The Most Epic Japan Trip Of All Time....Part 1
Well, it's over. We survived. 3000 kms by train, 14 days, 2 Japanese islands, 1 sassy and sexy 20 something, 2 middle aged mostly adventurous parents with too much luggage....It really was an awesome time especially since I am so relaxed over here, it has taken 6 months but I finally feel normal and relaxed and no longer feel my stomach eating itself most days.
Day 1- 5..Kansai..Hiroshima
We spent 4 truly jam-packed days in my region of Japan, Kansai, which stretches south past Hiroshima, north to Kanto, east to the ocean, and west to who knows where. So insane to have Mum and Dad arrive, so surreal! They loved my people and everyone loved them! Salmon and vodka for a welcome to Japan party with my roommates and close friends..Osaka Castle in all it's cherry blossom glory and blue skies...the madness of my daily shopping experience, which of course feels completely normal ever since the first day, and now it seems impossible to live without the daily hubbub and energy from my crowded city.
Scenes from my Osaka....
I finally started to do Kyoto properly, so overwhelming since so many of the most famous places are spread out. It was empowering to overcome my fear of taking buses! We went to kinkakuji
The entire pavilion except the basement floor is covered with pure gold leaf. The pavilion functions as a shariden, housing relics of the Buddha. In 1950, the temple was burned down by a mentally disturbed monk
After pondering the beauty and tranquility of this area, and it's gardeners who have stepped right out of a movie set, it was off to my favourite place, Arashiyama. The setting for the unbelievably fun day last fall in our rowboat.
Next it was off to Hiroshima. Every ride on the Shinkansen (bullet train) is basically minimum 100 bucks each way, thus the hour ride to Hiroshima is still a luxury. I wasn't sure what to expect from this famous city and tragic history, we had no plan. But I was overwhelmed by the joyus atmosphere, compounded by the blue skies, blossoms, and old people and children enjoying hanami (cherry blossom picnics). The museum and memorials were moving but it was hard to feel really connected to the tragedy, I likened it to how my kids would feel if we visited a 9/11 memorial in the distant future. The most moving is the individual stories, especially of the now famous story about the girl who wanted to make 1000 paper cranes believing she would be cured. Her parents seem to have donated everything from her life which was a little odd, but definately tear inducing when you see the cranes she folded using a needle since they are so tiny.
In a suprising twist, we headed out to the incredibly beautiful island of Miajima, with the 3rd most photographed site in all of Japan, the floating gate that is built into the sand. It is a spectacularly gorgeous spot and I plan to return in a few weeks!
PS clearly I am going to hell for accidentally yelling F*** MY GUCCI SUNGLASSES!when they slipped off in the memorial park...
Kurama, Kurama
One recent sunny clear day with skies bluer than one could ever imagine, my intrepid Italian and I set off for the ultimate in Japanese relaxation....the outdoor onsen aka boiling thermal bathing with mandatory nudity...
But first there was death mountain to be conquered...
And much beauty to savour...
Many shrines to stop and take a moment of silent prayer and offer a 5 yen coin, plus several pretty temples in the midst of forest and smoky smelling fragrant air. 
We made friends with the insane elderly caretaker who managed to run over the mountains several times with hundreds of keys jangling in the time it took us to climb over it once! Every shrine had lit candles despite the breeze, a testament to ancestors and babies who have died, always sombering to see the aprons tied around the idols necks bib-style to show another baby death. 
We decended our mountain and found an enchanted herbal tea house with the traditional heated table under which to warm our poor cold and exhausted bones. Rose petal tea, bean cakes and a lovely tea house lady, the most amazing refuge from the icy wind! Finally it was onto the onsen, to soak our naked bodies under the full moon and shelter of the mountains and millions of stars....
Fast Times At Noba High, or What I Have Learned In My First Six Months in Japan
Well the oddly much anticipated 6 month milestone has come and gone without fanfare or even finishing my utterly profound milestone comments. I spend my days thinking big thoughts, a constant buzz of relating my 7 years of cross cultural study into the reel of comments in my head about my surroundings. The surface differences have never occurred to me, I am still waiting for the culture shock to arrive or the novelty to wear off. But novelty isn't even the right word, from the first minute in this country there has been no buzz of newness just happy to be in my new home, savouring the slower pace, relieved to be out of australia, soothed by the grey skies and mountains that surround me at every turn.
..Ultimately the only difference between Japan and Australia is the stirring and maintaining of dignity. The sweet and profound dignity I see in every element of this country...the cleaners aware of their important position in cleaning the pavement for the hallowed english teachers, the train guards running to help the blind or wheelchaired....the parental hand holding of adult mentally challenged children despite the sheer social pain they are feeling for being part of such a disruption in public...the humility of my sweet and tortured salarymen students...
