心より

I showed the video of Eri, Alex, and I all taking a piss in the bathroom. Colin asked how drunk we were. Silly Colin, we didn't need an ounce of alcohol to be that crazy.

It tears my heart to think that there's an ocean that separates myself and my friends back in Japan. And while I'm still sad and will be forever more, I can say that I am honored and privileged to just have met such special people where I did not expect to meet any, people who have changed my world, held me by the hand as I changed, yet remained steadfast in the tumultuous flux which we trudged through day by day. The tears that I cry are not of mourning but of the joy for that was once was but will last forever, a gift of memory which I never knew I could receive.

I love you with all my heart.

I came back to a city that was once home but alas lacked the feeling of it. But spending time with my friends and family is grounding me back to my roots. I was scared that things had changed and that the old would become unrecognizable. Things have changed. And yet things remain the same. Friends and family are the only ones who can manage that paradox. The tears that I cry are out of joy that they waited for me, held out their hands, and are helping me as I take on Montreal anew.

I love you with all my heart.

Boracay

This is my second full day in Boracay. I wake up, eat a nice breakfast, go to the beach and tan, and when it rains I retreat into a bar where it's happy hour. This cycle repeats, and then I have dinner, and then have drinks at a bar while relaxing, studying Japanese or writing into a journal. My life is without difficulty or complaint. And it's $30 a day.

I am looking forward to going home and seeing friends and family. But I do not look forward to the banality. Holding a job? And what job would I take anyway? Same crap I did before for a different company? I almost threw a fit today at the thought. I feel like I have been wronged on a basic level.

Transiting in the Philippines

I have come to the conclusion that Filipinos are deeply religious because only a deity may protect them and their lungs against the traffic and resulting smog.

It took quite some time to get from Dumaguete to Iloilo: tricycle to the bus station, a six-hour bus ride to Bacolod, a ten-minute tricycle ride to the wharf, a seventy-five minute "fastcraft" ride to Iloilo, and a ten minute ride back to another pension. Determining when to get off the bus ride has always proved to be interesting, seeing that I really have no idea when to do so until there is a moment where it seems to be a good idea to get off then, and it's always worked out. Of course the tricycle drivers are trying to charge extortionate rates for rides that further threaten ny well-being. After checking into the pension, I literally ran onto a jeepney to get to the shopping mall that I'm at now: you should have seen the look on people's faces as their vehicle is moving along and suddenly this tall'n'gangly foreigner just jumps right on board. Well, if he can manage like us, we may as well offer him a seat...

It's not over, though: tomorrow it's another day of travelling until Boracay, land of the most beautiful sand beach I have ever seen. I'm really looking forward to spending an extended period of time further regaining my color. But even though those hours of travel could be monotonous, after travelling for so long you start to kind of enjoy the time in which you can't really do much besides listen or watch your iPod, read a book, or nap.

Weather better be nice the day after tomorrow or someone is going to be in a pissy mood...

The Fragrant Harbour, Nine Dragons, and Many Small Islands

I would have arrived into Hong Kong earlier than 11 if I had not realized that I had forgotten my camera after clearing Macau immigration and hadn't rushed back to get it. Fortunately, no one else had realized I left it there. It took me a while before I arrived at Chunking Mansions in Kowloon, Hong Kong. The only room I was able to find relatively quickly was an extortionate $HKD 250 a night; the types lurking around at that time did not seem to friendlyso I bit the bullet and took it.

The next day I was able to secure a cheaper room. It was so small that if I had ran into it I would have flown out the window, but it was clean, had a television, air con and fan, a shower with hot water, and flush toilet. Most people mat think that this is nothing to brag about: I invite you to go backpacking in Southeast Asia on the cheap for three months and then get back with me. Kowloon is absolutely maddening yet great. There are tons of people everywhere! That night I met up with my Auntie Becky and Uncle Ronnie: we went to for a simple dinner before checking out some phones.

The next day we had some dim-sum, followed by a trip to The Peak on Hong Kong Island, which was absolutely beautiful. After that we left the urban madness behind and went to Lantau Island, where we took the world's longest cable-car ride to see the world's biggest copper Buddha. My Aunt and Uncle were so nice in taking me to these places and even paying for me too, even though they had been to The Peak the day before.

Day three was spent soaking up the Hong Kong Island scene. Went to Hong Kong's allegedly best Canto restaurant - gah was it expensive!- and then wrote in my journal at Segafredo's and Staunton's, the latter being this really chill wine bar where I had an excellent glass of Merlot. I ended up receiving a free glass of wine from the manager and giving the rest of my Macanese money to these kind ladies who were sitting next to me. It ended up being such a nice night that I was really sad to leave Hong Kong. That airport is friggin' massive, by the way.

My arrival into Cebu at three in the morning - it seems I have a penchant for late-night arrivals - was less than glorious. Again, getting affordable accomodation was difficult but after going to ten different pensions, I finally found a place to sleep. The next day: Gerry's Sisig. IT WAS SO GOOD. I then caught "The Dark Knight": the fact that I had been to Hong Kong the day before made it a special treat as I was able to recognize the sights.

Today I made my way to Dumaguete, four hours south of Cebu by bus. Away from the city the water is so clear and I cannot wait to go to the beach tomorrow and regain some color! It's so nice to be back in the Philippines! Four years ago I swore I would come back and had every single intention but not the money. But now another opportunity has presented itself and now I am back for three more weeks! It's going to be a blast!

Vegas of the East

While Las Vegas may have more casinos, I cannot imagine how they could have some just as big, crazy, and fancy as they do here. Apparently the tables in Macau make tens times as much money, so I guess there's the market for something upscale.



Last night I made my way to the Grand Lisboa. It used to be the biggest in Macau, but while I am still wondering if that is true, it definitely is the fanciest, had the best looking people in it, and probably the biggest rollers. It also had the best show, with at one point a girl dressed in Native American stripper gear who began all cultural but then through it all off and whored it up to some music a la I like to move it move it. The next casino of note, Wynn, was not to shabby, but it had water fountain shows every fifteen minutes, which were postively stunning. It also had a "Rotunda Show", where the ceiling and roof literally split apart and tress sprung forth from the ground. The MGM grand was not that impressive in comparison, although I must say that it did have an interesring area where it looked like you were outdoors.



Today, I went to The Venerian Macau. I think my life is changed. It had a killer mall with food court where I had a so-called Triple Fatburger, and they weren't lying. The mall had canals in it. And it was on the second floor. And it had foreign employees as gondola people and filled the halls with song. The Lisboa may have been the fanciest, but The Venetian was definitely out of this world.

Next stop: Hong Kong!

Orient Express

Saturday morning, I flew out of the backwater aiport that is supposed to be Hanoi International back to Bangkok for a final two-day flory tour before heading over to Macau. It was so great to be back in Bangkok, a city that has truly become my home away from home away from home on this backpacking adventure. Two hours after the plane landed, I had already left my bag in safekeeping and was busy shopping away in Siam.

