Another

Another one? So soon? Why yes.

The last one ended up being a nostalgic ramble down memory lane which is fine if you’re me. If, however, you’re someone reading this who isn’t me, it may have been a little dull.

Anyway, what have I been up to I hear you ask? Well, with Hannah having come over for the last month or so I’ve been up to quite a bit. Firstly, there was our trip to Kumamoto City. Now considering this is a place I have been to multiple times you think I’d be well prepared for such an outing. Not so. I was terrified, this being my first time in the big bad city without someone who actually spoke Japanese. Shops that had once been friendly little opportunities for hilarity were now gaping holes of anxiety. Restaurants, rather than quaint and traditional eating holes, were now giant troughs infested with aliens whose language I have little grasp on. It was odd and no doubt rather frustrating for dear Hannah who I’d confidently told that I knew what I was doing.

Anyway, the weekend passed without any major hitches (although I did choose what seemed to be the most expensive hotel in the city to lodge in) and I’m assured fun was had by all.

Next was to be Fukuoka, the capital of Kyushu Island and the biggest city for hundreds of miles. Unfortunately we had to cancel this particular weekend sojourn as Hannah was feeling ill and was shouting at me. Well, not really but she had a shouty look in her eye. Instead we went to Amakusa Islands, an area of Kumamoto which, again, I have been to several times. This was far less nerve racking and very pleasant; we went for a stroll on the coast, we ate donuts, we met up with Megan (who the more observant of you may remember is the JET I went to Nagasaki with) and had tea. Then I drove home and feel asleep as soon as we entered the house.

We did eventually end up in Fukuoka, using one of my myriad of national holiday breaks. This time I actually planned; found a hotel that was reasonable, got the train times in advance and planned our trip to a tee. And everything went well; Fukuoka was gorgeous at night, like a little Tokyo full of lights, neons and Yattai, little portable noodle shops that seemingly bred into existence at night. However, I was still too nervous to venture into any of them for fear of ordering a plate of the owner’s Mother with baseball sauce. The next day we trekked about the city marvelling at the largeness of it all. It was very large indeed.

And then Hannah went away. This made me sad. It’s still taking a bit of getting used to coming home and finding the flat empty. Sometimes, I cry. Not really, but I do play Crying by Roy Orbison (at least that’s who I think it is) on my laptop. And also Herb Albert playing Spanish Flea which makes even the saddest situations better.

And MC Hammer.