cor blimey – I just wrote a long blog and it wouldn’t post – I managed to lose it so as my spare moment to myself is running out I’ll give you the gist. Rio and Orlando doing well. Orlando is sleeping – he’s more a night bird really, waking up around 11ish for a larg part until the small hours. I’ve taken to coming out into the sitting room and watching late night tv! Rio is active as ever – Geoff is in charge of rio sleeping now. We are trying to knock the night waking on the head – two sets of wake up calls during the night is too much for anyone. Rio is kicking a little at not having maman but is coming to terms with the fact that he gets papa or nothing.

Jul – you seem to have got it wrong again. Jumping streight in to frolicking with the local fauna when you should be teaching the populace their ABC. Plenty of time for partying when the coffers are nice and full with money pooring in at least as fast as it’s pooring out surely?!?
What’s your address? Ours is 5 Avenue Leo Ferre, 31570 Sainte Foy d’Aigrefeuille, France

Liv and Han – hope you both had/have nice birthdays – sorry about the late prezzies and no cards. Due to not having many moments to myself! hope you like the prezzies when they arrive – they will be addressed to me.

Tx

Where’s the Japanese timeline?

Well Happy Birthday Liv – enjoy your fish ‘n’ chips tonight. Welcome to the 28 year olds club.
WARNING: You may experience loss of hair, increased appetite and weight gain.

And Happy Birthday Orlando Tyrrel. Welcome to this planet – enjoy your stay.
Congratulations to Tan and Geoff and a special mention to Dr Michelle Brockbank for her medical expertise during the birth.

Dod gave me Carcassonne which looks good and will hopefully rank alongside Ticket to Ride, so arigato Dod, Ma and Jul!

happy birthday liv! I may have some remote connection to the present coming from dod. 🙂

hail!

well so far japan seems to be agreeing with me. disturbingly little english is spoken here so i will have to start learning pretty sharpish. going into resturants i have to point at the most edible looking picture and hope for the best. people are very friendly and helpfull. when i arrived i must have looked like some lost, simple minded sheep as a couple of people went out of there way just to help me. arriving at the station after very little sleep on the plane and a long train ride, i was peering bleary eyed at some incomprihensible map writen entirely in japanese when some business chap came over and asked if i needed help. ofcourse i did so he showed me how to get out in the right place. on the way were a few long staircases and the guy offered to carry my suitcase as i was clearly struggling. having been poisened by my india experiances i emediatly refused. but then realising that he was just trying to help we carried the bag together. we then parted with much bowing and thankyous. a rather nice introduction to japan.

food here is pretty nice, athough i havent been eating the good stuff yet. fast food and conveniance store sushi have been my staple diet so far being quick and cheap. the hostel i am staying in is really nice and fill with many of the right sort from various diverse countries. there is also a small bar attached to one of the hostels which i have visited a few times, and made quite a few friends already. the night life is pretty good with famous places like rippongi having hordes of night clubs lit up in blazing neon. the area that i am in is called asakusa, and has a pretty impressive temple and grounds in it. its a big tourist atraction so i wasnt that keen on it as it was very busy. i also went to the electronic district called akihabara, a massive place given over to gaming and computor shops, japanese animation and manga stores. pretty crazy place. filled with young people. there are also lots of cheap markets selling all kinds of tat, but i actually have no room in my bag for anything else. when i get an apartment then we shall see. on the front things are going a bit slow. im still trying to find somewhere suitable and cheap. ill start applying for jobs and give them the address of the hostel for now.

just picked up some rather nice post cards, so expect one in the mail in aprox 6 months. speaking of which can some one mail me tans and grannies address.

right im off for now.

julio