The next day Hanna and I played it cool until nighttime, where I had my last Bangkok night. We went to Sukhumvit where we enjoyed some tapas before heading over to Patpong for a looksie. May I say that I have never seen so many old, dirty, crusty men in my life? It was awful. Continuing on our tour of sexual deviance, we headed over to Silom where I saw my first ping-pong show. Please look that up if you don't know what that means in BKK; we saw a woman smoke a cigarette, pop balloons with a blow dart, and pull five meters of a stringy party favor out of... somewhere.

Seeking to cleanse my eyes from that, Hanna and I went to DJ Station, where I had my first gay-clubbing experience in BKK. The boys were hot and they all had iPhones. Nothing interesting happened that night per se, but that's okay because I just wanted to dance, and that is what we did. Hanna is great to go dancing with. The fags take well to her as well.

Night slowly became morning, and at 4:30 I was back at Suvarnaphumi to catch my flight to Macau. On the flight here was a flight attendant that was so hot I daresay he was the hottest man I have seen in Southeast Asia. Unfortunately, the crew for that flight operated the return flight back to BKK so there couldn't have been any opportunities: drat. I completely love Macau. I've always wanted to go to China. I am not quite sure if this really counts, but Chinese is all over the place, and there are quite some good-looking Chinese men here as well. It's so weird to be out of Southeast Asia. There are hardly any backpackers and things are much more expensive here. But things are modern. And the places are clean. And besides the hoardes of casinos which Macau is famous for, the city really does have some wonderful sights that have kept me busy throughout the day. The mix between Chinese and Portugese cultures have really created a unique city that I can see myself spending a lot more time were it not for time and money constraints. It truly is a beautiful city with many cultural sights... with free admission!

Tomorrow I take the ferry to HKG. The bulltet-tour continues...

More of Vietnam

So Hue was pretty fun with the Citadel and the tomb of past emperors. It was interesting, because in all honesty, the only history I really associated with Vietnam was the war, which was pretty stupid and ignorant, to say the least.

After that, I made my way up to Hanoi, which I must say has been the most interesting city I have been to to date. The Old Quarter is absolutely stunning. I stayed at the Hanoi Bacpacker's Hostel, which is basically like an international frat house. The next day I finally met up with Hanna, her brother Laas, and his girlfriend Lisette. Hanna and I giggled our way to Sapa on the night train with the help of wine and diazepam, where for the first time in like three months I was in a climate that did not provoke profuse sweating. That changed drastically the next day, however, as we embarked on a two-day-one-night trek in the mountains where we visited a few hilltribe villages. Meeting the minorities would have been a little more interesting if the tribespeople were not hell-bent on selling us handicrafts at every turn. Day two was particularly hell with an hour-and-a-alf trek upwards that almost killed me nine-point-five times over.

During the trek I asked our guide a question regarding the relationship between tribal minorities and the national government in Vietnam. However, the answer I received was what the Vietnamese government did for the minorities, which eventually progressed to how only the Part truly understands the needs of the Vietnamese people, tribal or otherwise, an understanding which is essential to their "thrival". This was further argued with an account of a testimony of a tribesmember going abroad to seek a better life, only to find alienation in terms of language and culture. To be poor is better than to be not understood and alone, our tour guide said, which is why it is best for all Vietnamese to live in Vietnam, a Vietnam guided by the Party, which knows best.

Throughout my time in Vietnam I have been wondering what was particularly "Communist" about this country- if anything, the only thing most of this country seemed to share was poverty, although not of an extreme sort per se I must admit. It seems though that Communism in Vietnam rules particularly strong in idealogy by offering a sense of community that will unite the Vietnamese and lead them to success and prosperity. However, or at least in my so-called liberated Western understanding, I wonder how much of the latter has actually been attained.

Tomorrow Hanna and I head over to Cat Ba Island in Halong Bay, where I intend to regain some of that nice color that I have lost over the last few days. Saturday I fly back to Bangkok, but only to fly to Macau on Monday - it's actually cheaper to do it that way as opposed to any other way, including overland. Another day in Bangkok! And with Hanna, too, as it seems so far! Yippee!

Good Morning (again), Vietnam!

Vang Vieng was fun all the way until one point where Pierre had a few unpleasant hours and then everybody left. No sooner than they did I booked what ended up being an 18-hour transit to Si Phan Don, or Four Thousand Islands. I guess there's something to be said for staying on an island where there is only four hours of electricity per day, but I wasn't quite in the mood for that, and so after two days I booked myself for a twenty-hour journey to Hoi An, Vietnam. It's wonderful to be in the land of Vietnamese coffee and food again. Ran into Ish, Dave, Dan, Ealga, and Lauren again: it was wonderful to see them again and spend a few days together. I'll be meeting up with Hanna in three days in Hanoi, and I'm sure we will have nothing short of a blast together!

Some time back in Pai I reached a point where I was sick of meeting new people. It seemed like every night I went to the bar, had a few drinks, and had the exact same conversations with different people that never really developped into anything. It's heaps but after a while it was like the fountain ran dry and I no longer had the energy to do it anymore, and would rather just put my energy into people I already know rather than meeting new people. Call it a grasp for consistency in a world where the city you're in changes every three days.

But I'm starting to feel a disconnect from my friends back at my homes. And I'm feeling a little lost about that.

We Came 12

So off the slow boat, a group of 12 of us converged, looking for a place to stay and a little bit of fun. We were successful on both counts.

Activities in Luang Prabang are few and far between. Night one involved... bowling. Because everything else in Luang Prabang closes at 12 besides THE club (for there is only one and we went there on the second night), THE bowling alley (God forbid they construct more), and THE place where we watched the World Cup, and I reckon the establishment is open ILLEGALLY! DUH DUH DUH DUH!

Night three us group of twelve went by painful minibus to Vang Vieng. After a slow start, we engaged in the local phenomenon of tubing: where tubes are rented to go from bar to bar where one can jump off of 10-meter rope-swings (and land face first, seeing stars for a little bit, as was my case), drink copiously, throw each other in the mud, play volleyball, and dance. I daresay it was most amusing, but I believe we are taking a break today in favor of motorbiking and what not. However, I am confident the revelry shall commence anew tomorrow.

My body still hurts. Gah.

SLOWING 747

Well, it took basically two whole days to get here, but alas I am finally in Luang Prabang, Laos.

The minibus left Chiang Mai at nuine at night and arrived at Chiang Khong at three in the morning. Of course, there was a guesthouse that was just waiting to charge us for a few hours sleep. The problem was that there was no receptionist to check us in. After waiting for twenty minutes, Laura and Cora, two girls I had just met, and I took matters into our own hands, discovered which rooms were free, and assigned our group of eleven to the rooms accordingly. The receptionist eventually came, all disoriented, but we had already sorted ourselves out, bla bla bla, thanks for nothing, we'll pay tomorrow. It wasn't like we were going to escape without paying on the slow boat, where someone could have caught up by swimming if not simply by walking along shore.

The next morning, after some shitty-ass breakfast, we were stamped out of Thailand, took a really skinny long boat across the Mekong, and entered Laos. Canadians get shafted with the most expensive visa fee of all nations: $42! GAH! I then became a multi-millionaire in kip by converting 10,000 baht (a little more than $300). With 20,000 kip (a little more than $2), can you imagine the wad of cash I got?

