Stuart the green shield beetle.

Now I have six days off work (I've waited for that for ever, it seems) I will try and update some things from my summer as well as current stuff. One thing which I wouldn't want to forget is the appearance of Stuart, my pet beetle.


Before you go crazy, Mr.Landlord Matama, sir, it's not exactly a pet. In about June or July when the weather started hotting up I was out on my balcony one morning before work and I noticed a little insect sitting on my air-con pipe. I took a photo of it-it was a grass-green shield-shaped little chap and quite pretty really. Then, I bought some plants in the summer for about 100 Yen each (44p, hehe) and kept them on the balcony.

One plant is really pretty, with shiny silver leaves with a purple underside. I soon noticed that the beetle had moved onto one of the leaves of this plant and seemed to set up home there. And so our friendship began. Most days I'd pop out and have a little glance, and did the beetle move? No! In fact, it stayed in the SAME SPOT on the SAME LEAF until around November, when I brought the plants indoors as the temperature dropped.

Then, as he came inside he got restless and moved onto my kitchen floor, where he was when my boyfriend came to stay for a second time. Terry christened him "Stuart" and so he is today. We bought some flowers and made him move home again-he's still sitting on them now, despite them being long dead. I shall let you know what scrapes he gets into in the future...watch this space.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

New Year at the Umeda sky building, Osaka. Happy 2008!

The best of wishes to anyone who reads this.

Here's to a great year ahead.

A haircut in Kokura...

...uh-oh, it's that time of the decade again, chop, chop! When it comes to my hair, I'm pretty nonchalant, as I am about a lot of things, and leave it to grow until I have more split ends than Tarzan after a bitch fight. Then, I decide I want something really different and these images of the perfect haircut kick in and I begin to daydream...

first comes a serious consultation with a professional salon owning semi-famous hair-cutting genious. Computer generated images of my head line the walls donning various haircuts, the slightly camp silk-shirted chopper standing over me and viewing my head from every angle before working out through cosmic vibes and telepathy exactly which haircut would be the most perfect my head was capable of sporting. The, he gingerly plucks some dainty scissors and minces around delicately before doing a "reveal" to a massive fanfare and applause. My hair, of course, looking as though it could start revolutions and take on anyone in a fight.

Does this perfect haircut exist? I haven't found it yet. I've been in Kokura or nine months now and I have had three haircuts, one for 5,000 Yen (25 quid...) and two from the same place which does a cut for 3,100 each time. So, I went back to the latter for the second time on Friday night, planning to leave for Osaka the next morning with a bonce of shiny, razor sharp hair.
Because the hairdressers I have been to so far always look so nervous about cutting my barnet, I took some pictures from the internet-nothing challenging-just a wispy, messy affair with a sultry fringe so I could get away with the "out of bed" look on a daily basis.

However, the salon shoved the guy who cut it last time towards me ("Eh up, special case just walked in, do it again will you, son?") and he looked mightily confused about the photos I had. In the end, he said "OK!" but then came back with a catalogue full of Japanese haircuts. This guy is a hairdresser and should know that Japanese hair is nothing like some Western hair-mine is too flouncy and thin, and Japanese women always get theirs thinned which looks good for them, but that kind of style on me would be mullet-city, and nobody wants to visit that place...

I'd just like to add that you get a top-notch run-up service here to your cut. As they wash your hair, they place a mask over your face, which, though freaky at first, is actually extremely relaxing and saves you the whole "So. What you up to tonight, then?" banter (although langauge barrier also helps on that front). Then, they massage your head as they wash your hair, and while you're getting a cut they pass you a killer telephone-directory thickness magazine to look through, unlike the old "OI! Keep your head still and look straight ahead!" syndrome back home.

Anyway, I just pointed at my pics again and the chap went in for the chop. I got pretty fed up at one point, as my bonce started to resemble a big, flat mushroom as he just wouldn't cut edges into it. Finally, I insisted he go shorter and get out the razor scissors, but it took a lot of cajoling.

