Friends...

I mentioned my friend D in my last post.
D and I have known each other since primary school, and in the last couple of years of high school were part of the same wider friendship group. He was someone I always felt intimidated around. One of those uber-intelligent people, and I was sure he thought of me as the dumb blonde. It wasn't until I went to stay with him in Japan that I really got to know him, and found out we had so much more in common than what I ever thought possible.
He was there on his own at the time while his (then) wife was back in Oz finishing off some study.
No it was NOT like that thank you very much!
But I do think he really enjoyed having some company and I really enjoyed the free accommodation and was not expecting that I would find a close friend out of it. I had such a great time with him in a country that I had never thought to visit other than the opportunity presenting itself (I will never pass up free accommodation!)
I went back a few years later as I wanted to visit when his (then) wife was there so we could do all the girly stuff (as much as I love him I cannot imagine ever visiting Onsen with D!).
Then the third time I visited was a classic... I was on my way to the states and in investigating flights, my travel agent, knowing I had friends there, presented me with the option of a 23 hour stopover in Japan with hotel room paid for by the airline. I emailed D & (then) wife and said "just wondering when you are doing on the night of such and such and do you want to take me out to dinner?"
D & I only get to catch up maybe once a year, but I love the idea that someone you've know a long time and have a certain perception of can surprise you. And maybe in turn you can surprise yourself.

My newest friend S is a real inspiration me... I met her through Derby at a time when I was seriously contemplating how much dedication I had to keep on training. She is pushing me to see just how far I can take it, and is number one contender to be my derby wife! We are at about the same level and are forming quite the competitive friendship. We are about the only two who are ready to take the next step (mind you I have been at this a lot longer than she!) and am starting to feel the frustration at being held back by others... Now that I've made the decision and all!

I was told by a psychic once that I am a very open person and make friends easily. At the time It was certainly not how it felt, but I think that comment made me really take stock of the friendships I have and appreciate them. I've been through some pretty lonely times, (when I could not find a friend...) But I think it just took me a long time to really find the people I fitted in with... Now I have them in abundance!

I wanna go back to San Francisco...

So I can follow the Tales of the City Map on Armistead Maupin's new Website!!!
But instead I'll just have to hold out until Nov. 2nd!

Recent reads...

A book has to be pretty bad for me to not finish it, or really long and I put it down thinking I will get back to it but it sits there for a year or I write down the page number and take it back to the library and then lose the bit of paper and never re-borrow the book...

Bill Bryson's At Home is probably going to join that category. I don't want to, it's not a bad book. And I generally enjoy his writing. The thing is it's kind of interesting but very, very long. It's about the finer history of everyday mundane things, and quite frankly there is a reason things are mundane... um, because they are! And besides, I don't see what the history of mice and other vermin has to do with the study and and the history of architecture to do with cellars and I think he's clutching at straws at times... Think I'm gonna have to give it up.

I've already read one book in between, Russell Brand's My Booky Wook. It's kind of funny, and very repulsive and I really just feel very sorry for him and hope that he has managed to stay sober and drug free since because he was was not an appealing person when on them (he's that appealing now either!). Not that I've actually seen much of his "work", more just know him by reputation and coz he's engaged to a perky songstress (me thinks publicity stunt for the both of them, but, whatever!). There are a lot of uncomfortable moments in the book, events that were obviously quite scarring but he glosses over with humour which I found quite sad. And besides, its not all that well written either.

After another chapter and a half of At Home I started Eat, Pray, Love. (It's not looking good for Mr. Bryson is it!) I want to avoid overly popular books, especially ones that appeal to women of a certain age, but the fact is there usually a reason why they are so popular and I want to stay in front of the film for once so I can be all superior and say"well it wasn't as good as the book..." Ive only go a few pages in but I like it, I like her casual style of writing and I also love it when women can admit that they just don't want to have children because its such a high expectation of society, even these days of apparent endless choices for women it's still a hard thing for a lot of women to admit, and is often viewed with either suspicion or sympathy... believe me ladies, this is not something you want to do half heartedly just coz someone thinks you should... and I would love the freedom to be travelling through Italy, India and Bali right now... Bugger, I just get to do it in my head and think about all the things I'm missing out on!

Prom hiking the third....

Want to really get away from it all?

May I suggest hiking down to the Lighthouse at Wilson's Promontory for a couple of nights? No Phones, No Telly, Not much noise at all really!

The boy and I went on our (seemingly) annual Wilson's Prom holiday last week (seemingly annual as we have gone down three years in a row now!) This time we hiked down to the lighthouse which you can go straight down to with a relatively easy 20 km walk, but we took the hard way via the east coast staying a Refuge cove the first night and conquering several killer hills on day two! But I have to say it was definatly worth it for the two nights staying at the gorgeous cottages at the Lighthouse. We didn't really know what to expect, thinking it might just be basic cabins with a cold toilet block... no way! We are talking bathroom to ourselves with super hot showers, full kitchen facilities, tell you what, we would have packed very differently! so I guess we'll just have to go down again!

