Day 265 - 22nd of May

9:30pm　特急
天気：晴れ

Carly and I are on the rapid express to Tambabashi, on our way to Kyoto station; we’re catching the night bus from there. And I thought I had a lot of luggage but no, Carly manages to outdo me; and she’s the one who’s only here for two weeks! Anyway, I am now officially finished!!! We had our graduation today… Getting back from karaoke at 5:30, I had a few hours sleep and got up at about 8:15. I quickly got ready, as we were supposed to be seated by 9:30, and ended up making it with time to spare; I had to ride my bike one last time. I was really happy to see so many people in Kimono; girls and guys alike…

9:55pm　普通

We’re on the train to Kyoto station now. We don’t have to be at the buses until 10:50, so we’re making really good time; having to drag our luggage in and out of tiny elevators isn’t much fun though. Anyway, as I was saying, it was really nice to see so many students wearing kimono; they all looked so good. In contrast, there were unfortunately quite a few guys who felt it appropriate to just come wearing jeans and a t-shirt; ah well, what can you do? After some photo-taking, I went and got seated in my assigned seat in the front row; that’s the nice thing about alphabetical order. The ceremony didn’t end up starting until after 10, with people still trickling in up to the hour. We did keep to time though, so it was fine once we got into it. After introductions, it was time for us to receive our certificates. Well, in actual fact what we got was an empty folder; the certificates were distributed to our mailboxes for us to collect after the ceremony. Seemed like a smart idea to me…

11:22pm　高速バス

Off we go on the night bus, and holy wow it’s tiny; lucky we got the back seats so we can recline all the way. Still, there’s absolutely no where for me to put my legs; maybe I can figure something out. Oh my gosh, getting here was a mission and a half. Once we got to the station, we ended up walking (staggering) to the wrong side of the station, so had to turn around and go right the way back to the other side. Finally we did make it, and soon found the check-in point. We had a bit of time before the bus arrived, so Carly went to pick up some yatsuhashi for Diego, and then I went to get some dinner; onigiri! The area was packed full of late night travellers, and more than 10 buses would be ready to board at any one time; it was really hectic. Eventually, our bus number was called (number 8) and we made the final haul, getting on just in time; we were actually the last to board. It’s not too uncomfortable I guess; Carly’s already asleep. Anyway, I still haven’t finished talking about the rest of my crazy day… After we all got our certificates (didn’t end up taking that long), we heard a long flowery speech from the Australian consulate of Osaka (same guy as last semester). Following that was the American consulate (who had a stutter), a visiting professor from an American university I forget the name of (he was very engaging), the President of the university (who had a translator), and then two international students, one of whom was Nadezhda…Well, they’ve turned all the lights off now, so I’ll have to finish this in the morning!

5:30am　高速バス

We’re just leaving our second rest stop now, and I think we’re only about half an hour away from Tokyo; I decided to get out and explore a bit and found a map that pointed this out to me. It’s bright outside, but that weather’s looking very dull, so I have no what we’re going to get up to today. Anyway yesterday…looking very Japanese in her purple kimono; yes that was the end of my sentence last night. Both of them presented in Japanese, talking about their experiences of Japan; I thought they did a great job. Then Motohashi Sensei (my reading and writing Sensei from last semester), talked to us about the results of a survey she had conducted to find the top best and worst things about Japan according to international students at KG. I can’t remember what the worst thing was (maybe narrow roads), but the best was of course the food. I have to agree with this whole-heartedly; I’m certainly going to miss Japan for its food. After all the speeches, we there was a special performance from the vocal group, and what did they sing; Angela Aki’s “Tegami”. This time I got most of it recorded; so happy to be able to hear it one more time. I’m going to miss singing it at Karaoke; it was one of my favourite songs. And with that, the ceremony was over!