Then, he ponced around trying to arrange it nicely on the crown of my head, brandishing the hairspray like the world was about to run out. I made a quick escape, left a tip and said "thanks", etc... but he then either said when I next come back to a.) Learn some Japanese (fair play to him, actually...) or bring a picture of a Japanese haircut!!! AAaaah! Talk about going around in a circle. So, an easy solution...no haircuts for me until Blighty I see!

Visiting Beppu.

On Friday 21st December, Terry and I finally ventured to a part of Japan I've wanted to see even before I got here-the town of natural hot springs, Beppu. Because kyushu is a sub-tropical Island, it is host to several volcanoes and areas of natural spas and spring water. We went to Beppu, a resort on the way to Oita and not that far from mount Aso in central Kyushu.

When we arrived at Beppu station, there was a really good tourist information point (despite what I've heard about it being a very insular town) and the woman there spoke perfect English, was really helpful and recommended a good onsen. We got on a bus and went up towards the "hells"- the main tourist attractions which are pools there for looking at rather than bathing, as, being mosty between 90-100 degrees, they are far too hot for a dip.

To get into all eight Hells costs either 440 Yen each (about 1.60) or you could buy a pass for all of them for 2,000 Yen (about 10.00) . We got the pass and walked into the nearest hell, the "oniishibozu-jigoku" or "monks head hell" which is so called because it's clay rather than water, and the smooth bubbles which rise as each pool coughs up clay are said to look like the bald heads of monks. This was my favourite I think, take a look at the textures and colours of the bubbling pools...
The monks head hell also had a shallow circular

rock pool dotted with seats around the edges so tourists can sit with their feet in some natural spring water. It was a fairly cold day, and to feel the hot water simultaneously with the cold air was great, a new experience for me. When we put our socks back on, our feet felt really good and stayed warm and soft for at least an hour. "It's like walking on kittens". Thanks to Terence for the simile...

Next door to the monks head hell is "Umi jigoku" which is said to resemble the sea, and is a lovely vivid blue pond into which baskets of eggs were suspended to make the famous Beppu tamago (eggs). They are dunked then sold to tourists because of their distinctive, soft consistency. At this hell they also had boiling bright red pools, and fierce mounds of steaming rocks. It has a nice souvenir shop where we bought some bath salts and soaps made from salts from the blue pond.

The third hell we visited, "yama jigoku" or "mountain hell", was one with a mini-zoo attached. Aside from some bubbling, fiercely steaming rock mounds, there was no distinctive hell as such but we noticed nearby a drop over a wall with a small pond below. Suddenly there emerged the massive, wrinkled leathery head of a HIPPO protruding from the water.

When it saw us it propped its chops up against the wall and opened it's massive, slavering jowls. It's mouth was pink and gummy, it's big cushiony sides nursing a purple, hairy greedy tongue. Behind us we noticed a stall with little plates of cut potatoes perched on it, (an honesty box) and for 100 Yen you could have a plate to feed the hippo. Who could resist that? Unfortunately, there was also an elephant across the way locked in a small, stinking enclosure, swaying its head from side to side and looking completely depressed. I'll spare you the photo, I think.

After the zoo hell, we went into another which
was quite similar to the sea-like one, the "kamado jigoku" or "oven hell".
It's so called because local people once used it to cook their food.

The first thing you notice is a muddy, deep red clay pool and a large model of a red devil perched on a rock in the centre overlooking the little circular place.

The ponds were beautiful here too, with plenty of eggs in little metal bowls perched on rocks to cook. This one is also famous for it's white rocks and sulphur content, I got a snap of some of the gorgeous colours and textures of the rocks at the edge of the pool...

This hell also had a big area for visitors to buy eggs and also sit on wooden benches and immerse their feet in the milky blue waters as they chat. We decided to plod on, however, as our tickets said the hells all close up at around five O'Clock.

