June 2001

Friday 1st June 2001

Last Saturday Yuki and I went to Niigata prefecture with a few friends from work. We took the three-and-a-half hour journey in Yamamoto San's car. The purpose was to go to his white water rafting club. Of the six of us, only he had done this before. It was great fun, and not the tame ride I'd expected as a complete beginner. I wouldn't say we were put at any real risk, but it was certainly not a row down the river, besides rowboats don't tend to spin! We were thrown many times against the jagged sides of the river, and at one point, half of us had to get into the water (not that we weren't soaked anyway) and pull the boat through a narrow rapid. It was freezing! We were wearing sleeveless wet-suits. Each time I entered the water, my arms and hands really felt the icy chill. We all survived. And what better to follow this experience with than an onsen. Relaxing in the hot natural spring bath (a little too hot for me), is a great way to unwind and warm up those tired muscles.

I'll be off to work in thirty minutes. It's my last day before our honeymoon! I've got loads to do, so I'd better go and do it. Also being Friday, I don't want to be stuck too late in the office. I'm a considerate chap, and I wouldn't like to spoil Marlon's night down the pub!

Monday 5th June 2001

It's very early in the morning and I've been printing photos to give to my friends and family next week in England. While I'm at it it's about time to publish the official pictures. I scanned them in and printed my own - you should see what they're asking for reprints!

Thursday 14th June 2001

We've just returned from our very nice, but of course, too short, honeymoon. First we flew to Lisbon via London. I used the free ticket I won last year from Virgin Atlantic. Then we used air miles to fly free from Heathrow to Portugal. We arrived, very tired at our hotel, only to find they had no record of our booking. The gentleman on duty was kind enough to book us an alternative hotel at a reduced rate, and also gave us a complementary meal at a sister hotel for the following evening.

The hotel we eventually arrived at was the Tivoli Lisboa Hotel, it was very nice, but not the luxury I'd originally booked. However, it had comfortable rooms and a very good buffet breakfast.

While in Lisbon we went on an open-topped bus tour, did a spot of shopping, visited a nice small town along the coast (Cascais), did a little shopping, had a very traditional meal in a Fado restaurant (Fado is Portuguese folk singing), and visited a couple of shopping centres. Yuki likes shopping. Lisbon is a very old city and much of its centre is being refurbished, but not so much as to be reason to avoid the place. The weather was hot and sunny, although I'm sure Yuki would say it was warm and sunny. It was a pity we only stayed there for two-and-a-half days.

After flying to the UK and during our taxi ride to our next hotel, Yuki discovered that someone (from the evidence, wearing red nail varnish) had been through her luggage and stolen a very expensive bottle of perfume that we'd picked up at the request of her friend. Handbag stolen on the wedding day, perfume stolen on the honeymoon - we'd better be careful on our anniversary!

We spent two days at Pendley Manor in Tring in Hertfordshire. This was a grand old house with peacocks wandering around the English country gardens. We'd located here because it was close to my friends' wedding on the Saturday. Phil and Debbie's wedding was held in a very old stone church in a quaint little village called Aldbury. The reception was held at Mentmore Golf Club, a few miles away.

On the Sunday we visited a few friends, popped in to see my family and deliver a few wedding photo's (ours, not Phil's), and in the evening were treated to dinner in London by our friends Keith and Justine. I don't think I've ever had so much Champagne in such a short time!

We spent Monday and Tuesday in central London, staying at the Columbia Hotel, Lancaster Gate (thanks for the complementary red wine honeymoon present). Between the inevitable shopping periods, we visited Hyde Park and the Tate Modern art museum - except for the new footbridge it was mostly just rubbish posing as art (often quite literally). I do like modern art, but I like it modern in the sense of recent, not pretentious piles of junk that no "art lover" dare question. We also went to "The King And I" at the Palladium Theatre, visited London Zoo, and attended the opening night of the Kirov Ballet's "The Sleeping Beauty" at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. It was my first trip to a real ballet and also to the Royal Opera House. Both were excellent. Not bad for just two days!

Now it's back to Earth time. Work tomorrow. All said and done though, we had a great time, especially considering how short it was.

Saturday 30th June 2001

It's been quite uneventful since arriving back in Japan. We've done the family thing a few times, I've continued to buy every gadget that appears on the market (the latest being a DVD writer), and work is probably busier than ever. I have still found the time to pop to the pub, in fact I'm writing this from the PC in the corner of Mad Mulligan's. I'm drinking a Long Island ice tea. It's not too easy to drink though as Satomi has mad it so strong it tastes like a vodka and gin mix only. A good Long Island ice tea is very refreshing, whilst at the same time containing a lot of alcahol (about four spirits)! I'm going to leave and visit Roppongi or Bill's Bar soon. Haven't decided which yet. Yuki is at home busying herself with her new hobby, beadcraft, or jewellery making, whichever it might be called.