From the hall, we all meandered over to the main cafeteria to enjoy the bountiful spread prepared for us; I went and picked up my certificate first. The food really was amazing, and there was so much variety; I didn’t try even half of what was on offer. Inside the cafeteria, it was extremely crowded so I didn’t stay for long, opting to go outside and sit with friends. I stayed around for a while, chatting and taking photos with people, hoping to spot Mori and Midori Sempai. Soon, Mori and Ume-chan emerged from the sprawl, and after Midori arrived they presented my with a wonderful parting gift; a large card with all my Sempais’ comments written on it; Mori had drawn a Totoro motif on it! Now we had to try and find Maarika. Carly and I had talked with her earlier on; she had in fact lost her voice. We went over to the club building to see if she was there; she wasn’t. So, Midori and Ume-chan went on a search and in the mean time, I got to play the piano for a while; that’s something I’m definitely looking forward to doing often when I get home. Eventually Maarika came over (with food of course), and she received her gift, Carly and I said our final goodbyes, and then made our way back to the Seminar House. While I’m going to miss the friends I’ve made in the club, and playing the koto, I don’t think I’m going to miss having to sit in seiza for prolonged periods of time!

The rest of the afternoon was quite stressful, with the last of my packing, cleaning, and sorting to be done. I got my straightener to Katie (she had payed me the previous day) and then okkasan invited us into the office, to show us pictures, and let us know that Otousan has Skype; I think that’s so cool. At about 3:30, I made French toast and scrambled eggs, so as to use the last of my bread; I donated my eggs, cheese and butter to Ash. Everything else went into the “not empty seasoning” box, which was already bulging with food; I hope someone can benefit from it. After eating, I quickly cleaned my kitchen box and fridge, but ended up missing Natchan’s inspection at 4; soon after, she was tied up helping people getting their parcels to the postman. Among them was Rachael, and she was sending a tonne of stuff home; I’m glad she could get it all sorted. She was still there during, and after my inspection, which didn’t end up commencing until 5:30; that gave me just enough time to prepare. That was all done in no time, and Okaasan was very impressed…

6:12am　高速バス

We’ve just arrived at Shinjuku station; our stop is next… After check-out, I could finally relax; for a little while. All the girls had gathered in the lounge, waiting to see me off; that was very special. This also meant that I could hand out all my gifts at once; bonus. Carly and I ended up sticking around until about 8, and we finally got the opportunity to play the Hetalia card game; that was quite enjoyable. Finally, and regrettably, it was time to say goodbye. I had already been subjected to a big group hug (not that I minded), and then got to hug everyone individually, even Ash who is generally the “hands-off” type. At the threshold, I was seen off by Katie, Ash, Rachel, Rachael, Sarah, Otousan and Okaasan, and Yuji and Natchan; I also got a hug from them. Kind words followed, and promises to never forget Japan and to visit were made, and then I stepped out into the night, laden with luggage; good-bye Seminar House 2… Just kidding!!! After we left, Carly decided she would go straight to the hotel, while I took my stuff to Makino station. Since I would be sending the last of my parcels, with Katie to help me carry them (bless her), after waiting around up the street for a while, I decided to return to the Seminar House. I dropped my stuff outside and burst in, running to the toilet; I thought it would be smarter to go at this point. I made it just as Katie was leaving, and got to hug Ash and Rachel one more time.

This time, it really was good-bye, and Katie and I made the trek to the 24 hour post office located just past the karaoke place; it was a tough walk. We eventually made it though, and I got to filling out the address forms. Katie soon left (after sending her postcards), and I decided to but another box, to lighten my second checked bag; I ended up getting almost 6kgs out of it. Getting all the done, I made my way over to the station and got to see Katie one last time; she was waiting for a friend in the station. Elevator up, I met Carly on the platform and then all the fun of the night ensued… We’ve arrived at Tokyo station now; at long last, I’m in Tokyo!!!