Next up was the "oniyama jigoku" or "monster mountain hell". The place is so naturally hot it creates the perfect environment for...a beach? No. A swimming pool? No! BREEDING CROCODILES, of course. Why this is, I don't know, but it's a good tourist spot as you can get quite close to them. They are fairly ugly articles, crocodiles, but it was cool to see some, as I'm

not even sure if i've ever seen any in person at all. Look at the skin on 'em, nice handbag
that...joookiiing....Don't take offence (the late) Mr.Irwin..

After the crocodiles, we went to see if we could walk to the other two hells, which are a little distance away from the five hells clustered around one another near Kannawa Bus stop.

Unfortunately, we walked the wrong way (I think...) and eventually gave up on finding them before it went dark. The maps we had didn't seem to be really accurate and as it's generally quite a local and run-down place aside from the hells, we had a bit of trouble with navigation. We did, however, end up on a steep walkway up towards Beppu castle and at least got a good view of the steaming cauldron of a city below...

Another reason we didn't persist in finding the last two hells was the enthusiasm we had for hunting down the onsen recommended to us at the Beppu Information desk. The "Hyosan onsen" was where the lady said we could get a private outdoor bath before showing us some gorgeous photos and drawing a map. So, on a mission for some baby-soft skin and the ultimate relaxing soak, we found the place easily enough and had our first ever hot spring!

We went in and the women who worked there showed us photos of four different private onsen. One had a waterfall (for massages and help with acheing joints) but we chose a cozy-looking outdoor one in the end. There is a vending machine with tokens for soap, shampoo, yukata, towels etc...so we bumbled about with that before being shown to a little wooden hut by the entrance to the building. For only 2,000 yen (again, around ten pounds) we had the room and bath to ourselves for an hour. It was AMAZING! There was a small room where you changed, then an outdoor area with a washing space.

The Japanese insist on washing BEFORE getting in an onsen, because the emphasis is not on cleaning, but relaxing in naturally hot water. However, I cheekily ignored the hair wash rule for the sake of a photo...

Taking the private outdoor bath was definetely one of the best things I have EVER done. The water was boiling hot (almost too hot for the first half hour) but cooled gradually. The lady who showed us in turned on a big old rickety tap and the small stone pool filled up right away with steaming, slightly salty water. Then, we undressed and washed, got on in and just floated away. We went at exactly the right time of evening, as during our hour there the sky began to darken and the air got colder, so we had the feeling of wintery air contrasting with the hot, deep bath as the little lanterns glowed in the dark.

I'd highly recommend this onsen to anyone who should visit Beppu in the future. You also get to keep the free little towels in their branded bags as souveniers. I'm not going to wash mine so it keeps it's spring water smell.After the onsen, it started to rain and we were having troubles finding Kannawa Bus Stop again, so we jumped in a taxi to Beppu station. There were a fair amount of bars in the arcades around the station, though they looked pretty local and quiet, so we just took a walk and got back on the sonic to Kokura. This was one of the best days I've ever had, and maybe even the best in Japan so far. I'll never forget it.

Wine and Cheese Party

After thinking about it for a while, I decided to go ahead with a wine and cheese evening in my apartment last Friday night (14th). Japan is not renowned for it's array of breathtaking dairy products, so I thought that getting hold of decent cheese would be a task.

However, in the end I managed to find a good booze warehouse around the back of my apartment for some decent wine, and our local supermarket started selling better cheese last week (something to do with Christmas, maybe?)

We had baguettes, crackers, feta, (decent) red peppers, tomatoes, cheddar, camembert, brie, blue cheese, etc etc... but then everyone I invited actually came (brilliant!) and they brought so much quality stuff that we didn't run out of cheese until well after things had died down. Thanks to everyone for the cheese, olives, booze, presents, cards, it was brilliant! Christmas is going to be a non-event here, so I think it was good that everyone got together, even if just for a little while.

Unfortunately, I have a tooth infection which was at It's swollen, painful height last weekend and couldn't eat or drink anything at the party. Sod's law in full force. I still had a great time though.

