Whew! What a busy 5 days. It's Wednesday, and I'm sat at school having found lots of things to occupy my time (and I'm inventing more as we speak!) Demonstrating the importance of keeping busy, one of the teachers has switched on the staff room TV and is watching a programme about Japanese showmen (many of whom seem to be dressed as women). Summer time is hard. I may have to do karaoke again soon to keep busy.
Karaoke has undoubtedly been the theme of the last two weeks: having attended last Tuesday with Nao chan, we went again on Friday, this time in a big group, to say our goodbyes to Phillip and ChoLyn (Carolyn) who have been very good friends this year, and who we will all miss greatly. Starting the night with a feast of burritos and Mexican cuisine at LeeJay's, she and I, Jeremy and Christine and Phillip and ChoLyn all headed to the Riverside hotel where ChoLyn pulled out all the songs that nobody but she and I liked (thanks to t.A.T.u for the high pitched frenzy that is "Not Gonna Get Us"), where Jeremy soldiered on in a state of sobriety and where LeeJay staked her claim on the rap of "Groove Is In The Heart" (Jeremy: "Can I do the rap?" LeeJay: "NOOOOO!" snatching the microphone). The leavers and I returned to LeeJay's where we drank more and completed Operation Free Miffy! and then watched Half-baked and episodes of the Golden Girls until we passed out. This was good as it meant we got to spend more time together, although it was bad because I, in my drunken state, had forgotten that I had vague plans to meet Busty in town the next day, and turned my phone to silent after an 8:30 text from Chad woke us up. So I missed Busty's calls and when we finally left LeeJay's we realised it was that Saturday of the month where there are no trains out of town for 5 hours. So the city was out. Sorry Busty! Saying good-bye to Phillip and ChoLyn was like the others- I'll see them again, although it will be wierd not seeing them when we're out drinking next year.
Tsuyama city was plan B. Each Sunday of July has seen a beer festival take place in Tsuyama, so LeeJay and I went, had some very nice beers, relaxed in the sun, had a great Chinese meal at a hotel which was nowhere near as expensive as we thought it would be (and had a very good looking waiter) and then went back to mine to watch the rest of the "Shameless" series. LeeJay stayed so that we could make a convenient escape the next day for our big trip to...
Himeji castle! I've been there before and taken way too many photos, but it's a place you can't not go back to. So I escorted LeeJay on her virgin trip as she drove us through 35 degree heat. (On the way we almost crashed the car due to shock when we set eyes on a Pizza Hut, although I doubt we'd find it again *sob sob*) The castle was great. We walked through a part I'd missed last time, talked a lot about concubines and weapons (as you do in such a setting) and took nice photos. And sweated. After all that culture we decided to go and look for food, and what with Himeji being a decent city we found some great options. The winner was SubWay sandwiches, which amazingly taste identical in the UK, America and Japan. Wonderful.
Our journey home wasn't so wonderful as we got pulled over by the Police for driving in the wrong lane, and LeeJay got a ticket (good job they didn't notice the speed we were doing...) To cheer ourselves up we went to Karaoke again, before returning to mine so LeeJay could pick up some bits and pieces, LeeJay then driving me to hers so I could collect my bike which I'd left on Friday. I have decided that driving along pitch black riverside pathways at night is not good for my personal safety, nor for the safety of those others whom I couldn't see that were using the road. I'll say no more.
Monday was another day of nothing to do at school but I managed to stumble on some interesting pages about Manchester and spent hours flicking through sites telling the history of a small park called Angel Meadow just outside the city centre. The evening saw LeeJay's last dance class (I have vague intentions to go again, but who knows what could happen). And it was special. While we almost managed to do the routine perfectly, long-term members weren't looking so graceful (perhaps Jazz- the weeks we hate- is their forte).
With dinner at Wakaba and 2 movies last night, LeeJay must be really feeling romanced (although in modern boyfriend style I insisted we go Dutch and split the bill). Only 6 more days till she leaves.
Goodbye Phillip and ChoLyn! I'll be seeing you again in Australia, America or wherever it will be!
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