Happiest room in the house...

Regular readers of my blog will know I have traveled to several different countries. I therefore think I am in a good position to comment of the state of toilets throughout the western world... Not the state as in someone missed the seat and left the stall filthy... I mean the actual toilet itself...

The worst country for toilets would have to be the States... they seem to have a fascination with self flushing toilets, particuly in airports... maybe air travellers have a hard time remembering to press the button or perhaps its a germ thing I don't know, but if your anything like me who is a bit of a mover arounderer on the loo (especially with a number 2 where sometimes it needs a little help and guidance!) you end up with a wet bum. Not to mention if you accidentally drop something in and jump off the seat to collect it! Tip from me - you can trick them by holding your hand over the sensor, not always the most comfortable position but better than a surprise bidet!

Best country for toilets, Japan! Soft, heated seats. Washbasins that utilise your hand washing water, music, fake sounds for the shy... bottom heaven!

Travel Pics from the past...

Here’s one of my favourite pics from my Europe travels oh so many years ago. Its my friend G at the East Side Gallery at the Berlin Wall. I really really want to go back to Berlin, and more of Germany too. I found it such a fascinating place, I love a bit of History that I can remember! And boy does that city have an interesting story or two!!!

P.S. Think I'm either getting a bit sentimental going through my old photo's... Or jealous of my lack of recent travel opportunities!

Celebrity Deaths...

So it turns out that today will be one of those “where were you when you heard...” days (in the car backing out my driveway if anybody cares.)

But what about poor Farrah? She had better hair and better nipples (hmmm... I wonder if MJ actually had nipples???)

Farrah died last night too but Michael Jackson had to go and steal the limelight didn’t he?! Yeah it’s a bit sad, and Off the wall was a really good album and I have been known to Blame it on the Boogie several times in my life, but the guy had turned into a freak, and although I feel really sorry for him coz he had no childhood blah blah, he was a FREAK OK... and now everyone's gonna forget about that... and what about poor Farrah! So yes this will be one of those defining moments of our generation, blah blah, but we all know he will be down in Tijuana pumping gas with Father-in-law Elvis very very soon...

I wonder if they will hold his funeral at Disneyland???

And does this mean we will be seeing more or less of LaToya?

And in the after life... will he be Black or White?

Celebrity deaths are always a weird one, All this outpouring of grief like you actually knew the person. Come on people, what you knew was what the gossip columnists, publicists and rest of the media fed your hunger for, and it's the same with death, I think people just have a hard time understanding that these people are actually just flesh and bone... and plastic... And in the end just as vulnerable as you and I. There will be all sorts of rumours now, thing is, I think he was just a lonely sad man who had probably just had enough...

But this will be compared too the deaths of...

Marilyn and Elvis (not alive to remember)

John Lennon (too young to remember)

Princess Di (was at a 21st birthday party, first reaction was "they're faking it")

9/11 (was working at Becket-Chimney Corners Outdoor Centre in Massachusetts, taking a group of school kids on the high ropes course when all these messages came over the walkie talkies about what was and allegedly going on... the school group was from... you guessed it, New York City! It was my last day of work and I was heading to Boston the next day and NYC a few days later... obviously plans were changed!)

Now lets all brace ourselves for the onslaught of tribute shows... I wonder how many pages of the Herald-Sun will be dedicated to him tomorrow... Or will it be a special edition perhaps?

J is for...

Japan!

The following is a copy of an email I sent on Monday 4th June 2001 near the end of my first trip to Japan.

hi everybody...

moshi moshi konichi-wa from Japan...I'm having a ball, Japan is an onslaught to the senses!

Here is 12 reasons why I love japan;

1/I love vending machines... I love the 20 million different sorts of drinks you can buy from them, and I love that everyone is a surprise because i cant read what they are!!! I love that I can buy film and batteries and Hagan daaz Ice cream from them, and if I drank beer and smoked I would love buying them from vending machines too!

2/I love heated toilet seats... I love them even more when they have a Boedau thing (yeah I know I can't spell, but you know, the wash your bum thing!) the restaurant we went to last night even had a fake flush sound function... don't ask me why I have no idea! some of the toilets have an automatic hand wash tap and basin thing which starts when you flush, then the water goes into the thing and becomes the water for the next flush, very economical. I love that Dave’s toilet comes with instructions including diagrams of how to sit or stand! (he doesn’t have a heated seat though!!!)(p.s. note to the girls... squat toilets are no fun when you have your period, well sorry but it’s true!)

3/I love big Buddha’s... Ive seen the two biggest ones in Japan, and millions of little Buddhas and lots of Buddhist art... and about 20 million shrines and temples and more Buddhas.