So before getting on the slow boat for Luang Prabang, a bunch of us decided it would be a good idea to get some liquor for the ride. Consequently, at 9:30 in the morning, Karlon, Robert, Adele, James, Youav, and I were buying hard liquor, chips, mixers, and water. We didn't wait too long after having set sail before cracking the bottles open and becoming quickly inebriated. Furthermore, as being the last to board, we didn't get seats but rather an area in the back where we had tons of space. SA-WEET! We drank copiously while everyone else in cattle class bought their alcohol from the boat, being massive ripped off. Mu ha ha ha.

There was one snotty bitch and we didn't like her.

After a few hours, we finally made it to Pak Beng, a small "town" which basicallt thrives off the tourists who stay for the night before getting on the slow boat again the next morning. I don't know whether I was hungover at 8 pm or suffering from delayed-reaction sea-sickness, but I found myself vomiting before having dinner. Felt much better afterwards, though.

The next day, we boarded the Slowing 747 anew for the remaining eight-hour sail to Luang Prabang. We didn't drink that much but ended up talking with more people. At the end of the boat ride, we formed a bloc of twelve and ended up staying at the same guesthouse for the night. We went for some grub and bowling, where I ended up having the second-highest score out of everyone! Yippee! We then went to a bar to catch the World Cup, but I grew weary and decided to retire.

Which gets us to today. Luang Prabang is HOT! But it really is beautiful and pictoresque. I took a few pictures befor almost collapsing from heat stroke. The plan is to take a few more pictures between today and tomorrow: I think the bloc will be hading for Van Vieng tomorrow so I should make the most of the time that I have now. Pictures will be uploaded to Flickr as soon as I can find a fast enough connection.

Transit

So starting tonight and then again in a few weeks, I will be looking at shitloads of transit time. Tonight, I commence my trek to Luang Prabang, Laos. It begins with a somewhat length bus ride to Nong Khai, where I sleep for a few hours before crossing Thailand and Laos borders and then getting the "slow boat". It really is slow: we actually stop for the night somewhere and get going the next day before finally arriving at Luang Prabang. Total time ranges around forty-eight hours! I know: it sounds crazy, but it's cheaper than flying and apparently on the slow boat you meet all kinds of interesting people. Hopefully I'll feel a little more social by then. Oddly enough, I'm kind of looking forward to this adventure. Wish me luck, and pray that there's a really hot single (!) guy sitting beside me!

So a popular question has been how long will I stay in Laos. And to tell you the truth, I haven't the faintest. I was only supposed to stay in Thailand for a month, but as we can see, I'm leaving ten days after that. My visa will only be good for a month, though (but it can be extended). However, when I do decide to leave, it seems I will be facing a twenty-four hour bus ride to Hanoi. It really seems like I have no love for myself.

So as I have stated, I have been in Thailand for quite some time. And, to tell the truth, I'm a little sad that I am leaving. I've really been taking my time of late, which has allowed me to settle down in the places that I have been to and really absorb the local scene. Thailand has been the familiar for the last little bit, but now I'm venturing into the somewhat unknown; don't get me wrong though: apparently Laos is great, with everyone ranting and raving about it.

I'm sure I'll be back, though.

Pai

The day before yesterday I embarked on a two-day-one-night white-water rafting trip, although the water level was quite low and thus there was not much white-water. In fact, it was more brown. But we went caving and I was quite serpentine, and the rapids we did hit proved to be exciting and people were flung off the raft. I wanted to have been flung off, but alas my balance is quite good. I was not quite happy with the mosquitoe nets, though, for while they kept the vermin out, they left some of their brethren in, and I was eaten alive. I need to buy some Bag Balm.

Today I slept in like a baby and did little more than sit in various establishments and read and write. Eri, you will be proud to know that I did study a little bit of Japanese. A few hours ago, I got myself a little tipsy with the hopes of going out and having a good time, but I was too early and so came here to waste time. However, all this time in doing little has sedated me, and so I think I will be going back to my marvelous bungalow after fetching some munchies. Or maybe not. I don't know. I never do.

Pierre, Pai Chopper

Okay, it's an exaggeration by a long shot. but yesterday I drove a motorbike for the first time. In fact, this was my first time driving anything less an offroad vehicle and in traffic. It was a littel nerve-wracking at first - THE LEFT SIDE, PIERRE, THE LEFT SIDE! - but after a while I was easily doing 80 km/hr but remaining safe. I am quite proud of myself, and I daresay I may rent a bike again tomorrow. God knows it's only 3$ a day.

Yesterday Hanna and I learned how to cook some Thai at Pai Cookery School. Our teacher goes by the name of Gaew, and we were quite happy with her lesson and her food. Her husband owns a bar by the name of Diligaf, which translates into "does it look like I give a fuck?". It's a pretty cool bar, and a bucket of Coke/Sangson costed only 200 baht - I was especially pleased when she dumped the entire mickey of Sangson into the bucket. It did the trick quite nicely.

Techno Cats

After a three-hour drive through winding hills, I arrive at the city of Pai, Thailand. A relatively quiet city with a population of around only 3000 people, backpackers come from all over to just chill. The rooms are cheap, the cafes are chill, and there's trekking and white-water rafting for those who are inclined. I am so inclined.

On our way back from the waterfalls Hanna and I decide to stop by this bar that plaid trance music in the middle of hilly farmland. We were amused by the menagerie of cats and dogs who coexisted peacefully despite the cats' tripped-out-on-E behavior. They were unusually social... and hungry, as one persistently jumped on tables and walked all over me to get to my food.

Ah, the life of Pai.

Myanmar

Last night started with me drinking beer at Chinag Mai Art Museum, continued at an outdoor bar where there was a swing and of course I saw the photo op, and ended at this open-air bar where we had to go up steps for eternity and a day because it was after hours and they had to keep the liquor-selling on the down-lo.

Surprisingly not hungover, today I went on a visa run to Myanmar. Circumstances have forced me to stay in Thailand for a little longer than planned. So in order to get a new 30-day stamp, I was picked up from my guesthouse and was driven a few hours to Burma, where we walked around for half-an-hour before going right back into Thailand. But hey, I can say that I've been to Burma.

Tomorrow, I'm off to Pai. It's smaller than Chiang Mai, but apparently the trekking is better, and the scene is calmer. I'll be joining Hanna, who will be staying there until Tuesday.

I'm quite hungry. Time for more food that costs around $1.50 for the entire meal. Na ni na ni boo boo!

Pictures!

For the first time since a month ago, pictures have been uploaded onto Flickr of the trip from starting from Vietnam and ending with our arrival into Siem Reap, Cambodia. Make my efforts worthwhile and CHECK THEM OUT! More will be uploaded tomorrow: I have finally dound a Internet cafe with a very solid connection so uploads are now possible!

Chiang Mai

Sunday night I took the sleeper train from BKK to Chiang Mai. It's three times more expensive than the bus, but you make it there in comfort. I had a bed set up for me. I felt like a king.

