Icciv's notes in Japan

sumi - maaassssen!!!

The title has been the catch phrase of the week thanks to Jen, and basically means excuse me! I began this post in Nagasaki before our final night, but I continued it in school. The photo is from the final dance festival last Sunday, this guy looked so cool at the dance, and kinda sexy too. It's going to be a long post, so feel free to skip bits your not interested in! So, It's been a crazy brilliant ten days, and although I'm still in Nagasaki I have free internet access and thought I would make a brief update while I have the chance. I have so much to write about, and loads of great photos, but as always they cannot yet be uploaded. Sometime soon they will, anyway, here is summary of my exciting holiday.

Friday: Festival in Wakamatsu



The crowd at Wakamatsu Festival to watch the fireworks


On the friday night before my trip to Fukuoka my principal took me to this amazing festival on the other side of the island. It was really cool with loads of stalls and food and dancing. Melissa was there with her JTE and another teacher who was running a stall so we got really good seats for the fireworks. I also bought some flashy light things on string so I could spin poi, the teachers thought it was amazing and it was cool to do it again. AT least I can practice till my real ones arrive! The fireworks were amazing, better than any I had ever seen. It was such a great night! Nearly feel asleep in the car home though, its been so tiring the past few days.


From the back, here is my kocho-sensei, me, Melissa, her JTE and another teacher from he school







Saturday: Dragon boat racing and the Goto block party


I had to get up at 7 to meet my principal for the dragon baot race in Uonome, all the local towns compete in about 20 different races throughout the day. I arrived (still feeling quite sleepy) and was soon asked if I wanted to try. I assumed I would be allowed to have a quick paddle before a race or something, as a novice like me couldn't compete! I, however, was very wrong and to my horror, was placed in the next race with a group of girls the same age! I got soaked and we lost but it was so much fun, and the girls were really sweet! We came third in the second race so I improved. Unfortunately the sun frazzled me as I was drenched, and I was very pink for a couple of days, but it was worth it!


Me in the boat race!!


After the race I met with one of my principals (from the elementary school) daughters and her friend. She studies in Kyoto but had returned for Obon. We had lunch and went shopping which was really nice and I hope to keep in touch and visit her in Kyoto.

That evening was the Goto block party, and all the people from the other islands came over and we had a meal, drank lots and went to karaoke! Some things never change :). It was great to meet every one and we all got on really well, hopefully the year will continue with lots of island hopping. Mostly people squeezed into my house to sleep, which was fun, and Sierra and me went to get breakfast the next morning from the bakery.

Here is everyone from the Goto Islands (bar 2 people) from the front left it goes Alistair, Pippa, George, Ian, Catherine, Me. From the right back it goes Lori, Kitty, Melissa, Amber and Sierra. Dawn took the photo.
Here is Sierra and Dawn in the sexy props in the karaoke place!


The trip to Fukuoka


This is where the fun really started. Me and Alistair headed to Fukuoka on the 12.30 ferry (Alistair is on the biggest Goto island). It was a really fun trip because we went to the area where you lie down, which is basically a communal sleeping area where you get pillows and blankets. It's quite surreal lying there with loads of people walking back and forth around you, but we both got a good four hours sleep and then had noodles and biscuits for dinner when we woke up. Reaching Tenjin (a district of Fukuoka) was suprisingly easy and once we had found Matt and Suzie, and a panicked Jen who thought she had missed us, we checked into the capsule hotel. It was such a cool hotel, though unfortunately it bans tattoos so I spent alot of time hiding my back. Its sounds easier than it is because the shower/baths were communal! This was no problem on our first night where me, Suzie and Jen showered and bathed at 3am, which I have to admit was quite strange. Being in a hot tub naked with friends is something I had never really done before! Obviously it is a great deal harder while the place is busy, and I avoided the baths until night time for fear of being thrown out. The capsule itself was really comfy, not that I slept much as I was out till 4am most days and then up early to sight see. Its also split into two halves for men and women, hence the communal bath area. The capsule itself isn't locked at night, so if it was mixed it might be a tad risky.

We did so much in Fukuoka, during the day we saw the main sights, such as Fukuoka tower, temples and shrines, Canal city (an amazing shopping mall) and Hawks town, the biggest hotel with a cool tropical garden. On the first night it was just me, Suzie, Alistair, Jen and Matt, and we all went for a curry as we'd had sooo much Japanese food since we had arrived. After the meal we met these two Japanese guys, who joined us in a bar to practice english. Then we went to a club called the FU bar with DJ Obon!
It was funny, and all the gaijin men blanked our group to get with a sexy Japanese lady, ah some men are so shallow! After this night we returned and had the late night bath experience! The second night Will and Claire arrived, but we lost them until about 10pm. Before that we had a snack tea and went to a place called Georges bar, we had all you can drink for 2 hours at only 10 pounds each! We drank quite alot, mainly because the live music (played by the bar owner) was too loud and quite rubbish and this led to us taking many photos of us in random interesting poses. We finally met up with Will and Claire in this rock bar, and stayed there for a while, and I met these really nice NOVA girls. We all headed back to the hotel after trying to get into the Vodoo lounge and meeting random people, but then me and Alistair were like 'I'm not tired, lets go to another bar'. We went to Off Broadway and carried on drinking (the next morning I was still a bit drunk until lunch time!) until about 4. Our final night in Fukuoka we decided to go back to Japanese food and found this nice little place down the road. Will and Matt got into a slightly heated debate over genetics and crime (nothing to do with me...well...maybe slightly influenced by me....oops!) and the atmosphere was a little tense until we reached karaoke where all returned to normal. After the karaoke the boys went home to use the sauna, but us girls went to find a nightclub. We went to this hiphop club called Vibe, which was full of Japanese gangster wannabies, who were wearing giant basketbakll shirts down to their knees! Suzie got involved in some interesting dancing with two guys, and I chatted with this fit Japanese guy who was really nice, and he took my e-mail address! We had to leave at 4 to check in at the hotel which was a shame, plus we had to catch a bus to Nagasaki the next day. The next morning I felt quite ill, and also my jewelery box was stolen which upset me. These things happen though, so I got over it, however anyone sending gifts from home, jewelery would be appreciated.

Photo of Fukuoka from Fukuoka tower

I'm going to leave it here, because the post will be huge otherwise and they will hate me at school for living on the internet. Next instalment will tell about Nagasaki trip, festival in Urakuwa, and Goto gossip!!! Do wish I had photos to show you all but sorry, you will have to wait. Still, I had a great week, and I still love it here!!

posted by Icciv @ 8:50 pm