Day 253 - 10th of May

11:16pm　セミナーハウス
天気：雨天
Just been working on my field report, and I’m about halfway through; gosh I wish I didn’t procrastinate so much. On the plus side, I did yet my homework for Reading and Writing finished this afternoon, so that leaves tomorrow afternoon free to finish the report… Today, it was raining, but the usual cold that comes with the rain was absent, so it wasn’t so bad. Getting to Speaking, five presentations took place, thanks to the fact that all of them were a reasonable length. We also got the schedule for oral exams and I’m up on Thursday; not really looking forward to it. I have no idea what I’m going to talk about. After class, I went over my sakubun a couple more times, sitting with Katie in the lounge. Soon, Reading and Writing came, and I actually did really well. I remembered the entire thing, and it ended up being just over 2 pages (800 characters), which is perfect; I’m hoping the content is okay. I got out feeling relieved (another thing to tick off), and went to have some Makkas for lunch. After that I rode home in the rain, and after putting the washing away, had a big long nap; I felt pretty guilty afterwards. But, I did get my homework done, and also made a list of everything I have to do so far as tying up any loose ends with the university; there’s quite a lot. At 6:30 I went and had dinner, and then sat in the kitchen till about 8:30, talking and watching TV; and laughing of course. Getting back to my room, I was soon visited by Rachael, who came to exchange FFVII: ACC disks with me. The one she got recently with the PS3 doesn’t have subtitles, so she swapped it with the disk that she originally gave me. It doesn’t bother me at all, since I’m sure I’ll buy the regular DVD version when I get home anyway. I sat with her in the computer room for a little while, helping her a bit with her presentation for tomorrow; she’s in Saigo sensei’s other level 4 class. Finally, I came back in here, and got stuck into my report. It’s only worth 20% of my grade, so I need to stop fussing and just get it done. As I write this, Carly’s is on her way here from Tokyo by night bus, so we’ll be seeing her at uni tomorrow I’m sure. It’ll be nice to catch up, and we’ll be able to finally plan Tokyo properly…

Day 244 - 1st of May

10:10am　バス停　－　保険所前

天気：晴れ

It’s another beautiful, sunny day in Hikone and we’re sitting here outside the hotel, waiting for the next bus; we’ve just checked-out. The first order of business today is to find an ATM that will accept my debit card, as the one in Laswons did not; we’re going to take the bus in to the station. After that, I don’t know…

12:18pm　米原駅

We’re in Maibara station, waiting for the train to 南彦根 (South Hikone). We decided to come here to Maibara, and then found out there really was nothing here; oh well. So we’re going to the mall in South Hikone and hopefully that’s okay… I was able to find an ATM that would take my card; it was in a post office. I’ll have to remember that for next time, even though there probably won’t be a next time; my last JASSO instalment should be coming in soon. After getting the money out, we had a look around a nearby department store, and I had to buy a ひこにゃん ("Hikonyan" - the cities samurai-cat mascot) plushie becuase he is absolutely adorable ~ he is modeled off the Daimyo (lord) "Ii Naokatsu", who ordered Hikone castle's construction in 1603. Coming out of the store, we noticed there was a protest going on in the street; I didn't get a chance to read what the banners said, but I think it was something to do with money. We took a few more pics of Hikone, and then were off to Maibara. As soon as we got out of the station, we realised that there really wasn't much to do here; the map confirmed that. So, after a bit of deliberation, we decided that it would be best if we went to the mall; it was my original plan after all...

