Doh! (again?)

I am so accustomed to walking to the local conbini (convenience store) that when I am lazy and take my bicycle, or REALLY lazy and take my motorbike, I buy whatever I need, walk back, realize I forgot my bicycle or motorbike at the conbini, and go DOH!

Noice drivers

Drivers don't pull into the intersection unless they know there is enough room on the other side for their car.
Drivers never stop in a cross walk.
Drivers see a scooter coming down the side of the road from behind and move to give them more room.
Drivers let other drivers merge.
When done merging, the driver turns on their flashers for a moment to express gratitude.
When a driver helps another driver in a situation where there is eye contact, they either do a little head nod or a quick horn beep.
I have never heard a long horn beep.
People turn off their headlights when waiting at intersections. Most new cars have special dim bulbs in the headlights for such occasions.
There are exceptions to the above but I have not seen many.

Privates cont'd

I had the lesson. But, it wasn't a lesson. Another case of "lost in translation." It was a continuation of our last meeting. We talked, or rather I gave suggestions and asked a lot of questions, about how his business would operate. It seems like it wont go anywhere fast anytime soon but he is paying me $25 to talk to him for an hour about it so I can't complain.

I really want to start a Hold the Pickle style "shop" in Tokyo some day. With a crazy enough menu, big enough sandwiches, brand name ingredients, New England decor, and of course, high prices, I think it would be a hit. Now where to start....

Privates.

I am off now to teach my first private lesson. It is going to be with an older Japanese gentleman. A "business man." The first meeting I had with him consisted of him telling me his ideas of starting a business yada yada and ended with him calling me partner. I think he put that idea on the back burner is going to use me for what I can do, speak English. With the money I make I will buy an extra gas tank for my bike so I can put gas in it and use it instead of looking at it.

Izu peninsula and then some.

The other day, Kazumi took me to Shimoda, a town on the bottom of the Izu peninsula. A good 4 hour drive. Lots of nice mountains of course accompanied by a stop at a famous waterfall (see flickr).
I went swimming in water that is 10 times better than my local beach. So clear, so fresh, so cold, so nice. On the way home we took a detour to the other side of the peninsula to eat at the fish market. Super uber fresh fish for dinner that night.

I have been going to the beach a lot lately. I met a nice kid, Taro, at the gym this week. He spent the last three years in Vegas studying hospitality and just graduated and moved back. I hope to see more of him in the future.

I went to Tokyo early this week for a Hip Hop festival, a movie and dinner. Nothing like paying $36 for two movie tickets. Weeeee Japan!

Tonight, off to a club in Tokyo. Shitshow here I come!

I'm back. And then some.

Well, I am back. I have been back for a while actually. What does that tell you?

I started later in the day thanks to an unpaid cellphone bill but I was soon off cruising at my usual 40kph.
This is what my bike looked like:

I got to Mt. Akagi around 6pm. As I was going up it I took notice of some kids having a bbq/party in the woods. Got to the top and rode around the lake. Then it was down the other road. Crazy roads! This is what the downhill looked like:
Uphill:
This mountain had special meaning to me. Years ago, I used to watch an Anime called Initial D. It was about drifting in the mountains. (Click colored words for links). This mountain was one of the places used in the show. While I have not seen it in a long time, if I/you were to watch the episode with this mounatin, you would see each turn for how it is in real life. So I finally got to see it firsthand. Sugoi ne?

On the way down, I stopped at an onsen (hot spring). My first onsen experience! It was at a ryokan (traditional Japanese hotel, like a B&B) at the owner was this great guy who spoke a little English. For five bucks I attempted to get rid of my sore back in this:
After taking a bath (being naked in the mountains is invigorating!), the owner gave me some tea. And some rice. And some fruit. And some spaghetti. Full dinner for free!
If you go here , or go to August 14th of the blog, you can see some words (in Japanese) and pics of me. He wrote I had a thin waist.

I set up camp at a park:
It thunderstorms. It stops. I go out to find drifters on the mountain at midnight or at least find the former party still kickin.

