit of crack." A bit of crack!? Hahaha! Of course, she meant a bit of FUN, but we didn't know! I guess that's how they say it in her country. :) I ...

... stop learning at the point where I can understand enough of the langauge to half follow whatever conversation I`m listening to, or TV I`m watching, but still have an annoying enough majority of it fly over my head. I`m afraid I must get going soon, the ...