..You can't beat living life without any language skills. My low level of shame and embarrasment is suprising, I never expected to not be the slightly ethnocentric westerner in my day to day life. There are restaurants and shops and activities I subconciously avoid which is a strange habit and gives me even more compassion for immigrants everywhere who lack both their own social network and can't understand bus timetables.
The job is still a riot of hilarity and truly insane and surreal moments, days and hours which can't be put into words even to co-workers. The language breakdown is of course always chance for amusement but the absurd stories and sentances that are shared with us under the guise of pseudo priests...venting about wayward teens, workaholic husbands, who they would have married if they hadn't been pregnant...
So here's to my soothing mountains and dickensien outlook from my room in the clouds, my insanely polite behaviour, incurable cuteness and more men with giant hair...
After 7 months...3 students a lesson...40 lessons a week...(you do the math) Here is an incredible accurate dossierJob: Engineer, English Teacher, Housewife
Hobbies: go to shopping, driving, sleeping, read a book
Reason for learning english: watch movies without subtitles, watch 24 without subtitles, speak to foreigners (about what no one will elaborate)
Quotable Quotes...
'I want to get with Clark Gable'
'I learn english to meet some Hawaiian ladyees'
'I was a juvenille delinquent and could not have opportunity to speak english in junior high'
'When I was in Brussels I could not tell them to not put so much mayonaise on my burger'
'One time there were some foreigners in my hotel and they were using the soap in the wrong way' Ps they were French
'My son is lazy and has no respect for human sympathy'
'I am a lazy housewife so everyday is holiday!'
'I went to Sydney...Homo road, you know it?'
Boring Recap
September...humid beyond all reason...getting used to the shrillness of our fire station neighbours...warm breezes filling our top floor apartment by night...hysterically nervous at work, nearly fainting during first lessons, the (un) comforting conversations with new buddies about how we couldn't get fired because of our extreme debts, accidentally eating things with eyes, first taste of karoke hangover, getting used to teaching and getting slightly better
October...houseparties and subsequent police visits...wednesday night partying gang...little mermaid karaoke with the boys...waiting waiting for the leaves to change..goth club fun and madness
November...finally autumn joy...hysterical laughter in a row boat with my Italian...basking in the golden colors...feeding deer, being tricked into buying a potato...dinner parties
December...misplaced elation over getting off probation...the beautiful lumiere lights display with 10000 of us herded perfectly in a surreal fashion..Christmas at the hilton..salmon and mince pies...teenage punk dating under the glow of neon...the buzz of the 25th and the let down of the 26th...disbelief at getting on a plane again...monsoon rain and joyus american tv in Singapore, lovely Clara...broken suitcase and covered in sticky sprite lost in the cruise terminal...arriving to KL paradise of cheapness and Hsiny angel.
January...seeing the new year crack open over the twin towers...crazy hot markets and cool nights under stars and lights..spending time with my old friend singapore airport...home to gloomy skies and work work work...
February...overtime...hope for the future fun
Snowfall, Springtime, Setsubun
Sunshine!
We welcomed the official start of pseudo springtime with actual snow falling on buildings ...
...and bean throwing.
Pan-heated soybeans (called irimame) are thrown either out the door or at a member of the family wearing an Oni (demon or ogre) mask, while the throwers chant "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!" (鬼は外! 福は内!). The literal meaning of the words is something like "Demons (or evil spirits) out! Luck (or blessing) in!" The beans are thought to symbolically purify the home by driving away the evil spirits that bring misfortune and bad health with them.
Note to the wise, there is a REASON this comes once a year, the bean packet is strategically designed to fall over, spill and disperse beans throughout ones' home. Ahh so many happy memories and bean eating.
However just like in crazy Australia, the weather has gone ape shit and is now bloody freezing once again, a relief to wear new winter clothes from the sales. In other news...there is no news. Febuary, a minorly depressing month working 6.5 days a week and the thrills of the coming few months lying tantalisingly in wait...sumo...chilli peppers...mt fuji...disneyland...mt fuji rock festival...beach trip....taiwan...universal studios...south korea...beijing...tokyo...cherry blossoms...geisha time...birthday season...visits from home...caramello koalas...
sigh!
Peace out,
CLM xx
Our last stop, Mt Fuji in all her splendor and the beautiful lakeside town of KawaguchiKo....Our accommodation was super cute, a traditional guesthouse tatami room with a view of Fuji San and a rooftop onsen (with clearly alot of hilarity as my parents enjoyed their first public nudity) as the only bathroom facility, a group soak in the boiling water watching mt fuji a perfect way to waste time and rest weary bones from the endless trek up to the chinese restaurant and over the endless lake for sightseeing and coffee times....
And with a final beautiful evening on the 45th floor restaurant, we bid goodbye to 48 perfect hours in Tokyo, and a see you again soon from me. 
Cascading Glory, Tokyo
Tulips, Cherry Blossoms....Hiroshima Peace Park.
Aka Fairyland, Tokyo
