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Today it was frisbee day. I like frisbee even though it was in 30 degree heat at two in the afternoon. We played past when it got dark as they had a glow in the dark one which we used which flew I would say better than the one we were playing with in the day. I of course started badly and got better. At the start almost every point the opposition scored could be traced to an error of mine. Yet at the end I was doing some good throws and diving catches although they put me on defense against a monster man six foot six high six and built like a brick shit house. He would stay right in the scoring area and then when his team got it they and everyone was defending back, he would put hs hand up which reached up somewhere near the low flying cumulus clouds and pluck the disc out of the air when thrown at/near or next to but mainly above him. I could match him for speed (which was surprising) but his height advantage caught me out. Nevertheless I had a really good time and so
did Reiko who sat chatting and practising English with different native speakers for a change.

Unfortunately we had to leave relatively early as it was election day and Reiko wanted to vote. For the last few weeks, there have been people in cars with loudspeakers and people on long lines of bikes dressed in yellow or blue depending on their preference waving, shouting and imploring to you to vote for them. It is a council thing and really annoying. Now it is over. Yes.

One of Reiko`s neighbours lent her her electric bike. This is a normal raleigh type bike with an enormous battery beneath the seat which helps you go up hills. It`s incredible. Of course I didn`t just use it for going up hills. I sped along under battery assisted power flying past other cyclists, gliding around pedestrians and gaining revenge on the cycling scum of Japan by demanding they get out of my way for a change.

Cyclists in Japan are annoying. Every single bike in Japan has brakes which produce bone chilling screeches. Every single one. It`s hideous. They are also allowed to ride on the pavement and ring their bell frantically at you to get out of their way. I rarely do. They have wheels, they should get on the road - a mechanism for transporting fast moving vehicles. I am not in their way, they are in my way and I wish to educate every single Japanese person of this fact. Of course when I was on the bike I used the pavement. Hypocrite I hear you cry. But I was on a mission not to attack the pedestrians but the cyclists themselves on my turbo bicycle of doom. Vroom Vroom get out of the way or face the consequences of battery powered justice. Mwa ha ha oh revenge is sweet. I had fun. yes.

Yesterday I went out with Tommy and their family and Reiko as Tommy had to visit a place in a small town near Kobe for work. As it only lasted an hour they made it into a daytrip for the rest of the day and we went around visiting places. The weather wasn`t so good but a good time was had by all.
We went to a herbal onsen which had a bath of herbs (naturally) after which I fell asleep in the car thanks to the soporific effect. In the evening we ate at a Brasilian restaurant.
Before we went to Kobe, we went to an area behind Osaka airport and watched planes land literally ten metres above us. Three came in ten minutes which I was surprised at. As soon as one landed and got off the runway, you could see another one approaching in the distance. I ducked in terror at the first one but got used to it and managed to get a picture of one coming in. The babys weren`t scared at all which was surprising. They`re of different stock these Japanese….
The address for the Lah Vahs movie site is www.lovers-movie.co.jp. Yes.

The typhoon came and went. Where I was it was more strong winds of over
200kph (which is as fast as the speedy Japanese bullet train) than actual
stormy weather and rain. We were out in the car during part of it and we
watched trees bend and signs and traffic lights sway violently in
supplication to the invisible forces whilst we were blown across the road.
In the end I was a bit disappointed at not having impending doom thrust upon
us yet happy I came out alive. The 19th of the year has recently spawned in
the south pacific so here`s hoping.

Today I saw a Chinese film called Lovers. Set in the same vein as Crouching
Tiger Hidden Dragon it is a kung fu film with a love story attached. It was
in Chinese with Japanese subtitles but was interesting even if I couldn`t
understand the intricacies. I wanted to see it because of the trailer which
was played repeatedly in cinemas and on television. At the end there is a
Japanese sentence spoken by the voice over guy and then he says Lovers but
it comes out as Lah Vahs and he sounds like a Dalek. It still amuses me
now. I recommend seeing the trailer which you can see at
www.lovers-movie.co.jp. The Shiraishi household is becoming very irksome
and it`s being blamed on me. I have typed the last three entries from my
mobile phone with each character individually entered without predictive
text (the only drawback of a Japanese mobile) and I`m getting tired of it.
Still get over it Simon and if Lah Vahs ever comes to your neck of the
woods, please watch it.