5:19pm　新快速

I’m on the special rapid express, back to Kyoto. It’s been a long, tiring day and while I had fun, I’d glad to be going back home… After getting to South Hikone, we made our way over to “Viva City”, the mall, which was just outside the station. As soon as we got in, I had to find something to eat, and right there was a bakery; the bread was so cheap, and so yummy, and one of them was shaped like Ponyo. Just inside the main entrance, they had a heap of stalls set up, like those you would see at festivals, with balloons, balls, and of course 金魚すくい (kingyo sukui – “goldfish scooping”). After eating, we browsed many of the shops on the first floor, and I bought a Totoro pencil case, and Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days on DS; both were on sale. I also wanted to buy some boots, because the store was having a really great sale, but there weren’t any I like enough to pay for even at the discount. On the second floor, I found some nice plaid shirts that were all half price, so I bought two; one green, and one maroon. Looking around at the other guys shops, everything was so expensive. We did find this shirt that read, “Underground f**k department” on the front; and no the other letters weren’t stared. We eventually came to an arcade zone, which included karaoke, bowling, purikura and even a cinema. While the karaoke was much too expensive, we had to do the purikura; it’s mandatory. It was actually really intense, as the time between photo-taking became increasingly shorter and we would have to get ready for the next picture really quickly, changing from a lower, to upper camera sometimes; got some great photos though. After the rakugaki and printing them out, we had a bit of a situation.

Alex had dropped her phone somewhere in there, and couldn’t find it; we searched around and under the machine for about 10 minutes. Not having any luck there, we decided to go and ask the people at the counter, who immediately got onto it. Within minutes, we had a lady taking as down to the information centre on the first floor and there it was! I think that’s incredible that in the space of five minutes, someone has picked up the phone, and taken it downstairs to hand it in; Alex was certainly very relieved. After all the excitement, we had a well deserved ice cream from Baskin and Robins. I tried two of the new flavours, Peach Melba, and Coconut Grove; both were amazing. And the fact that, during Golden Week double scoops are 31% off, made it even sweeter. Our last stop for the day was Toys ‘R’ us, just to have a look; it was in a building on its own adjacent to the mall. I really wanted some Lego (which is a lot cheaper over here) but restrained myself, knowing that I wouldn’t want to ship it home. After that, we made our way back to the station, and I decided to take the train to Maibara with Alex, since I would be able to catch the special repaid from there; only local trains stopped at South Hikone. Getting to Maibara, the train to Kyoto was already in the station, so are farewell was cut short as I had to run down the stairs to make in on just as they were closing the doors; the last time with Alex in Japan was over! I’m about halfway to Kyoto now, so I’m going to get some rest…

10:49pm　セミナーハウス

It feels so good to finally be in bed; I’m so exhausted. After getting back to Hirakata, I decided to take a quick look in animate, and picked up a few things. Then I caught the bus home, and was soon in the kitchen making dinner. I got to catch up with Julie, Ash and Rachel, while eating my gyudon. At 9, since no one else but Rebecca had shown up, with decided to help clean the kitchen; I didn’t really mind. After that, a group gathered in the lounge to watch Princess Mononoke, and while I love the movie, I wasn’t too fussed; I’ve seen it many times. Instead, I took a shower and then started to get everything sorted out. I think tomorrow will simply be a catch-up/blog day, and I’ll have to do some washing and buy groceries too. Wow, this is my last month in Japan; I’m still having a blast…

Day 242 - 29th of April

11:42pm　特急

天気：晴れ

Well, I’m late… We didn’t end up getting home from karaoke until 3:30 this morning, so I didn’t wake up till 10. I got ready and packed as quickly as possible; I’m bringing the bare minimum. After talking with family, and printing off the hotel booking information and a map, I made my way out to the bus stop. It’s a sunny, but windy day, but I guess that’s much better than rain. It’s the open campus day today, and I say Rebecca and Chelsea off this morning. I remember doing it last semester; it seems so long ago now… Anyway, I’m on the limited express to Tambabashi, onto Kyoto, and then Hikone to meet Alex…

12:28pm　新快速

Now I’m on the special rapid express to Hikone from Kyoto, on the 東海道本線 (Tokaido main line). I should be there in about 45 minutes; I’m coming Alex!!!