I haven't done much in Chiang Mai yet. However, the day I arrived I had the world's spiciest papaya salad. The locals were laughing at my misery. A girl passes by and offers me some water. Her name is Kitty. We've been hanging out ever since.

Yesterday things became a little panicky and consequently became a write-off. Today was spent somewhat recuperating from the mess. But I look forward to actually doing something tomorrow. Not that there's anything against doing jack shit when one is on vacation.

The Night of Paranoia

Yes, Clarissa thinks, it's time for the day to be over. We throw our parties; we abandon our families to live alone in Canada; we struggle to write books that do not change the world, despite our gifts andout unstinting efforts, our most extravagant hopes. We live our lives, do whatever we do, and then we sleep-it's as simple and ordinary as that. A few jump out of windows or drown themselves or take pills; more die by accident; and most of us, the vast majority, are slowly devourerd by some disease or, if we're very fortunate, by time itself. There's just this for consolation: an hour here or there when our lives seem, against all odds and expectations, to burst open and give us everything we've ever imagined, though everyone but children (and perhaps even they) knows these hours will be inevitably followed by others, far darker and more difficult. Still, we cherish the city, the morning; we hope, more than anything, for more.Heaven only knows why we love it so.

(Cunningham, 225-226)Cunningham, Michael. The Hours. New York: Picador, 2002.

The place: Khao San Road, Bangkok, Thailand. The problem: we all look for love. We receive many "no"s. However, we only need one yes. It is the search for that one "yes" that consumes us so, that drives us to paranoia and fear, to sadness and tears, in the hopes that one day we do receive that yes, and that our searches, along with its pains and tortures, are retroactively made worthwhile. Until that magical point occurs, and there is no guarantee that it does, we only have faith, perhaps in a life that has proven to be disappointing, that happiness will be delivered. And at that point, it does appear that somestimes Heaven only knows why we love life so.

Where I Come From

On the bus from Ko Samet to Bangkok I decided to take a look on the pictures on my phone. These were photos stored back a little after I got my then new phone from the Philippines four years ago. It hit me that while I had been in Tokyo for a little over a year and have been travelling in Southeast Asia for a little over a month, home is Montreal. Home is where my sister is. Home is where my friends and family are.

It was quite the powerful emotion. It almost made me cry.

I still have a lot to do before I would like to go home. At the same time, I can't wait to go back.

Ko Samet

The bus ride to Ko Samet would have not been all that bad had it not been for the AC unit that gushed water onto the seat next to me whenever the bus decelerated or went downfill. There was this rather cute-looking guy on the bus behind me, but he continued on to Ko Chang. Oh well.

Ko Samet has an absolutely wonderful beach where I have been passing my time sun tanning with two girls who I have met on the boat ride here by names of Brittany and Nicky. Yesterday we tanned to the point of slight burn, so today I was more liberal with the sunscreen. We invited this one man to sit with us, who ended up being one of the guys who I checked out from afar due to cool tats and and amazing bod. He talked a lot but was nice, I suppose.

More tanning for me as of now! The Internet on this island is expensive.

P.S.: Many e-mails have been sent out and I fully expect lots of replies!

Bangkok, Part 2

The day before yesterday I went on a day trip to Ayuthaya. The day trip itself was okay but the real highlight was meeting these awesome couple who have been travelling for nine months and will be doing so for three more. They got me liquored on the side of the street, where these dogs started figthing and this older woman simply took charge by whacking them with a stick.

The next day I went to Bangkok's biggest market, which is only open on the weekends. Didn't buy much but stuffed my face with cheap street eats and drinks, including iced milk tea which was poured between two buckets at heights up to five feet while being spun around by a person. Later on that night, Leann (scubadiving buddy) and I ran intothis girl who was also on the day trip with this Indian guy who also speaks Japanese and went for food and drinks. We'll be seeing them again tonight.

Tomorrow, I leave for Ko Samet, for some more beach action. Can't wait!

Bangkok

Eri left the day before yesterday. Was pretty cut, and still feel a little lost. We simply travelled together, and it's not like we talked all the time or did everything together, but her presence was a constant reassurance for me. It's funny how much that girl understands me, too.

The shopping in Bangkok is crazy good. I indulged a little bit and the credit card has been swiped. The shopping malls are better than anything in Montreal and perhaps Canada as a whole, and the food to be had there is sugoi good. At the same time, food from right down the street and served on it for $1.33 was one of the best meals I have had in life. Last night I had some Pad Thai with some spring rolls, satay, and a bucket of alcohol on a Playschool chair. It costed $10.

More later, the Internet meter is almost out.

Koh Samui, Day Two

Eri and I leave our little paradise island today. I think these two days were exactly what I needed: just some time to plant myself in a small space where I can adopt a micro-routine of doing not much of anything yet still making the most of it. I got up a little early to make the most of our continued good weather under which I tanned more while reading, listening to music, and checking out boys. I have a few excuses on why I didn't hit on any, but those will be gone once I am alone, and at that point I fully expect myself to by flirty and social. I think Koh Chang or Koh Samet will be my next stop after Bangkok: I still have not had my fill of lazy beach behavior.

Koh Samui, The Return

Last night I talked with the Starbuks barista who recognized me from the last time I was here. I asked him out for drinks after his shift: I met him at this bar where we had quite a bit of whiskey and coke with his friends. We then took that unfinished bottle with us to a local restaurant, where the staff proceeded to make us more whiskey coke using the booze we brought it. How economical. It was a little less date-like than I would have hoped - I didn't ask him out for drinks because I didn't know where to go per se - but I have no complaints: it did turn out to be an interesting night on the town.

The next day, Eri and I lied on the beach and tanned. Finally. I started the afternoon with a beer. I am now just as tanned as when we left Vung Tau, but as you know, I am greedy and want more of a tan. Hopefully we'll be able to have one more go before we head for Bangkok tomorrow night.

SCUBA, Part 2

Today we had this sexy-ass videographer shoot video of our third and fourth dives today, thus completing our open water scuba certification. I wanted to do many naughty things to him. He was buzzcut-blonde, muscly, had wonderful eyes, and was so easy to talk to. And then we left the island without buying his overly priced video. Wah wah wah.

Scuba diving was so peaceful today. Getting up at 6:50 was not all that bad. The visibility was still poor, but we managed to see quite a few things. I think I enjoy scuba more for the serenity of it all, where for 45 minutes you just glide around in silence less the sound of bubbles floating out of your regulator.

Eri and I are now back in Koh Samui. Tomorrow, if Mother Nature is not PMS-ing, I hope to hit the beach to tan while drinking profusely and cruising.

SCUBA

When you are 12 meters deep and you look up and cannot see the waterline, you kind of have to fight the urge to panic. But when you get over it and get used to underwater manoeuvring, the sights that you see are positively beautiful. It really is a different world down there, with different animals, sensations, and ways of getting around, almost like you are flying.

Eri and I finished the theoretical bits of ourt training today. In the afternoon we went on two dives. The second one was in particularly wavy waters, but underwater it was quite expansive and calm. Unfortunatelty, on the way back sea sickness got the better of Eri and I as we spewed off the side of the boat.