4/I love MOS burgers... I don’t care that they are about half the size and twice the price of McDonald's (and twice as greasy!) they taste damn good, were just around the corner from where I stayed in Kyoto, and have no pickle!

5/I love all the other new food Ive tried... yes I have had raw fish,* not so bad. David took me for Kaiten Zushi (revolving sushi) and i had salmon and tuna and that was a week ago and i’m still alive!!! I’ve also had Okonomyaki (As you like pancakes) and i must say that my pancake flipping skills are much better than Dave's. Shabu Shabu (One pot veggies and meat) you cook both of the last two things yourself at the table. Last night I was forced to try octopus... and we had a ‘surprise parfait’ between 5 of us and we could still only get half way through! Lots of different meat on a skewer type things and of course, god old Mos burger!

6/i love pretzel sticks dipped in chocolate called ‘Pocky’ (you can get them from vending machines too!)

7/I love tacky souvenir shopping... I love tacky souvenir shopping anywhere as some of you well know, but it’s even more fun in Japan... Haven't gone overboard but have bought myself a Kimono which I’m sending home to mum, and it’s not a tacky one at all... so someone needs to come up with an excuse for me to wear it when I get back. I could have spent so much money on crazy camera stuff and books and all the usuals... lucky I don’t have the room.

8/I love that I got to feel an earthquake... just a little one!

9/I love that I’ve seen some really cool photography exhibitions... One you would have liked Julie T was called ‘moonlight blue earth’ where all the shots were lit only by moonlight, not your average startrails!

10/I love checking out the toy dept’s** in the department stores... nothing on Myer Melbourne toys! They’ve all been relatively small, a little bit of Lego, lots of collectible Barbies (but not many pink box, note to Jenny-Anne, Black lingerie barbie and the blonde one with the white lingerie were 7000 yen, so about 100-120 dollars) but lots of Hello Kitty as to be expected... not as much pokemon as I thought, thank god!

11/I love walking out of Shinjuku station for my first glimpse of Tokyo which feels like your walking onto another planet!

12/I love that everyone is so nice and polite (except on trains) and patient with me for not speaking any of the language (and every time I attempt it I pronounce it wrong!) the guy next to me on the plane (who i’d hardly even spoken to) gave me one of each Japanese coins with a little chart of each one he had drawn on a napkin, so I gave him a caramello koala! And the lady at the inn I stayed at in Kyoto also gave me a little present but I had left my caramello koala’s at Dave's! (note to mum, send more caramello koalas!!)

Well that's it for this episode of ‘Allison’s observations of the world... I leave for the states on the 6th and start at camp on the 10th. Hope everyone is well and please keep me up to date with all important gossip!!!
Lots of Love,
Alli

*remember this is 8 years ago and sushi wasn’t as common in western countries as it is now.

**I had just finished up a year of working at Myer toys so it was on my mind!

reading over this has been a blast from the past!

I have been back to Japan twice since then. The 3rd time was only for one night but it still counts OK! (I was on my way to the States and the Japan airlines flight co-ordination meant a 20 hour stopover with supplied hotel room, my travel agent knew I had friends there so offered me that one. They were a little surprised when I emailed them and said "what are you doing on the night of such-and-such coz I was just wondering if you wanted to take me out for dinner!")

I cant believe how green I was and it's interesting to see what was important to me then. Also many of my favourite aspects of Japan are not mentioned (maybe I didn't discover them until the second trip) like Harajuku on a Sunday and that huge massive toy store over four levels and Onsen and the food area of the department stores where you can pretty much fill yourself up for lunch on samples (gotta love free samples!) and my favourite shopping experience...

The vast range of condoms available! my favourite being 'No Touch' which have little tabs so you can open the packet and avoid touching both the condom and the penis because obviously when you are having sex you do not actually want to touch the person!!!

Funniest street name in Scotland!

Walking on the Prom...

The Boy and I went for a 4 day/40km Hike on Wilson's Promontory...

We saw nice Beaches...

One day it was even warm enough for a quick Paddle...

The next day it was pouring!

We saw some Critters including Wallabies, Wombats, Emu's, Dolphins, Black Cockatoo's, three dead penguins and a snake!

Wombats may look cute but they will eat your food... apparently they really like muesli bars, two minute noodles, BBQ shapes and dried pineapple!

But we still had plenty of food left...

This is me cooking in the rain...

We saw some Boulders at Boulder Saddle... (This one looks like a bird)

And it was Windy at Windy Saddle...

We had a nice time. Boy does this sound like a grade 6 report or what!!!

Podcasts, Action Figures and Geocaching!

Ive gone and skipped ahead to Webolution activity 9... well I was half way through it anyway!