5:54pm　ホテル

We got to the hotel about 30 minutes ago. We’re staying at the 彦根びわこホテル (Hikone Biwako Hotel), and the room is great; the beds are so comfortable. We’re on the 4^th floor, right across from the elevator. In order for the power to work, you have to put the key in a slot just inside the door, which I think is really cool; just like magic… After getting to Hikone, I found a Makkas across the road from the station and ate lunch there, asking Alex to meet me; turns out she was already in the station, sitting in the waiting room. She soon arrived, and we had a bit of a catch up before making our way down the main street towards the castle. It was about a 10 minute walk till we hit the end of the street, and we noticed a shrine across the road, so we decided to check it out. It was called 護国神社 (gokoku jinja – lit. “Protect Country Shrine), and it turned out to be a war memorial shrine; the name hinted toward this fact. There were a number of statues, dedicated to the men who fell in war, the women and children, and even the animals (horses, dogs, and pigeon) that were involved in war; it was very beautiful. It was so quiet too; we were the only people there.

We soon made our way over to the castle, past the white-washed walls, over the moat, up stairs, and across bridges. Before entering the keep, we had a look around the grounds, did a bit of souvenir shopping, and took in the stunning view of the city and Lake Biwa. Like Himeji castle, we had to take our shoes off inside the keep, and carry them around in bags. It was quite small in comparison to the other castles I’ve been to (only 3 storeys), but it was still pretty cool. Inside, there were artefacts on display, and oh my gosh the stairs were steep, probably the steepest I’ve had to climb. Alex was a little worried, but we went up and down without any dramas, and were soon out. After that, we made our way around the back of the castle, and down a heap of stairs, before crossing a bridge at 黒門 (kuromon – “black gate”). In the moat below, there was a pair of white swan, presumably a male/female couple. The female was making a nest on the shore, and the male was diligently patrolling the waters; it was a wonderful sight to see. After a bit of a walk, we found ourselves at 玄宮園 (Genkyuen), which was an amazingly beautiful garden; so many great photos. Soon after, we exited the castle and made our way over to here, about a half an hour’s walk once we got on the right track; the map helped a lot. Check-in extremely simple; I just had to write my name and phone number, and pay, and we were set. It looks like they have a great selection of facilities, including a pool and spa, so I might go and check them out later. Right now though, I’m happy to just relax…

9:30pm　ホテル

I’m munching on sakura mochi; so yummy! Alex has only just been introduced to the wonders of mochi, and while at first she didn’t like the texture, she’s quickly getting used to it; they sell bags of it in the Lawsons across from the hotel. We’ve just come back from having dinner at a ラメン屋 (Ramen store) called “六本木 (Roppongi) House”, which is kind of epic as Roppongi is the name of a well known district in Tokyo. Anyway, the ramen was amazing; I got pork, and Alex got tomato. We stayed there and talked for a while, and then we went to Lawsons to pick up some dessert. I tried this strange coconut yoghurt/jelly thing that Ash had been talking about the previous night (coincidently), and it tasted pretty good; though not something I would buy again… Earlier this evening, I decided to go down the 2^nd floor and check out the bath, and while the set up was pretty typical, the baths themselves were surprisingly untraditional; they were more like Jacuzzi. The water was coloured green and scented, and water jets were used in two of the tubs. Still, it was very warm, and very relaxing; I didn’t end up staying too long though, as it was also quite boring. Getting back, I lazed around, and read another chapter of Reborn; I’m getting faster! Anyway, we’re probably going to get some sleep soon, as we have a big day planned for tomorrow…

Day 168 - 14th of February

8:30am　特急
天気：　晴れ
We’re on the train to Kyobashi now. Well, this morning was a bit of a mess up on my part. I set the alarm on my iPod for 6:30, but forgot to turn the sound up, so I slept through it. Luckily, I was woken up by Hugo coming back from his night out in Osaka; thanks Hugo. It was already 7, so Simon, Jeremy, and Rachael were already ready; I had to quickly apologise to each of them as I saw them in that order. I ate breakfast, and then had a quick shower, and made it out to the lounge by 7:30; not so bad. After some more apologising, we set off for Makino, and made a quick stop at Mini Stop (a convenience store), so that Jeremy and Rachael could get some money out; we all bought some food too. Then we got on the local to Hirakata, switched over, and here we are now. It’s a warm, sunny day, but I think it’ll be cooler in 六甲山 (Rokkosan – Rokko Mountain); I’m so excited.