Tomorrow, we start at 7:30 (gah!) for our last two dives, including one that will go at our maximum certified depth: 18 meters! That will be exciting! Then it's back to Koh Samui with certification in hand! Back to an island with much better food, beaches, and Starbucks. I think I'll try to strike a conversation with that guy who I met a year ago and still remembers me today. Hm...

Arrival Koh Tao

We took a high speed catamaran here. Oddly enough, the Thai man who gave the announcements sounded Jamaican.

We started our scuba certification today. We had to wake up at 730, for which we were not pleased. Training was a touch too slow but essential. Getting in the water for the first time was great, though. We practiced a few necessary skills for diving, and then we had our first dive up to 12 meters. which was really fun. We have another day-and-a-half until we are certified. Sugoi!

Koh Tao doesn't seem to have much more than diving, so after doing so, I can't wait to get back to Koh Samui. Unfortunately, the eye-candy level is a bit discouraging there. Feeling a bit lonely, though. Someone knows why.

I've seem to have said this in a few e-mails sent today, so I may was well put it here that I am somewhat missing a sense of stability. There has been so much hoppng around - by necessity and want of, course - but soon I think i just want to land somewhere and stike a good balance between relaxing and sinking my feelers into a place and yet being active and doing things. But that could be as little as laying on a beach for quite some time. If the weather were to clear up.

Arrival Koh Samui

Yesterday Eri and I flew into Koh Samui. And then the power went out. For two hours. So we just talked in our hotel room on how to please men. We still have much to discuss. When the power decided to come back on, we had a small meal which was deliciously yet painfully spicy. IT WAS SO GOOD!

We just booked a 4-day PADI open water scuba certification course, which will start tomorrow. Today we shall just take it easy, and hope our stools improve.

Shit

And cramps. Eri had her day the day before yesterday. Mine is today. I am not amused. Feel like there are knives going through my intestines. But I got some medication.

I will persevere.

Tomorrow, Koh Samui. Hopefully this will start to abate.

Angkor

Yesterday was a little bit of a write-off, seeing that Eri and I couldn't get our shit together: we had the runs. And we still do, but today it's a little more manageable.

Today, we got up at 7:15 to go to Angkor, where there are temples galore. Over 350 pictures were taken, and now I have a hideous farmer's tan. We were there for around eight hours.

Tomorrow we will be going to Angkor again, and then the next day we will be leaving for Koh Samui, Thailand, from where we will be taking a boat to Koh Tao to get our scubadiving licenses. I've never been to the latter, but I have been to the former, where I absolutely died. Can't wait to go back!

Put A Smile On Your Face

Make the world a better place
Put a smile on your face...

Because crying hurts so. Team Vietnam has parted ways. But we were the best team. And I have never travelled with a cooler group of people. I mean, those days would be something would tell my grandchildren if I were to have children in the first place.

Now Alex, Brent and Stef are back in Tokyo. Eri and I are in Cambodia. All of us are fucking sad. Vietnam for us was like a dream from which we have unfortunately woken up from and are desperately wanting to fall back to sleep to. Like druggies, we seek refuge in what is now past instead of forcing ourselves to the lack that is around us. Eventually we'll snap out of it. And like I said before, we are only this sad because we love each other this much.

This entry is really not living up to its name.

Tomorrow Eri and I will head to Angkor Wat, five hours away by way of bus. However, if our GI system continues to bitch, we will be performing many Angkor Squats. From there, it's to Ko Samui and Ko Thao for diving.

As usual, please wish for the well-being of my passport.

Ho Chi Minh City, Part 3

Tomorrow Eri and I will be continuing on our adventures to Cambodia. I do not have a clue about this country, except that it has Angkor Wat, which is supposed to have tons of temples to explore. I mean, that is why we are going there.

Alex, Brent, and Stefanie flew back to Tokyo last night. Without them, HCMC seems so hollow. Eri and I are ready to check out, although we don't know how we can possibly outdo what has been such a great start to our vacation. Alex and I have become really close over the last few months - we kind of established a routine together that was our own, it made Japan not an extended vacation for me but rather a home. Stefanie and I became a lot closer and shared everything: shower doors became absolutely useless. And while I always knew that Brent was a great guy, I just learned more and more how much of a genuine and caring person he is. It was really hard for me, for while I know I will see them again, I just don't know when. But I'm sure if Brent puts his PSP battery to service mode, he will be able to hack me a ticket to see everyone. That's how much of a good hacker Brent is.

Then there is the matter of new friends made in HCMC. To all of us he took us under his wing, took us around HCMC and beyond, showed us all kinds of crazy nice restaurants, arranged bus tickets... But above and beyond all those things, he was just unconditionally nice to us from the get-go and became our friend. There are few people who are purely and simply nice like Lam for reasons none other than to be so, and all of us of Team Vietnam agree that our trip would have not been as kick-ass had we not have met him.

To me... let's just say I'm pissed off that Australia is far away. But I am so happy to have met him, and his name will always leave me with a smile. I hope I have done the same.

Yeah, this entry is getting quite sad. But all the sadness written here is really happiness that unfortunately yet in some cases necessarily must come to an end if not a pause.

Ho Chi Minh City, Part 2

There is a woman who is holding a baby spread-eagled on her lap bottomless, compelling him to pee aboput one meter from my right.

The day before yesterday Alex arrived safe and sound.

Said baby just took a dump. I guess diapers are expensive.

We went clubbing that night. I don't understand what the deal is with lounges that play music so loud you cant speak to each other. But yes, it was a lounge because no one was dancing. But it wasn't a lounge because people were not speaking with each other.

Let's just call it shit for now.

So Alex, Eri and I decided to do something about it. We danced. And we encouraged others to do so. We even dragged the unwitting. The experience became better. In fact, it was quite the experience, to completely upstage a club. But we shall never return.

The next day we met this guy who gave flirty advice to Alex as he tried on shirts. We ended up spending the day with him as he took us out to all kinds of interesting places, but simply spending time with him is what I will remember the most. We met up with him later that night at a club and things became a little more than friendly but still nice. I look forward to seeing him today.

Finding the bar was a different story. We had bikers following us trying to charge us obscene amounts of money for a distance that ended up being 500 meters. But the troupe is down - Brent and Stef are with us now -, so more on that later.

Ho Chi Minh City

Yesterday, I left Japan. I hope I go back. I know I will. But when will that be, I do not know. Japan will always be a home for me.

I'm on the airplane. We're taxiing about waiting for clearance. I knew it was coming, but it didn't hit until after the pilot gunned the engines and we blasted into the sky. It was quite a powerful take-off - more so than usual, we were late- and so I guess that was fitting for my departure. Tears trickled as the engines started, streamed at rotation, gushed in the air. And then it was done.

Eri had been waiting for around three hours for me at HCMC airport, in the hot and constantly harassed by cabbies. Getting a cab was a sharp introduction to the culture, being heckled from all sides and even at once point being physically pulled. After many a hostile negotiation we finally got a cab to take us to where we wanted to go for $8: three more than it's supposed to be but what the hell.

