Another Monday, Another Flight to Bangkok

Oh dear, he is back to giving you lengthy restaurant reviews. Suffice to say dinner was delicious and I am sure we will be back.

It's been a scorching weekend in Tokyo, and I am almost looking forward to returning to not-quite-so-hot Bangkok later today. I think if you looked at the weather forecast the two cities probably have very similar temperatures at the moment, but Tokyo really feels a lot hotter. It might just be that I spend a lot more time outside here. I have had a nasty cold all week that is just starting to clear up - I don't think the constant moving from air con to the outside world is really very good for me.

Our weekend was pretty standard with a 6.15 arrival at Narita airport, and home to the apartment by 8.45. Andrew had been out late the night before and so was not in the mood to be woken up. I managed to grab another couple of hours sleep before he decided that enough was enough and we needed to face the day. One thing about living without a car is that everything we do takes takes so much longer than it would normally. We needed to get across to Costco to pick up my new glasses (even though I only ever wear them at home, we figured that seeing my existing ones date to prior our marriage in 1994 it was about time!). I reckon it would probably take 15 minutes to drive to the closest Costco from the apartment. With taking the Subway, Bus and Taxi combination it is about a three hour round trip. Does mean we don't ever buy too much - we have to carry it and that is no fun!

Sunday night we caught up with a collegue and friend from Hong Kong who has recently moved to Tokyo. I like his wife's style... she is happy to move country when necessary for his job, but the rules go like this... Moves only ever happen over the summer. She leaves the house and heads with the kids to the US for six weeks. While she is gone he is responsible for arranging for the packers to pack the house and ship it to the next location. He then unpacks and has the house looking like it should before she gets back. Perfect. I am going to need to learn a lesson or two I think!

I worked out yesterday that we have 14 weeks left in Tokyo (assuming always that the next job does not end up being here). Time really has flown by - the end of this week will mark Andrew's one year anniversary. It has been interesting, but in all honesty, kind of weird too. The Japanese culture is really so unlike anything else we have encountered in Asia. It is formal at times when you would expect informality, but slurping your noodles is completely acceptable. The people are intelligent, but slow to embrace new ideas or ways of doing things. Life is lived by rules, and there is no stepping outside of the rules. Even minor repair works on the footpath require that barriers are put up to ensure that no-one slips into the rough area, a rubber path is laid to show you where to walk, and at least two men with lit up oranage sticks point you the way and bow to you as you obediently follow their instructions on how to safely walk past. Just think how much could be saved if they just stuck with the barrier and a 'take care' sign. Shopping is the national pasttime, and huge amounts of money are spent on designer gear - a Gucci belt on your Armani suit is a sure sign that you have made it. But bizzarely for a nation that appears very with it,　of all the money saved (and the Japanese have one of the highest saving rates in the world) over 50% of it is either under the mattress or in bank accounts that earn no interest. It really is the most 'foreign' of all the places we have lived.

Not sure any more which week I will be travelling down to Melbourne for work - might be the 25th August rather than the 18th. I have learnt that planning just one week at a time is the way to go! We still hoping to be back in NZ for week mid to late September. No tickets booked yet but maybe soon.

Better get started on my Monday morning. Andrew left early for his Japanese class. He used all the milk before he left... guess it will have to be a bagel for breakfast.

Sonia