8:51am　普通
Now we’re on a local train to 尼崎 (Amagasaki) on the JR Hanshin line. This line actually goes to Takarazuka, so once we get to Amagasaki, we’re going to switch, and continue on to 六甲道 (Rokkomichi). This isn’t the way I’d intended to go, but when we got to Kyobashi, we found that we could go directly to Kobe from there, instead of taking the loop line around to Shin Osaka, and going from there as I’d originally planned; I think this way works out cheaper sine there’s less transfers. This line seems more like a subway; we’ve been underground for a while now. Simon’s taking a little nap…

9:14am　普通
We’ve just transferred at Amagasaki. We ended up on a local, because I didn’t realise the rapid express (which was bound for Himeji castle) stopped at our stop; oh well. It’s so cool that we’re in Kobe! I can already see the mountains looming on our right side, and the port on our left; there are so many bridges. We’ve got about 7 more stops until we hit Rokkomichi…

13:01pm　バス
We’re on the bus back to the cable car now. Wow, the traffic to get to the ice festival has backed up so far down the mountain; they’re going to be waiting for hours. We came at a really good time; and what a spectacular place… After getting off the train at Rokkomichi, we waited for the bus bound for 六甲ケーブル下 (Rokkosan keburu shita), where the cable line is; very convenient. We considered walking it, but I’m glad we didn’t; it was at least 20 minutes by bus, up a very steep slope. Getting the cable line, Jeremy noticed that they were doing a package that included cable car return fare, bus return, and the ice festival admission for 1,700円; that saved us at least 400円. So we went for that, and joined the very long line. We didn’t have to wait very long at all for the cable car, and the entire queue managed to fit. The car was so cool, with tiered seating and open-air; we stood up near the middle.

Once we got started, we were treated to music, and a spiel on the history of the cable car and the mountain; not that I was paying much attention. I was too exciting about riding a cable car for the first time, and taking in the awesome scenery; we even got a few peeks at Kobe through the trees. It took a little over 10 minutes to reach the top (I know because I was taping it), and after disembarking, we climbed the stairs, and quickly made our way outside to be rewarded with an awesome view of Kobe. We just missed getting on the bus (it was packed as), but I didn’t care; I wanted to take in the view. We climbed a bit higher to an observation deck, and thought about how amazing this would be to see at night; they had a panel showing what it looked like at night up there. It was a bit of a shame that it was quite hazy; we could only just make out KIX. We caught the next bus, soon noticing that there was a little bit of snow on the ground, covering the bamboo. We climbed further up the mountain, making tight turns, and coming up the town, which we’re back in now. We’re getting off at Rokkosan hotel, because we’ve decided to walk to the cheese castle, so I’ll have to continue this later…

2:45pm　バス
On the bus again, back to the cable car for sure this time; we’ve got to get back home… We’ve just been to the Rokkosan Pasture and “cheese castle”, which wasn’t a castle at all. We should have read the Japanese for this one ~ 神戸チーズ館 – Kobe cheese “building”. It was actually situated on the 1st and 2nd basement floors of a barn house in the pasture, and since we had to pay to get into the grounds, we didn’t end up seeing it. We had less than an hour so it wouldn’t have been worth it anyway. We ended up walking a little way and petting the two Shetland ponies (a male and a female), that we could just reach over the fence. An American guy’s come over and has been talking to us (well mainly Jeremy), about this and that. It’s extremely warm on these buses, and I feel like drifting off. Hopefully, we don’t have to pay to ride this bus, but I have a sneaking feeling we do, since it’s not on the route to the Ice Festival; just have to wait and see.
3:39pm　バス
Now we’re on the bus back to Rokkomichi station, making our way back down the hill into Kobe; much of the city is on the slope actually. We’re packed in here like sardines (at least we got to sit), and the poor bus driver can’t even let anyone else on; he’ll slow up at the bus stops, and then continue on. The look on one women’s face when she saw how full the bus is was priceless. But priceless was not the bus back from the pasture, unfortunately. After getting back to the cable line, we had a quick browse in the small souvenir shop (I bought some postcards), then hoped on board the car once more. I decided to stand right at the front, to film our descent through the Perspex; so cool. At this point, I think we’ll have no problem getting back home for the food party at 6. Anyway, back to earlier this morning…