The next day, after a nice long sleep in the hotel we checked into, we slowly made our initial foray into HCMC. The food is great. The drinks are cheap. Crossing the street for the first time: our hearts were still reeling five minutes after the fact. The cars and bikes just keep on coming. And what the hell is a traffic light? So you wait for when there are less cars, and then slowly but steadily, you cross. And the traffic yields and goes around you. Or you get hit. The latter has not happened yet. Sugoi.

Alex will be arriving Saturday and Brent and Stefanie on Sunday. Guys, we can't wait for you to join us!

Transiting Past Tokyo

New life situation, new blog title. In less than four hours my plane will be leaving for Vietnam. I said goodbye to Eri a few hours ago, but we will be meeting up soon enough in Vietnam. I am oddly ambivalent about leaving Japan: I am really happy to finally start the vacation that I have been looking so forward to doing, but I am not happy with saying goodbye to everyone that I have met here. Perhaps those two feelings have mathematically cancelled out. Or maybe I am too tired to feel anything right now.

After three hours in the process, almost all my belongings are being shipped to Montreal. All I have with me is what fits in a rather large bacpack. For the next few months, I will be a wandering soul with no obligations and infinitely much to see.

Here comes the next step in my life.

Modesty Aside

It's been two days since my last day of work for AEON, Hamamatsucho School.  I did it. And then some. I helped two students with their English job applications. I met students who were initially hell to work with but through patience and perseverance they became extremely motivated and could not stop smiling in class. I motivated a few of my private students who before did not really care about their studies to actually  realize their full potential, and they improved. I showed them that learning English can be tons of fun and yet still be educational. But perhaps most of all, I confused them with the fact that a teacher in a suit working in downtown Tokyo could be downright insane. And at the end of it all, a few of them came to my going-away with gifts I shall always cherish and keep dear, a card I shall keep with me on my travels to Southeast Asia, and with the sense of accomplishment for having been able to influence some of my students.

Blogged with Flock

Too Much

Friday a bunch of us got together to get Thai food that was ten times the price that I would have paid for in Thailand for twice the amount and was half as good, thus causing me to be ripped off by a factor of forty. And then we said goodbye to Nicky. It was really sad, but I'm reassured knowing that I will see her in a few months - we've come way too far to let everything drop. For now, I am happy that she's home, where it's cheap, she's surrounded by her loved ones, and there is cheap hummus.

The next day was my going-away party at work, where my students and coworkers absolutely spoiled me. It was pretty emotional, receiving a speech that made me seem like a competent and good teacher and such sweet gifts. Apparently I will leave the school with the legend of a trouble/travel-maker who was strict but cared for his students. I accept.

After that, we went to karaoke, where we all sang a few Japanese songs. They were just really into it! It was absolutely crazy! And of course, they paid for me. Spoiled, I was.

Following that, two of my students and I met up with some friends I recently made to go for some old-fashioned gay-clubbing. It was nice to just be completely myself with my students, for at that point they were not my students - fortunately yet unfortunately. They were just so understanding and didn't give a damn. We danced the night away.

As if the night was not long enough, after the club there was a curry... "breakfast"?, followed by me going home to prepare to move out of my apartment. It was just so weird to see my apartment reduced to a bare space, all my belongings crammed into two suitcases. Exactly how much belongings much you have somewhere to be considered as living somewhere? Two suitcases somehow seems more like "extended traveller". In any case, me and my two bags made our way to Alex's, where I will be staying for a little over a week. The school got me a hotel for a week where I will most likely not stay, but it was really odd checking in. Can it still be said that I live in Japan, or am I now simply "in transit"?

That "night", with still no sleep since Saturday morning, we went to Chi's house for a wonderful dinner. Her mother was totally sweet, her father equally sweet yet equally drunk. Chi has such a nice place: it's an actual house.

And then I went to sleep.

It's now Monday. I have two more days of work before I become unemployed. I'll save an entry about the consequences of that for another entry.

Fear

Some people believe in spirits. Some people fear God, or many gods. I don't fear anything in particular, or at least in the realm of theology,

But you can bet your ass that today, the good folks at the CIBC are a Ryan-fearing people. You know, I kind of am, too.

It all started when I gave Ryan 140,000 yen to deposit into my savings account when he came to visit. A few days after his return, Ryan made his way over to the bank and deposit the money. Confused with the strange currency of another land - after all, at one point, the clerk converted it to $130, at which Ryan, in his gentle way, notified the gentleman of his error of a magnitude of ten -, Ryan was told that the amount could not be credited to my account right away but not to worry, within 72 hours the amount would be in my account.

Now by 72 hours did they mean three days or the time it takes for three seasons of 24?

A week passed and there was no money. I called the bank and left a message, and Ryan went to the bank and followed up. Ryan was told that everything should be resolved by the week.

That week came and passed, but my checkings account did not change. Unfortunately, neither did the credit card balance, whose billing date was looming ahead, and it was feeling kinda hungry.

I check my balance again yesterday, and see that a deposit was made into my account: $133.50.

Hmmm. Decimal's coming a little early on that amount.

So I call the bank again. After speaking to a like-named individual and making it clear that a banking error has been performed, I was transfered to the branch anew and spoke with the branch manager. His somewhat lack of quality telephone service notwithstanding and highly nuanced statements implying that Ryan may have ripped me off foregone, I was told that he would commence an investigation and that Ryan should drop off his receipt. After that call, I leave a message on Ryan's machine to that effect.

And there went the boom.

Ryan calls the bank and speaks with the individual who likes to calculate in tenths. It seems that the internal cheque which was supposed to adjust my account had been lost, resulting in them having to re-issue another one, which cleared and consequently credited my account for the right amount. At this point I can only imagine in how many dimensions Ryan communicated the fact that he was wrong, to which the clerk proceeded to recalculate anew and then realized that yes, there was indeed a zero missing. Apologies flowed profusely, and Ryan's tongue continued to lash, reminding the clerk of his folly, how he has to take time away from his patients to fix this mess, and how he hopes by the graces of God that the clerk's mother is not one of them. Amongst other choicely worded sentences.

Two hours later, Ryan is notified that the amount is credited in full to the account after jumping through a few hoops. Seeing that we jumped through a few of hour own, Ryan brings up the matter of compensation, and is currently waiting for a call-back from the manager. It's one thing if the bank makes an error. But it's another when the customer has to guide the bank in fixing it. Ryan is currently on standby, waiting for them to fuck up again, for he is on a roll, and alas his supply of bitchy poesis is vast and waiting to be unleashed.

On my end, I finally have money. And I daresay I wouldn't have it now had it not been for Ryan.

memoriesslashtears

Some time ago, towards the beginning. Eri, Nicky, and I were eating cheap ramen in some dive in Shibuya, sometime before the last train. Too Little Too Late by JoJo was playing. There was so much promise and excitement, of starting a new life - perhaps even my first - with my new friends. Time was expansive and boundless.

Some time later. Now. At home by myself, just having finished eating some oatmeal and watching Project Runway. Too Little Too Late by Jojo was playing. Two days after our going-away party, where an hour was spent in the bathroom crying with Eri and Nicky. Time is finite.

