October 10-16, 2005
Hello everyone -
Tim checking in once again to say hi and see how you all are??
Thankfully I don't need to start the email with sad news on Bali or Pakistan, but on a lighter and more happier note.
Hope everyone is doing okay - I have so many wonderful friends and family members who live all over the world - so a big hug goes out to you all. My life is truely "international" and you are all special parts of that "international" part of my life!!
So, what did I get up to this week on my adventurous life?
Last Monday 10th October was an interesting day - I came back from Matsumoto where I was visiting a friend at lunchtime - I met up with another friend - some of you know as Kanae - I had some coffee with her and her parents.
Came home and slept......
Tuesday 11th October I spent most of the day studying (nerd!!) and in classes at uni. Me and two other Aussie friends here in Tokyo organised a cook-off and study session that we have pledged to do every Tuesday night. We are gonna met up at each other's houses each Tuesday - each week, a different person's house - and cook dinner for each other - then get into some studies. I always feel I can work and study well in groups. It's good for effective learning and we all share a lot of laughs. We've been trying to focus on Japanese - that way we can al learn from each other and it's reat speaking practise!!
Wednesday 12th Oct was an incredible day - Kazuya came to meet me at Shinjuku and we spent the day together. We visited Odaiba, which is a large piece of re-claimed land, south of Tokyo. It's an incredible place, for those Aussies and others who know, it resembles Darling Harbour. A run-down port and shipment yard decades ago, now revamped into an entertainment/hotel/convention/festival district. Kazuya and I had yum-cha for lunch and went to see the Statue Of Liberty - yes you read right! The Japanese version of the Statue of Liberty - looks exactly the same, just half the size of the New York one. We walked along the boardwalk and to the beach - to cold for swimming, but great to look out into Tokyo Bay. We then went to the Odaiba Planetarium and spent a few hours learning about Earth, innovations - including an 8 wheel-limousine car (energy-efficient) recently released in Tokyo. We also had a look at an earthquake simulation - which would come into great need later in the week - more on that later!! We watched a live show at the Planetarium and then went to see a Car Convention - the latest BMW's and Ferrari releases. We rode in an electric car too! We ended the night on the world's largest Ferris Wheel - 115 metres high, which gave us great views out over Tokyo Bay, Shinjuku and Roppongi!! It was very scary at the top, especially with the wind blowing!! For dinner we went to this GREAT buffet restaurant which served a range of delicious foods - Greek, French, Italian, Moroocon and Chinese - we had Mousaka, Spring Rolls, Pepper Cream Cheese and Piella - a Spanish rice and seafood dish. Kazuya, who has worked in hospitality and the fod industry for years, was very impressed. He wants to own his own restaurant in the future - hopefully in Greece! So, when it comes to the quality of food and it's service, he is the best critic! We are definately going back!
Thursday 13th Oct I had uni all day, including a tour of the university that our Japanese class took. We have these amazing Japanese gardens spread all around the university campus. I didn't know that they existed before the tour, but since the tour I have been eating in the gardens every uni day at lunchtime - they are so well kept and beautiful.
Friday 14th Oct I again had uni all day - part of my Thurs/Fri 9-6pm schedule!!! Emerald came back to my house and we chatted/studied until 12am - we both had a lot of work to get through and though it would be good to keep each other company and do it together. We ARE in 3 classes together.
Saturday 15th Oct I studied my studying ways and again met up with Emerald at Starbucks and we studied from 11am - 4pm. After a yummy lunch, I witnessed something not so yummy - a lady was knocked off her bike by a car which screeched passed her. She flew through the air and her helmet split open and came off. I though she was dead. So I didn't approach her, because it wouldn't have been a good site. But she started to move, as traffic drove passed her - she was still in the middle of the road!!! About 150-200 people were surrounding the scene. Ambulances were called and she was taken away - I don't know if she survived or not?!
After that, Emerald and I were not in the mood to study, so we went shopping in downtown Shinjuku. I got a message from my new Japanese friend - funnily named Kazuya (too!!). I went to his place with a few other friends for a couple of drinks. We also watched a brand new Japanese drama - resembles something like the Australian Home and Away!! Loved it! I stayed over at his place with the other friends.
Woke up on Sunday morning at 11am - very tired! Had lunch with everyone and then came home for a shower. Had Kendo Practise later that afternoon, so went to the station and caught the train. Just as the train was approaching, the ground started shaking. The station roof shook violently for about 10 seconds. People were pretty shocked. It was an earthquake. This was the first earthquake I'd ever experienced. It was pretty scary. No damage was caused however. I got on the next train reluctantly, and rod through the subway. In downtown Shinjuku, no damage was reported either. But Tokyo is way overdue for a major earthquake - hopefully not in the time while I am here!!!
So, I made it to Kendo practise - because I don't yet have a uniform, I mainly watched - apart from learning a few moves of Kendo. Its a really good martial art to learn. It looks scary and violent, but really it is a very good discipline.
After Kendo practise, me and the Japanese guys went to an al-you-can-drink-and-eat restaurant. Traditional Japanese one. We stayed out drinking and chatting until 12am - a great end to a great weekend!!
That's it for this week guys - please keep sending me emails everyone and keepin in touch.