This was my apartment on Thursday night when I moved all of my furniture out of the way ready for Friday to get some atmos' going on...

AAAaaand this was my apartment on Saturday morning.....

A great night, evidence!

Here's a shot of (some) of the sheer volume of cheese we accumulated betwen us...(unfortunately, my massive swollen face had to be concealed behind a cheese slice).

All work and no play makes a girl...

...an inconsistent blogger.

Tsubasa, this is for you.

Tsubasa,

You joined my English lessons around two months ago, in October 2007. You go to the same kindergarten that we rent rooms from and your Mum came with you to watch my lesson twice before you joined.

This kindergarten is my most difficult all week, in the countryside and very boisterous-boy-heavy with teachers who don't particularly believe in exerting discipline (bad for me-a former barmaid and student who has avoided schools like the plague since 16...).

Though new kids typically sign up in April, you and two other boys were late starters. You three are so talented that we opened a new class for you. You will never know how much optimism you give me that what I'm doing is having an impact...you are all so young and so much fun, so lively that I have to drink genki drinks and coffee before your class and stuff myself with slow-burning muesli in the morning just to keep up.

You three are so desperate for knowledge, I have never come across students like you before. But, sometimes, you are so vulnerable that I just want to hug you like a little brother.

Two weeks ago, Tsubasa, you made me laugh more than I have laughed since I arrived in Japan. There we were, me on a tiny chair in front of you, Ryo and Fuma, holding up a flashcard of a chair and saying "What is it?" Then, being really excited and happy as any little boy should be, you turned around to your classmate, Fuma, and kissed him right on the lips.

When I saw how angry he was, I couldn't contain my laughter. Why was he so angry? He's a little on the macho side, but Ryo, your other class mate, played up to Fuma's reaction and both boys moved their chairs to the other side of the room to show their anger and dissaproval.

However, today, two weeks later, Ryo also found the whole thing funny and tried to kiss Fuma too, just to piss him off. We were practicing the concept of "HE" and "SHE" and Fuma pointed at you and said "SHE".

Later on, when I asked you which sticker you wanted from a sheet, you proudly said "PINK HEART PLEASE!"

Tsubasa, you have made my fortnight and maybe even my whole stint as a teacher. Please keep going with your instincts and don't ever let convention change your choices. I know this might be too good to be true, especially in a society as uniform as Japan, but I can only hope you don't change too much as you grow up. A little message from the teacher you will soon have to forget...

Lion Sensei.

Things I really hate about myself

As if I could forget...

1.) The way I behave when I'm drunk-I don't recognise myself at all, I fiercely maintain that I'm a totally different person altogether.

2.) I've always been just a little bit fat, but never do anything about it.

3.) I still don't have that perfect job, and have never done anything particularly noteworthy with myself. I don't like reading about child genius' and teenage millionaires because I'm JEALOUS!!!

Those things were more difficult than I thought to admit...but it feels good to get them out and see them on a screen. *Sigh* Feel better! Now, I'm off to do the Sunday big shop...

Small sentences

I am always writing far too much for the leisurely reading style demanded to keep people interested in blogs. So, a few sentences from the last few days. Will. Suffice. Bite sized. Reading. Enjoy.

Cinnamon smells like Christmas.

People who avoid voicing their concerns directly to someone's face generate a lot of resentment and destroy trust and good feeling.

Especially if the problem is broadcast in an Email to several people rather than privately between two people.

It is unprofessional and lousy.

No matter how old you are, parents can still hit you where it hurts, even unintentionally. (Completely unrelated to last three sentences btw).

Successful people and big companies completely lose sight of what it means to survive. The "small" person means nothing to them.

Sometimes I worry so much about what I should be doing, I forget that I'm actually alive NOW.

On that note, have a great weekend! I'm actually quite cheerful this evening, now I've simplified the above things in my own head and moved them into a non-existent virtual world! I'm off for a beer! Nitey nite.