Ryan's visit, a photo story

So February 11th, 2008, after a strenuous 80 minutes of waiting at arrivals, Ryan finally came through the arrival gates at Tokyo Narita International airport and we were finally reunited.



But he and his bags were separated. They lost his bags. And Ryan had his first international experience dealing with an airline employee. It was interesting to watch. An hour later, he and his bags were finally united.

After getting home and slightly settled in, we went to meet Alex for a few drinks.



After random pictures with random people we decided to continue the drinking with cheap cans of chu-hi from the convenience store for discounted inebriation delight at karaoke.



The next "day", or , rather, 2 hours of sleep later, we caught the bullet train to



on which I introduced Ryan to the bento, which can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Unfortunatley, I forgot that this meal differs significantly from eggs and toast, and so for Ryan it was a little strange.



A few hours later we arrived at Kyoto. The weather was a little eck, but we still managed to see Ginkakuji



Kinkakuji,



and do some shopping in Kyoto.. We stayed at a traditional Japanese inn, ryokan in Japanese, and raikoshan in Ryan's Japanese, where we had our meals served to us in our own rooms and had our beds set up and put away.

The next day, we took the bullet train anew



to Hiroshima. However, because of the snow, our train was delayed and so we missed our connection in Okayama. After half-an-hour of getting new tickets and running around the train station,



we finally made it to Hiroshima.

Hiroshima has two sides to it. Historically, it is claimed to be the only civilian target for a nuclear strike. While the air of mourning is ever present, a stronger message of "may this never happen again" rings through the silent air.

平和　へいわ　PEACE



Where cranes mean peace



High schools across Japan and around the world send hundreds of cranes to the Children's Shrine in Hiroshima, which commemorates the children who died due to the nuclear attack.



These ruins, now called the A-Bomb Dome, used to be one of the city's major buildings before the nuclear bombing. Being one of the closest buildings to where the bomb exploded, the city of Hiroshima has declared to keep it standing in perpetuity, with thanks to international donations which have contributed to keep the remains intact, so that no one may ever forget what happened.



Nonetheless, Hiroshima is a beautiful city whose efforts to recover and persevere are widely apparent.



After the Peace Memorial Park we went to Miyajima, which is famous for its tall red gates which are partially submerged when in high tide.



We also found more random Japanese people who were more than happy to humor me with my shoddy Japanese and take a picture with us.



There were also random deer wandering about, who lent themselves to being pet if approached the right way. As Krystle said, only in Japan can you can pet stray dear. I'm sure in America and Canada they would be hit by cars or something of the like.





I have to say that Miyajima was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to of all my travels, if only for its peacefulness, simplicity, and beauty.

After that, we went had supper and then drinks at Hiroshima's biggest hotel, or at least the one in the highest building, where we had the latter at the top floor. The Comos, according to Ryan, were complete shit, but the gin and tonics were among the best he has ever had, the servers spoke wonderful English, and the live entertainment was pretty good, too. That night I appeared to be quite pensive but I wasn't thinking about anything at all, surprisingly enough, apart from the fact that that night seemed like something I would do before leaving Japan for good, or at least for a long time, anyway. It was honestly very nice to have drinks with my best friend at a nice bar talking about this and that, and it was at that point that I realized that even though we don't speak very much at all, that our friendship still persists just as it did before and that alas nohing had changed.

The next day we went to the memorial museum, which was only fifty yen, thanks undoubtedly to the people of Hiroshima. We learned that every time a country conducts a nuclear test, the mayor of Hiroshima sends a message on behalf of the people who desperately wish for nuclear disarmanennt so that no one else bears what they have. After that, we went to have Hiroshima okonomiyaki. Ryan was a little offput by the affair. I thought it was marvelous and took Ryan's leftovers but left them on the bullet train. Drat.



By the way, in Hiroshima we met the biggest cunt i the world in the form of a horrid tramway employee.

On the way back home we saw The Fuj.



The next day we went to Yokohama and went to Landmark Tower, which has the world's second fastest elevator.



Drinks were served promtly at noon.



The next night was fabulous. Given proper editing, it would be fitting for a two-minute scene for The Rules of Attraction, but not for the reasons implied by the title as much as the chaos that riddled that movie.

While the drinks started to pour in Shibuya,



after an alarmingly noisy train ride,



and a photo-op in front of a dumpling restaurant nearby,



we made it to our final destination: Arty Farty, Tokyo's one of two (or three) more popular gay clubs, which is pretty much the size of the closet I came out of.



Such are the drawbacks of living it a somewhat repressive society. However, the small size makes it quite easy - if not inevitable, which can be a drawback when you want to avoid certain undesirables, such as the one's that you have blocked on gay.com - to meet new people.



Some were cute.



(Yes, in Japan it is still all the rage to make peace signs when you take pictures. It's backwards as hell but it's endearing and expresses a simple joy that makes us do it over and over again.)

Some were not. Such as this example, with the buttery teeth, bloodshot eyes, and poor taste in apparel. For some reason, Ryan took three pictures with his guy. I will spare the kind reader and only post one.



And some were partly unclothed.



And then there was us.



But as the night continued, Ryan continued to hit the bottle with the ugly man (FINE! I LIED! I SHOW HIS FACE TWICE! BUT I NEEDED A PICTURE TO KEEP THE STORY GOING, OKAY?),



and things just kept getting worse and worse until we made that eventual trip to the bathroom, and I swear, it was not to do our make-up and talk about boys.

Dramatis Personae

Pierre, ever patient ever more
Ryan, never more drunk before
Cute Military Boy
Alex
Phil
(sarcastic commentary)

Scene I

(in the bathroom)

Ryan: (VOMIT!)
Pierre: (rubs backs and consoles accordingly)
Ryan: Pierre, don't leave me, okay!
Pierre: Of course not!
Ryan: (VOMIT!)

(5 minutes later)

Ryan: (DRY HEAVING)
Pierre: Okay, Ryan, there's no more.
Ryan: I'M DRUNK!

You don't say?

Ryan: WHERE'S PHIL?
Pierre: He's out on the floor.
Ryan: WHERE'S ALEX?
Pierre: He's also on the floor.
Ryan: I WANT TO GO HOME!
Pierre: Ryan, that would cost at least 20,000 yen.
Ryan: I don't care! I want to go home!

(dialogue repeats itself with variations in loudness and location. after long last, Ryan finally passes out with Pierre at his side, waiting patiently for the trains to start running again so they may get home without paying 20,000 yen)

Cute Military Boy: Hey, your friend doesn't seem to be doing so well.

All of the things that statement could have been, it was definitely not news.

Cute Military Boy: Yo, I think he needs some water. Hey, are you okay? (rubs Ryan's back)

爆発！

Ryan, unfortunately awake from his peaceful slumber: I'M DRUNK!

The news flashes continue.

(previous scene repeats itself, with many futile trips to the bathroom, exclamations of drunken state, expressions of a deep desire to return home, and threats of vomit upon those who refuse to comply. Pierre at first tries to rationalize with Ryan, just to realize that doing so is like instructing a mountain to fly in Portuguese)

Pierre: SIT! (forces Ryan down) Do you want to go home?
Ryan: YES!
Pierre: Then you will do as I say!