After going through the town and up a winding road past lodges, pine trees, and frozen ponds we found ourselves stuck behind traffic, right before a bus stop. Since everyone was getting off, we decided to follow suit; we were in fact only about 400m from the Garden Terrace where the Ice Festival was being held. Stepping out of the bus, we had actually arrived the Rokkosan Country House and artificial ski slope. But that’s not what caught my eye. All the trees were covered with ice, and with the warmth of the sun, it was starting to melt. We had noticed it on the bus, and Simon and I especially looked on in awe. Small chunks were falling off the trees like snow, hitting the road and cars. It made the most amazingly beautiful sound as it fell and hit things, and I imagined how serene it would be to sit in a forest with this sound all around me. For me, seeing all these trees covered in this layer of delicate ice was probably the most surreal thing I’ve ever seen; almost better than snow.

Like me, Simon was over the moon, leading the way with such an enthusiasm. He found joy in breaking bits of ice of the trees, and making snowballs out of what little snow he could find on the ground. We noticed a field of snow where a heap of kids were tobogganing, and tried to find our way in. We came to realise that, to get in, we had to enter the ski slope area, and that meant paying 2500円; that wasn’t happening. Slightly disappointed, we made our way back onto the road, and continued to follow it toward the festival, past the backed up traffic. After a short while, we found a crossing, made our way up a precarious set of stairs, and then walked further up a hill to find ourselves and the venue for the festival. Passes stamped, and we were in. I’d better stop here since we’ve made it back to the station…

4:03pm　特急
Now we’re on the limited express back to Kyobashi; not that it skips many stations. Anyway, back to today… So, we got to the festival, and were immediately greeted by two proud eagles of ice. I remember ages ago, going to see ice sculptures in a place in Brisbane with Nanny and Poppy, and I do remember playing with a little bit of snow. Those faded memories were revived as we snaked our way through the display area. Among my favourites were a pair of Phoenix, a tiger, a unicorn, and a ship passing through huge waves. A lot of them were ocean themed (lots of fish and mermaids), but there were also dragons, birds, people, and even Doraemon. Past the food stalls, there was a section for kids to have fun, with slides, and pinball machines curved out of ice and a fishing game where you had to hook small blocks of ice. There was also an area where you could make your own creations from ice; most people seemed to be making pots. Hungry, we decided to eat there; I went for a nice warm bowl of ramen. As we were sitting down, Simon and I got showered in ice from, as we later found out, kids playing in a pile of it above; and once again I got ice down my back.

After eating, we left the venue, climbing some stairs, and exiting out into an area with shops and restaurants, and a viewing deck providing another amazing view of Kobe. We browsed a nearby shop for a while. There was so much great looking food (Kobe is famous for its cheese among other things), but we didn’t end up buying anything. Deciding to head back, we made our way for the bus, but not before making a side trip up a watch tower in a very European-influenced “village”. After taking in even more of the view from the height of the tower, we walked through the village, and came across a little shop called Little Horti. Just inside the entrance was something that made Simon whoop with delight; Tim Tams. It was pretty funny; he actually embarrassed himself because he was so loud. So of course, we bought a few packets (I just got the original), along with some other goodies that are a rarity in Japan. We emerged very satisfied, and just made the bus in tie too.