Take care and speak to you soon
Tim
xx
Tim checking in once again to say hi and see how you all are??
Thankfully I don't need to start the email with sad news on Bali or Pakistan, but on a lighter and more happier note.
Hope everyone is doing okay - I have so many wonderful friends and family members who live all over the world - so a big hug goes out to you all. My life is truely "international" and you are all special parts of that "international" part of my life!!
So, what did I get up to this week on my adventurous life?
Last Monday 10th October was an interesting day - I came back from Matsumoto where I was visiting a friend at lunchtime - I met up with another friend - some of you know as Kanae - I had some coffee with her and her parents.
Came home and slept......
Tuesday 11th October I spent most of the day studying (nerd!!) and in classes at uni. Me and two other Aussie friends here in Tokyo organised a cook-off and study session that we have pledged to do every Tuesday night. We are gonna met up at each other's houses each Tuesday - each week, a different person's house - and cook dinner for each other - then get into some studies. I always feel I can work and study well in groups. It's good for effective learning and we all share a lot of laughs. We've been trying to focus on Japanese - that way we can al learn from each other and it's reat speaking practise!!
Wednesday 12th Oct was an incredible day - Kazuya came to meet me at Shinjuku and we spent the day together. We visited Odaiba, which is a large piece of re-claimed land, south of Tokyo. It's an incredible place, for those Aussies and others who know, it resembles Darling Harbour. A run-down port and shipment yard decades ago, now revamped into an entertainment/hotel/convention/festival district. Kazuya and I had yum-cha for lunch and went to see the Statue Of Liberty - yes you read right! The Japanese version of the Statue of Liberty - looks exactly the same, just half the size of the New York one. We walked along the boardwalk and to the beach - to cold for swimming, but great to look out into Tokyo Bay. We then went to the Odaiba Planetarium and spent a few hours learning about Earth, innovations - including an 8 wheel-limousine car (energy-efficient) recently released in Tokyo. We also had a look at an earthquake simulation - which would come into great need later in the week - more on that later!! We watched a live show at the Planetarium and then went to see a Car Convention - the latest BMW's and Ferrari releases. We rode in an electric car too! We ended the night on the world's largest Ferris Wheel - 115 metres high, which gave us great views out over Tokyo Bay, Shinjuku and Roppongi!! It was very scary at the top, especially with the wind blowing!! For dinner we went to this GREAT buffet restaurant which served a range of delicious foods - Greek, French, Italian, Moroocon and Chinese - we had Mousaka, Spring Rolls, Pepper Cream Cheese and Piella - a Spanish rice and seafood dish. Kazuya, who has worked in hospitality and the fod industry for years, was very impressed. He wants to own his own restaurant in the future - hopefully in Greece! So, when it comes to the quality of food and it's service, he is the best critic! We are definately going back!
Thursday 13th Oct I had uni all day, including a tour of the university that our Japanese class took. We have these amazing Japanese gardens spread all around the university campus. I didn't know that they existed before the tour, but since the tour I have been eating in the gardens every uni day at lunchtime - they are so well kept and beautiful.
Friday 14th Oct I again had uni all day - part of my Thurs/Fri 9-6pm schedule!!! Emerald came back to my house and we chatted/studied until 12am - we both had a lot of work to get through and though it would be good to keep each other company and do it together. We ARE in 3 classes together.
Saturday 15th Oct I studied my studying ways and again met up with Emerald at Starbucks and we studied from 11am - 4pm. After a yummy lunch, I witnessed something not so yummy - a lady was knocked off her bike by a car which screeched passed her. She flew through the air and her helmet split open and came off. I though she was dead. So I didn't approach her, because it wouldn't have been a good site. But she started to move, as traffic drove passed her - she was still in the middle of the road!!! About 150-200 people were surrounding the scene. Ambulances were called and she was taken away - I don't know if she survived or not?!
After that, Emerald and I were not in the mood to study, so we went shopping in downtown Shinjuku. I got a message from my new Japanese friend - funnily named Kazuya (too!!). I went to his place with a few other friends for a couple of drinks. We also watched a brand new Japanese drama - resembles something like the Australian Home and Away!! Loved it! I stayed over at his place with the other friends.
Woke up on Sunday morning at 11am - very tired! Had lunch with everyone and then came home for a shower. Had Kendo Practise later that afternoon, so went to the station and caught the train. Just as the train was approaching, the ground started shaking. The station roof shook violently for about 10 seconds. People were pretty shocked. It was an earthquake. This was the first earthquake I'd ever experienced. It was pretty scary. No damage was caused however. I got on the next train reluctantly, and rod through the subway. In downtown Shinjuku, no damage was reported either. But Tokyo is way overdue for a major earthquake - hopefully not in the time while I am here!!!
So, I made it to Kendo practise - because I don't yet have a uniform, I mainly watched - apart from learning a few moves of Kendo. Its a really good martial art to learn. It looks scary and violent, but really it is a very good discipline.
After Kendo practise, me and the Japanese guys went to an al-you-can-drink-and-eat restaurant. Traditional Japanese one. We stayed out drinking and chatting until 12am - a great end to a great weekend!!
That's it for this week guys - please keep sending me emails everyone and keepin in touch.
Take care and speak to you soon
Tim
xx
posted by Tim at 10:47 AM
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