Visas

Our visas to America have

h

been approved!

We were told that they would take around a week when in fact they were posted on Thursday (the same day we applied). This means that there is nothing to stop us from going to America!

The American Embassy and Kyoto

With time ticking away we visited the American Embassy in Osaka to apply for our visas. The price of a package deal (shinkansen tickets plus 2 nights in a hotel) is actually cheaper than just buying the train tickets so we decided to stay over. Having visited Osaka just a couple of weeks before we decided to revisit Kyoto.

After a 2 and a half hour shinkansen ride we arrived at our hotel ready to sleep. The hotel lobby was shabby (the pattern on the carpet was worn off) but the rooms were even shabbier! The semi-double bed was in fact just a single bed with 2 pillows and the bathroom was so small that your knees touched the door. The bathroom did have an ashtray fitted to the bathroom wall though so that you could poo and smoke at the same time!

That night we didn't sleep! The room was too hot yet the air-con sounded like a bear growling and the bed was way too small (we ended up sleeping top and tail).Oh and you could hear everything the people in the other rooms did! Still we were up at 6:15 and out of the hotel by 7:30.

We arrived at the embassy at 8:00 and found that even though we were half an hour early that about 20 other people were even earlier than us! Getting into the embassy took time as one guard made us sit on a bench in the street whilst he touch our clothes with a white piece of cloth. Then we had to queue in three lines outside the building before going through airport type security. Once inside we had to queue to speak to an advisor who then told us to go for an interview on a different floor. We had been dreading the interview! We had read that they would try and trick us and get us to incriminate ourselves. In fact we were asked how long we had been in Japan and what we would do in America!

After that we decided to go and explore a wet Kyoto. The first stop was Kiyomizudera Temple. The temple is applying to become one of the 'new' seven wonders of the world.

Although it was a Thursday and raining the place was really busy.

A very tired Andy and Amanda at the top of the temple.

The temple is set in the mountains.

A nice view

Some trainee geishas (maiko)

The rain just wouldn't stop!

On our second day in Kyoto the sun actually came out! We visited Nijo Castle which is a world heritage site.

I thought the bells looked like Daleks!

A view of the castle grounds

Still in Maniwa

Amanda goes to Maniwa

It that's time of year again when my company get the idea that I should spend 6 weeks in rural Japan. This time they have decided to sent me to a place called Maniwa City which is in Okayama Prefecture. It takes 6 hours from Susenji (where we live) to get here.

When they told me I was going I wasn't really happy, but I thought that it would give me a chance to meet lots of cool little people. My boss told me that they would also give me an extra 200 pounds (I thought wow!!!). It soon came to light though that the 200 pounds was for me to travel home every weekend. I'm not great at maths, but at 130 for a round trip I knew 200 pounds wasn't going to stretch to 6 weekends. After lots of haggling I got them up to 275 pounds (I know I am rubbish).

My hotel is pretty new and it's cosy. The view from the window (above)shows just how much I am in the countryside. If you walk for 10 minutes the houses disappear and you just see hills. I don't have a car this year so if no one hears from me in a while it's because I have gotten lost up a hill!

Hills in that direction

Hills in that direction too!

There is a big river close to the hotel. On the river bank there are lots of cherry blossom trees so tomorrow I am going to have my own hanami (viewing cherry blossom party). Well it gives me something to do. I will do as the Japanese do and try to take photos of me and some cherry blossom (sakura).

They love their cherry blossom here.

I am teaching from Monday so I will try to take lots of pictures. I went to school today, but the kids spent all morning cleaning the school before going home at 12!

Osaka

We decided to visit Osaka for a long weekend as it is Japan's second largest city. The city is really cool and would be a good place to live! It has lots of characters and lots of shops. However, it doesn't really have a lot to do for visitors so we got bored pretty quickly.

We visited the aquarium which was fantastic! The main attraction is a shark whale but all of it was new and you got to see fish from all over the world. Close to the aquarium there is also an IMAX theater so we watched a film about fish.

Andy modelling the sexy IMAX glasses

Osaka castle

Andy wearing a dress

Amanda wearing a dress

Downtown Osaka

Downtown Osaka

Andy finally met his hero

Downtown Osaka at night

Leaving Ceremony

In March the 6th graders leave elementary school and there is a big assembly. During the assembly the other grades dance, sing a song or play musical instruments as a way of saying thank you.

The 6th graders sit at the front facing all of the other students.

The 2nd grader sing to the 6th grade.

At the end the 6th grade walk out under the arches of coloured paper.

Amanda's birthday

This birthday was small (due to saving up) but Andy made it special. He got up early and made me a breakfast and then made me a great mexican dinner.


I bought a t-shirt and shorts with the money my gran and mum me.

With my very late Christmas and just in time birthday money I got a skirt and t-shirt from ratboy (Lee).

Thank you to everyone for their cards and presents.

Day Nineteen (Home)

Days Seventeen and Eighteen (Beijing)

After a fantastic time in Vietnam and Cambodia we stopped for two days in a very cold Beijing. You will be glad to know that this time through we had no problems with immigration!

Although tired we spent the first day in a daze we had a great time wondering around the Forbidden City and Tiananamen Square. We ate Peking duck and went to a expensive tea ceremony.

Count down to Beijing 2008

Andy outside the Forbidden City

A soldier on duty

Downtown Beijing

Inside the Forbidden City

On our second day we went to the Mutianyu part of the great Wall of China. We put on all of our clothes (well almost all) and set off for a day of exploring.

I wore 5 t-shirts, 2 pairs of socks, 2 scarfs,a hat, a pair of gloves, a jumper, a coat, my pyjama bottoms and a pair of jeans that day.

The wall went on and on.

The signs were really funny.

Better than the view from Ditcheat hill?

Us

Captured by Mongolians but still home in time for tea.

Days Fifteen and Sixteen (Ho Chi Minh)

We spent the last two days of our holiday shopping and eating ice cream.

I bought a silk dress for a mere £25

I ate ice cream

I ordered an ice cream sandwich expecting it to come with a wafer!

Andy ordered an ice cream cup!

Days Twelve, Thirteen and Fourteen (Mekong Delta)

We decided to spend three days on the Mekong Delta and booked a trip. We got to see lots of things, but everything we wanted to do could have squeezed into a morning!

The Cambodian and Vietnamese border

Us relaxing in a vineyard

Coconut drinks are a local favourite but mine tasted horrible!

I feed some hungry local boys with an orange.

They took us to a crocodile farm. Just want you want to see a load of crocs who will become handbags and shoes!

A local women

People have fish farms under their houses.

The floating market

The floating market