As I mentioned earlier, we caught the bus back into town, with the intention of seeing the cheese castle and pasture. At the ice festival, there was a stall there selling products from the pasture, and after trying the sample (a caramel), we wanted to check it out; they also had a poster of sheep which Simon in particular wanted to see. Since the bus didn’t go directly from the festival to the pasture, we decided to walk there from the town. After passing a small Inari shrine, and the YMCA, we thought we’d be clever and take a “shortcut” to cut across the curve in the road and get there faster. This turned into an hour trek through the wilderness! I hadn’t anticipated doing any hiking today, but here we were going through the forest. Admittedly, the scenery was very beautiful, and it was so quite. We found a small waterfall, with a log over it covered in ice, and inevitably come out to a place called Diamond Point, which offered us a view inland; very cool. We even found a few settlements (small and simple), which would have been private indeed, and stumbled across a small lake.

Finally, we emerged from the forest, and descended back onto the main road. By this point, I was very much in need of relief, so we followed the road for quite a way until we came across the pasture; I was practically running by the end of it. I was directed to the toilet, which was actually inside the grounds; I managed to get in without paying. Rachael followed suit, and when she came back out, we decided not to spend the money to go in; didn’t have enough time to appreciate it properly. So yeah, we petted the ponies, and then caught the bus back to the cable line. It was really funny (but really not) when we realised just how close the YMCA was to the pasture; we had turned off just after it. But anyway, it was a lot of fun, a great bit of exercise, and I got some good photos. So now here we are, back in civilisation, speeding towards home. I am quite certain that we will make it back in time for the party; almost back to Kyobashi now…

10:43pm
I’ve finally finished my speech for Japanese. I’m really happy with it, and I’ve even made a power point presentation to go with it; lots of pictures of the Sunshine Coast. Now I can have a shower, and get some sleep... After getting back to Hirakata station, we caught the bus back to the dorms, and managed to get back just after 5:30. I dropped my things in my room, and then went up to the kitchen to find the last of the preparations for the party taking place. Biancha was almost finished baking a Betty Croker cake (packet mix found at the military base), for Asami, and Victor was feverously cooking up his Spanish omelette, which I never did get to try any of; oh well. All my cooking was done, so I busied myself putting chairs out, and stealing chunks of Biancha’s corn loaf; Oh my gosh it was so yummy. She gave Yuji and I free pickings so I couldn’t complain. The mini okonomiyaki were already in the dining room, a neat little cooker set up to keep them warm; six at a time.

I got my biscuits out, along with my plate and cutlery and plonked myself down in preparation for the feast. People began to pour in just before 6, and we finally got started at about 10 past. Asami made a short announcement, and then asked us who cooked to introduce ourselves and our food, and then we got stuck into it. My biscuits went so fast, as did everything else. Unfortunately, they had gotten very hard in the fridge, so I decided to heat them up in the microwave. This meant that I was stuck in the kitchen, and missed out on trying a few things; that’s the story of the cook. After doing the rounds, it was finally my turn to eat, and wow everything was so good. I especially liked Barbara’s rice dish from Kenya; it had so much flavour. The mini okonomiyaki also tasted great, as did Biancha’s pasta salad. People also brought out chocolate and cookies, and I think the headache I have now was caused by an OD of chocolate; couldn’t help myself.

Pretty soon the cake was brought out, and we all sang happy Birthday to Asami. I was lucky enough to get two pieces, as Biancha didn’t think people would want to eat the under cooked bits; maybe that’s what gave me the headache. Anyway, I stayed up there for a while chatting with people, before sneaking away, with Asami’s permission, to get my speech done; that must have been just after 7. And here I am now, left with probably to longest blog entry to date, so I really better wrap it up. Today was absolutely amazing, and I’m really glad I made the choice to go; I was totally worth it. I know that the others really enjoyed themselves too, so other job well done on my part, since I always seem to be the organiser of these things; I don’t know why that is. Well anyway, headache is telling me that I really need to sleep so I’ll leave it at that; hopefully I can get up at a decent hour for uni tomorrow.