The winter adventure with Bry, Sal & Dave was loads of fun.

Highlights were...

• Seeing my super great Aussie buds!
• The weirdest NYE ever (in Himeji)
• Freezing cold Himeji Castle (which featured in 'You Only Live Twice' as a ninjas training base)
• Meiji Mura (open air museum) near Nagoya
• Snow monkeys of Nagano - especially everyone's favourite pipe monkey!
• Being allowed to play a Steinway in a Tokyo piano shop - We think the lady thought we were actually contemplating buying. Not sure how she got that impression
  
• Meeting up with Steph in Kyoto - hisashiburi!
  

Lowlights were...

• "Mt Fuji" - terrible weather meant invisimountain
• The end of the holiday
  

Last Wednesday to Friday we had a prefectural JET conference. Compared to classes, it was an OK way to ease back into work. However, I'm definitely experiencing post-holiday blues in combo with an extreme longing for Oz and all its wonders (including wholegrain bread, real cheese, my family, friends and cat - not all of which I consider food).

Hoping that the routine of teaching (which, for me, starts up again this week) helps me settle down. (The post-holiday blues are reminiscent of early post-arrival feelings, which seemed to decline when routine kicked in...)

Something nice happened yesterday. I'd headed out for a run, and about 1.5kms into it, two primary school boys called out so I turned and waved. Soon they were riding alongside me on their bikes. They chatted to me and each other as we ran/rode along. "Where will you run till?" "Probably those islands." I reached Futanajima and said, "OK. I'm tired. I'm turning around." They kept riding alongside, and then stopped at a vending machine. I kept running, and then they caught up on their bikes and gave me a Coke. Of course, it's not the ideal beverage when you're exhausted from exercise, but I thanked them for their kindness and had to drink some. From there on I walked so as not to spill the Coke. They kept riding along with me until I was home. Very cute.