After longest last, the time finally approaches where we can take a cab to the station and get home. Ryan was all for this.

The next day I received many concerned e-mails about our champion. While Ryan was a tad embarrassed, we didn't care: we've all been there and for us it's par for the course. Life goes on.

Understandably, that day we did not hit the bottle with as much fervor. After quite a late start, we went to my favorite kaiten sushi bar - because that's what we call it over here, not a BLOODY SUSHI TRAIN! SHIVERS!



After that we slowly - and I do mean slowly, for I made a miscalculation in getting to our destination which resulted in us taking the weirdest routing ever by subway involving 5 different lines and 700 yen - made it to Roppongi, where we met up with Rose and Chi for some drinks.



This was not before going to the Hard Rock Cafe to get a shot glass for Jeff, Ryan's brother, and took a picture next to Mannequin Bitch.



Anyways, the bar we went to had the worse Ceasar salad Ryan had ever experienced, and it was pretty rank, too. However, the bar was cool for all around the bar itself where the bartender was was and aquarium that surrounded it.



The next day, we set out to Shinjuku, where we saw NIcky and certain nameless individuals and had Indian curry lunch. After that, we roamed around a little and took this picture, which will always be a favorite of mine forever.



It was just so nice. I think at that point I was temporarily annoyed with just not having the alone space that I am used to and was a little less me than usual. But when I saw the backdrop, I knew that was just what the doctor for. I really do love my best friend.

We also took this photo, subsequent to a hair-brained idea that I had which alas did not turn out exactly as planned. It involved me setting the camera on a mailbox, waiting forthe light to turned, running to the middle of the street and then jumping up and down wildly while we waited for the timer to expire. I guess the picture beats the story.



We went up to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office, which has a free observatory at the top. From there, it's possible to see just how expansive Tokyo really is. Going there was quite humbling, to realize once again that I live in the biggest city in the world, in a world that is completely different from the one that is different from my own, and yet has become my world and alas not so different after all.



After that and a brief stop in Akihabara, we met up with Eri for dinner at Monsoon cafe. Ryan immediately fell in love with our waiter and proceeded to woo her whilst we ate. I don't know as to whether she thought Ryan was straight or not.



After that, we went to a bar that was quite cool...



Well, it was actually mostly made out of ice. Ice imported from some Scandinavian country, to be exact... well, sort of, anyhow. They gave us these silver jacket-like thingies...



that looked like they came out of a James Bond movie -well, so did the bar, too - and for thirty minutes we took pictures and drank very strong drinks out of glasses which were themselves made of ice.



The good thing is that they are completely yours to keep your drink chilled, eat, and throw at your friends. The bad thing is that if you need another one it's 800 yen. But it's not like they ran a risk of melting in there.



After that we went to meet up with Rose and Diane, who saw us coming and got all prepared to scare us from jumping out of nowhere, just to end up scaring the wrong group of people and consequently sending them running. We returned to the bar we went to the day before, where the fish were still alive and well and the waiter remembered who we were.



We don't know the girl on the far right, and it looks like she didn't know who she was herself at that point, but if you couldn't tell by now, it's not uncommon to take pictures with complete strangers in Japan.

A few hours later, punctuated by some sleep, Ryan and I went to Tsukiji, the Tokyo Metropolitan Fish Market, the biggest of its kind in the world. For those of you who don't know, operations start quite early at Tsukiji and thus it's best to arrive early. We got there at 7, which is when things start to die down. The tuna auctions, on the other hand, have long ended by then, with the first ones being sold at 5:30 and not open to the general public. A whole tuna, like the ones you see below, can cost thousands of dollars.



After a bit of walking, we decided to go for some sushi breakfast - once again, quite different from Western eggs and toast. We went to this sushi bar, where Ryan immediately spotted out two allegedly gay men and proceeded to make commentary almost as if they couldn't hear. They were from San Francisco.



After that we had some coffee at Starbucks, where I had a case of firey runs thanks to the food eaten the night before. We then did a little bit of window - or mirror - shopping in Ginza.



After surprising one of my students at my work, we parted ways, for I had to go to work. However, after work we met up at my work station - to which Ryan actually managed to get to all by himself! - and proceeded to The Melting Pot, a local foreigner bar where on Tuesdays they serve extremely fattening roast beef dinners for six hundred yen. Served with a Rachel Special, it makes the perfect night. Here's everyone.



As you can see, Brent, second from left, can never make a normal face when it comes to taking pictures, which is a shame because he's pretty cute. What's a further shame is that he is straight.

Here's Rose getting a disctinct lack of straight attention.



And here's my best bud and I.



The next day I made it late to work for the first time in life,. Bad Pierre, very bad Pierre. Ryan got a very expensive hat at Isetan, my favorite store in Shinjuku. I felt very happy to further corrupt the boy into engaging in expensive taste, although I do suspect his new -found success as a nurse has given him a head start in that department. That night we had a wine and cheese at my house. I bought the fine goods, while Ryan cleaned the place up and set everything up. Everyone knew that he did the latter, for the house was enitrely too clean.

And then the last full day came around. For Ryan's going-away dinner we went to the Sky Restaurants in Shiodome, located on floors 46 and 47. The restaurant was pretty nice, and the view was fantastic, so of course the tab was expensive, but anything for my Ryan. This time, dining at the top of a high-rise building, it was really goodbye.



Once again, this is where I live. This is where I have been living for almost 15 months. This is where I will live for another 31 days. And then, this will be the home that I leave indefinitely.

Here we are, one more time.



We took the Green Car home after waiting almost half-an-hour for it. The Green Car is part of a regular train, but you pay extra and get your own seat instead of standing in cattle class. Purchasing my ticket was quite nifty, all I had to do was order it through my phone, the amount is charged to my credit card, and then I wave my phone above my seat and the seat is claimed as mine. Gotta love Japan. Being close to midnight, the Green Car was full o drunken revelers making their last train home. One man kept waving his pass to claim his seat, but the light remained red. I guess someone forgot to pay... Ryan became amused with this and proceeded to record the festivities, which drew the attention of the mn sitting beside us. He was quite curious about Ryan's piercings, and then asked whether Ryan was enjoying his stay - of course, rough interpretation services were provided by yours truly. The conversation continued onto us being gay and that no we are not sleeping with each other and no that is not lie and yes we are actually gay and really we do mean it and you're sleeping with the girl sitting behind you but she says you're married to someone else and that you're only cowokers? It was fully worth the Green Car surcharge.

The next day, after making sure that he knew how he would get to the airport without incident, I said goodbye to Ryan at mine. That was twenty-six days ago. it takes a long time to type up a blog entry like this. And it's something that can be done right after the fact, still dizzy from the typhoon that was those two weeks. It feels like he only came yesterday; and for the following two weeks I would wake up and instictively look to where he slept, just to see that he was not there. I'm still somewhat in a state of shock that he actually came to see little old me: I don't think that 's reason enough but I guess he disagrees. Once again, Ryan, thanks so much for coming.

THIRD PIC! I LIE AGAIN! BU HA HA HA (and I daresay this is the worst!)!