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I once told my friend Amanda not to be sad about being back in Japan (she had just returned back from a trip home to Australia), coz Japan has really cute seasonal beers! This seemed to make her feel better, and this year's spring beer makes me feel better. I took this photo of the pretty pink ume flowers today - I can't wait for the cherry blossoms.
If you haven't already, bring some pink into your life already!!
I had never heard of the fab five until our recent trip to Australia where everyone was talking about them. Determined to find out what the fuss was about - I have downloaded pretty much the first whole series of 'Queer Eye for the Straight Guy'. Sometimes cruel, sometimes just plain rude, but on the whole a bunch of fun. It's a nice break from Japanese tv, that's for sure. I won't even tell you about the nonsense that was on tv last night....
Anyway, darin took this photo on a recent train ride and I think we have a Japanese candidate for the fab five!! Kyan, what magic could you work with this hair? Is there a product that could help?
I finally found the time to resize and post the rest of my Australia photos. They are in no particular order. If I could change one thing about the typepad photo albums, I would make it much easier to change the order of the photos.
In knitting news I have been madly working on my first ever knitting design. Will update when closer to completion - it is a lacy knit and I have working hard not to forget yarn overs - it is SO easy to do. I also don't like fixing mistakes in the pattern coz sometimes I have no idea what goes where. Have you ever had the same problem?? ......I hope so.
click on photo to go to australia :)
...but my new mobile phone glows in the dark. No seriously - Japanese mobile phones have THE best useless functions. After having one of my wisdom teeth out on Saturday I decided to treat myself to a new phone. I really wanted one that has chaku-uta, which is basically ring-tones that are real songs - I mean they sound real BUT vodafone doesn't offer these phones and I figure that one that glows in the dark is the next best thing. It's the Vodafone 302T. I had come to a point where I would charge my phone all night, make one phone call the next day and the battery would be virtually dead. I know that companies make these phones with a limited life to force you to buy a new phone, but hey it's fun to play around with all of these useless functions and totally necessary if you live in Tokyo.
Now you can get phones with tvs and phones where you listen via your bones - what is our world coming to!!!! Below is one of the great functions of my phone - you can add borders and writing to your photos and impose them on silly backgrounds - how fun. A little puri-kura machine right here in my phone. Only in Japan.
* Forgot to add - will be trying out a moblog, so check out the 'undoubtably' silly photos in the photo album creatively named 'photos from my phone'. My phone is equipped with a 3 megapixel camera....just don't know how I'm gonna get the photos off my camera - too big to send and I'm too cheap to buy a 5000 yen USB cable AND I already have a digital camera...oh well.
It's coming - I just know it, I can smell it in the air and the sun is setting later. Spring is bright and happy - a celebration that we have left cold, cold winter behind.
The end of winter has also seen me become an aunty again. Rin KIKUCHI was born on February 12, 2004 after his mummy (my Japanese host sister) had to have an emergency ceaserian section operation. Both are now well and I can't wait to meet my new nephew soon.
Rin-kun, this is your Aunty Kat speaking. Welcome to this world - not all is perfect but I think it is pretty fun all round. Now be a good boy for your mum and I'll come and see you in Aomori soon. By the way, did you like the blue hip hop jumpsuit that I sent you - I'm sure you'll be a hit with the girls in that one!!. Also when I get around to finding the yarn I need, I'll be knitting you up the cutest little apple cap (thanks for the pattern, Jen) which is perfect since you were born in the apple capital of Japan.
Ja-ne,
kyasarin obachan yori
Finally got around to resizing the second half of our photos from Australia. I have put up the first gallery including photos from Melbourne and our trip along the Great Ocean Road. Hopefully I will be able to put up photos from the first half of our trip including Brisbane and Stradbroke Island by the end of the week.
Our Valentine's Day this year was H.O.T - no I mean it was literally hot around 41 degrees in Melbourne. Luckily we spent most of the day at the Globe WorldCup Skateboarding Event at the Rod Laver Arena (the same place where they hold the Australian Open Tennis) which was air conditioned and indoors. They were planning to open the roof of the arena, but it was just way too hot.
The next day we set off on a journey along the Great Ocean Road. If you travel to Victoria, this is not to be missed. Our day was filled with koalas, kangaroos, surf lifesaving contests, beaches, rainforests, fish and chips, amazing scenery and sunsets. You just gotta go.
click on photo to go to album
Well, darin and I are back in Japan. We only flew in last night, so I haven't had a chance yet to sort through my photos and the first half of my photos are still on my brother's hard drive in Australia!! The past ten days really flew by (knew they would) and I truly couldn't have had a better time. We basked in the sun (maybe for a little too long considering both of us have already started peeling), ate steaks, drank cold Aussie beer in the sunshine, went for long drives and walks, spent time with my family, and spent a lot of time on the beach.
The following three photos are from our last day in Australia. We rented a car and drove along the Great Ocean Road in Victoria. It was spectacular.
The famous 12 apostles - absolutely stunning BUT they don't tell you about all of the flies that live there. People taking photos were literally covered in flies!!! funny!
we didn't end up making it to any zoos while in Australia, and thought that Darin may have to leave without seeing some of our famous kangas, but during the last couple of hours of our Great Ocean Road trip, we made it to the Anglesea Golf Course, which is famous for its kangaroos that live freely on the golf course. There were hundreds, possibly thousands just roaming all over the course - I wonder how many have been hit by golf balls!! A definite must if you are in the area! We also saw three koalas in the wild!
On the way towards Geelong in Victoria, we were driving through Torquay when the sun set - I have never seen such a big, beautiful sky!! A fabulous way to end the perfect holiday!!
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