I go up the mountain, ask some kids if there is any action (racing) tonight and they said maybe. I did some cars racing around but very few. I go to where the party was and was pleasently surprised to find it still going. Even more so now. I stop, scare the hell out of them, and they go NUTS when they see its just a silly foreigner on a gentsuki. They welcome me with open arms.
They had a BBQ going, a FULL DJ setup in the garage, and a nice camp fire. Perfect.

Satoshi, the host of the party:

See flickr for more photos.

Unfortunately, half the party was sleeping when I got there and only six or seven guys were still going. The property/house was his grandmothers and was the only house for miles up in the mountains. The music was blarring and no one would complain.

Next day, body is killing me.

Head to Nikko, one of the most famous areas in Japan.
Its a tad to crowded for my taste though.
One of the most famous, if not the most famous landmark in Nikko:

To the north of here was all mountains with no direct access to the other side so I went around to the east. Nothing to note. A lot of mountains, some trailblazing on my part down closed roads into the forests, ate some famous Gunma (one prefecture of Japan) soba noodles, and cold mountain tops. I met a man on an even smaller scooter who was on his way back from Hokkaido.
At this point my camera dies.
I head up near Niigata, a large city on the coast of the Sea of Japan. Camp here.
Body is killing me. Tremendously.

The next day I think about taking a ferry to save myself some pain but there is not point. So what? I get to Hokkaido and have to ride around for a week more. My body just couldnt take it. My back, wrists, knees, and especially my butt, were in an incredibly amount of pain. I am just too big for my bike. I decide to go back. Ugh.

More riding. I saw hotels in the mountains that rival Las Vegas. I had been to a few onsens up to this point to help with the pain but they did little and I decide to cross them off my list for the trip back.

Camp on a farm.

Home.

Tada.

Total miles - around 600. Best gas mileage - 100 mpg. Money spent - $100. Experience - priceless.

To see the route I took, go here.

Off I go!

I am heading to Hokkaido tomorrow. On my 50cc "scooter." Alone. EVERYONE thinks I am crazy. I hope to prove that it is possible to do it on my little, slow, motorcycle. This means I cannot take any expressway. Or airplane. Maybe ferry.
I am however realizing the fact that I may NOT make it. It is damn far and riding this thing takes a quick toll on my body. But, I will see how far I get and let you know.
This also means that there wont be an update for a while. If I come back alive there will be a post no later than sept 1st. If there isn't, call the cavalry.
Sayonara!

Life stories

So, some Japanese feel that being near an English speaker is a great way to practice their English. Lately, more and more older Japanese men approach me and speak to me. That is nice and all but NOT when I am in the middle of bench pressing a large amount of metal. I am at the gym to workout, NOT talk. Or after. I want go home, shower, eat, and sleep. Not stand around some 90F building and hear about their sad job and how they perform it.
However, I do like salarymen practicing their English with me when they are buying all my drinks.
And, when girls want to practice English. That is always nice.

Mmm heat

Its hot! Hothothot!
Maybe that is the cause of my lethargy. I have been very lazy lately. No cleaning. Paying bills. Talking to people. But, I still have been keeping mildly active.
Fireworks abound every week somewhere and I have managed to see a handful of them.
Kazumi had a party at her apartment in Yokohama for the hanabi. See flickr.
Local hanabi (fireworks festival) was great. Spent it with local surfers.
Went to Hakone, a place famous for its hotsprings and majestic views of Mt Fuji. As luck would have it, you could barely see it when we went. Oh well.
Little, connecticut Rory went to a hip hop club in Tokyo the other night. I figured after a few drinks I could dance to anything and their long island iced teas did not dissappoint.
Today I am going to Yokohama for a few days. After that, I hope to get my butt (and motorcycle) in gear and head to Hokkaido. I can't stay around Fujisawa for the whole summer. I just cant.

I will make some more thought inspiring posts soon. Damn heat.

Bugs!

AAGGHHH!!
I am sick of crazy bugs in my apartment!
Just now, I was in the bathroom doing my business and I felt a bug on my leg. I freak and hit it. I Shake my pants to see what comes out. Nothing. Take off my pants and shake and I saw a 6 inch one of these:

AKLHGKJHG!! Scared the shit out me!
Thankfully my vacuum doubles as a great bug suckerupper.
AGGKK!!