I have just been in another earthquake, though this one was of the a mini
just passed in the street variety. Being now a veteran of four earthquakes,
if it were a meal I would have eaten this one for breakfast and asked for
seconds, if it were a country it would be Luxembourg etc etc…

japan seems to be in a dangerous mood lately. the 18th typhoon of the season is about to hit osaka after rampaging its way through the lower islands of japan. there have been an unusually high number of typhoons this year. in fact this year has been anunusual year for weather in general‐the june‐rain season which was supposed to darken the early part of my stay never materialised　threatening　the　rice　crops, temperatures in tokyo hit plus 38 in the daytime and plus 30 degrees at night and was blamed on overuse of airconditioners.
schools in the path of the typhoon have closed down for the day, trains and boats have stopped running, tv news reports concentrate on reporting the damage it has　done and forecasting where it will go with a large red dot depicting the centre and a light green area as the outskirts. we are just beyond the outskirts but since 10 this morning the winds have been howling, washing has been brought in and windows shut and fastened.
i am looking forward to this typhoon‐the last one struck at night and so i didn’t get to see the effects clearly. reiko has (probably quite rightly) called me an evil man for wishing a thing upon us which kills, destroys property and devastates but this all so new to me. coming from a country which names a 2cm dusting of snow a blizzard and where typhoons and earthquakes are rare at best and more accurately practically unheard of i am confronted with a sense of danger which is novel and exciting.
on top of all this another earthquake hit this morning waking me up and wobbling glasses and bottles. as i was higher up this time, the effects seemed to be more marked. as it was so early i was unsure if it was real (though later verification proved it) i’ve realised that i don’t know what to do in the event of a serious earthquake i think i’ll go research that now. duck and cover or run for the hills?

i went to another onsen yesterday instead of going to frisbee. this one is very famous for the high quality of the water and sports teams and celebrities visit.
it’s a veritable goldmine for the owners. as the water is allegedly so great they sell it to the japanese as sprays(2000 yen for 200ml), cooking and drinking water. i counted five five litre containers with one family name written on them in black marker pen and in all over 100.inside they provide　it　free as drinking water to replace fluids lost whilst bathing. these dispensers have long queues of people with litre bottles surreptitiously waiting　for a free hit. i drank the water and its taste is curious. after all the visits to various onsen all over japan, i am getting better at distinguishing between soft and hard, acidic and alkaline. this water was very soft and had a earthy taste.
i had two one hour baths with a meal of sashimi which is raw fish on a bed of rice and an attempt at a nap in the sleeping room‐a dark room with sliding wooden doors and tatami mats　inbetween. of course it was futile as i was near a man with sinus problems who sounded like a chainsaw i laid back and tried to think of happy thoughts　instead. the onsen was good though. it had a steam and dry sauna, a rh bath, bubble bath, outside bath and ice bath.
in the evening i experienced my second earthquake. this one was much larger than the first one i was in which felt like a heavy truck going past. this one measured 4 on the richter scale, went on for a full　minute and set tvs, computers and the like wobbling. it is quite unnerving knowing the ground underneath you isn’t quite happy where it is and that japan with its typhoons, earthqakes and non‐extinct volcanoes is a rather dangerous place to live.

i decided 2 test my stomach out with some raw fish in an amazing sushi restaurant. it passed the test. i have a picture of it which i’ll upload when i find it. small plates travel round the place and you take what you like the look of. i ate heartily. i was told my belly had got smaller when i weighed myself at the onsen i had lost 3 kilos even after just　having eaten.

on other news i have noticed many old and middle aged men in full　ceremonial robes driving round osaka on mopeds. i don’t know who they are or what they do so i　shall name them monks on mopeds. they’re pretty nippy though…

I was struck down yesterday with a case of diarrhoea. Nasty. I managed to read half of The Firm whilst on the toilet releasing fluids through my anus. It wasn`t fun. I don`t think it was the food, maybe frequent contact with dog poo on dog walks or something. I spent yesterday in bed reading and watching videos.

I got an email from Berlitz saying that I haven`t got the job with them. I am both disappointed and relieved. The hours weren`t long enough but it would have been good although involving an hour and twenty minute train journey each way each day. Anyway, I`m taking it on the chin and not moping about. I still haven’t heard from the Esaka job and I think I haven`t got that either. Oh well.

The interview with Berlitz was today, it was over in about fifteen minutes. It seems like I have the job but I can only work about 20 hours a week until Christmas. For a lazy bastard this is quite good but it means I won`t have much coming in each month. The hours work out as around 6 until 9 in the evening every day and 9 until 1 Saturdays. This isn`t good enough for me but I haven`t heard from the other place either. I don`t know which one I`ll choose if they both offer me a job. Aaargh.