I wanted to find Podcasts of Nancy Pearl's (of the Librarian action figure fame) book review radio spot. I have actually been reading Nancy's Book Crush this week. (Always bad for me to read a book about books as It only adds more to my list of must reads!). Book Crush follows on from Book Lust and More Book Lust by focusing on books for kids and teens.

Anyways, I found the Podcasts to listen to listen to through her website Booklust but I could not add them to my bloglines account for some reason. (also I tried to look up those three podcast sites but only one would work). Anyways, If anyone else wants to listen to them here's the link:


http://www.kuow.org/rss.php?program=nancy

One of her shows she talks about going Geocaching (aka. Hunting for treasure) which is sort of a bit of a hobby of mine (and something my partner and I actually do together!

All you need is a GPS, a sense of adventure and curiosity and some good shoes... check it out here:

http://www.geocaching.com/

T is for Travel

I have been to 18 countries (not counting Australia!)

Fiji

UK

France

Ireland

Netherlands

USA

New Zealand

Japan

Mexico

Jamaica

Barbados

Turkey

Russia

Belgium

Germany

Czech Republic

Austria

Italy

Photo's all with courtesy of Flickr and the Webolution learning objective #3!

I had this great idea to put these photo's I found into a map, easy enough to do in the Organisr part of Flickr, but I couldn't upload it onto my blog, which was the whole point of this post!
Flickr seems easy enough to use, but trying to arrange multiple photo's in a blog post is not fun! I kept unwittingly deleting and had to constantly rearrange them, They are still not how I really wanted them but I am about to throw the computer out the window so you will have to put up with it!!!

B is for...

B is for Buses...

For someone who lives in a city known for its trams, buses certainly have played a significant role in my life... of course neither of these stories takes place in Melbourne.

I met one of my best friends, C, while traveling in Europe with another friend, G. Picture this: G and I were travelling on Bus-a-bout, a sort of hop on hop off backpacker network of buses that travel around Europe. We had been staying with a friend of G's in Paris and were scheduled to leave at 8am on whatever morning it was. We slept in, woke up in a tizzy and rushed to where the buses leave from to see them driving off in the distance. We headed over the road (actually road is an understatement, picture one of those huge wide Parisian boulevards with about five lanes of traffic in each direction!) to grab a coffee and collect our thoughts. After a couple of minutes we see two Bus-a-bout buses pull up again. knowing full well they were not coming back for us, because although we had a booking they do not wait for anyone! G ran across the road to find out what was going on. She called out to me from the other side of the road to come over, so me, laden down with two lots of (girls!) bags ran over and jumped on the bus.

Meanwhile; C and her husband (at the time!) where on their first Bus-a-bout leg, having shown their booking slip to the guide of the first bus (about three buses left from the same place at the same time and for some unbeknown reason did not have a sign showing which was going where.) got themselves comfy. As the bus headed down the road and the guide began talking about their destination, (I cant remember where it was but it can not where C was supposed to be going!) she gingerly put her hand up and said, um, I think there has been a mistake. After much convincing, tanty throwing and whatever other threats where involved, the driver, totally against policy (how many times did we have to hear those words!) contacted the other driver and had both buses return to the original leaving spot.

Suffice to say, we got on the bus and everyone HATED C and her hubby for making the bus so late, but G and I LOVED them because we got to get on. We got talking and it turned out we were all from Melbourne, had all been living in Edinburgh, (just down the road from where I was living in fact) and had heaps in common. We kept running into them throughout our travels and at the end exchanged all the usual email addresses etc. I was heading straight back to Aus, and although you say you will, you never keep in touch. 6 months later, I was coming out of the store room of the Bookshop I was working in and ran straight into this guy who looked so familiar but I just couldn't place him. it was N, C's hubby, they were back, living in Melbourne. After a couple more spooky coincidences, C and I decided there had to be some reason we were meant to be friends so we might as well go with it. that was about 6 years ago, and we've gone through so much together, kids, relationships (starting and ending), complete meltdowns, librarianships. She's cooking me dinner tonight!

The other Bus...

I met my partner (here by known as 'the boy') on the school bus. We used to sit together, well actually he always sat next to me. I had such a crush on him, we kissed once but he reckons he doesn't remember. Anyway, we were pretty good friends, and ran into each other from time to time. This was all about 15 years ago now. About four years ago I found out on the small town rumour mill that he was back and where he was living. I knocked on his door, as you do, not having a clue what to expect. I mean it had been at least four or five years since I had seen him, I could have been greeted at the door by his wife and kids, or his boyfriend for all I knew! Turns out he was also single. I was thinking 'your looking good' and he was thinking 'your looking good' and, well after that I stalked him for a bit. (Well look, it's not really stalking if they like you back is it?) Well anyways we got together. When I told my brother about it he made some comment about running out of guys to chase and having to recycle my old crushes!