Vacation Plans

I suddenly realised IM GOING TO VIETNAM!!!!

It took a wad of travellers cheques in my hand to make this a reality.
Iv planned and talked about it for a while now.
BUT Iv been so busy and pre-occupied with other things that I FORGOT to be excited about this trip.
Then I got wacked with a serious case of excitement and anticipation this weekend!
My suitcase is packed. It looks like a soldier that has been through the war. Its bruised and battered and is even wearing a small bandage....but Im very attached to it. Its value in my life is beyond measure.
I bought it a life time ago- when I was romatic enough to dare to believe that forever was more than a word in the dictionary.
My vocabulary & focus is now more practical. The key word under scrutiny is "NOW".
Its what we are left with. It is what is REAL-whats before us, and we should appreciate it & not waste one precious moment of it.

NOW is all we have!! & My "NOW" is in Vietnam.

I will be back at this computer on 5/01/04.

Seasons Greetings to you & yours.

Promised Updated
I know Iv been TERRIBLE with keeping this thing updated! I just have so little time, and so much to do! Its crazy!

The JPLT was not as bad as I expected it to be. I was EXPECTING to be hit by a bus. It turned out to be a "little bus" instead of a GREAT BIG one!

Last Saturday I went to a beer tasting evening. Organised by a friend ( as part of his job in International Relations) he put 6 different countries beers into one room in countryside Japan.
One of the beers was South Africa's best:Castle Larger.
Of course- the fact that I DONT drink beer didnt stop me from:
a) inviting three of my favourite Japanese people to the event
b) convincing them to drink more Castle than was healthy
c) TELLING them that it was the best of the 6beers they tasted

Being stone cold sober, while my friends were merrily ahead on the intoxication scale, we adjourned to a Korean BBQ place where I was forced to catch up! Twist my rubber arm why dont you??

Anyway....I guess I really should be focusing on and getting excited about my trip to Vietnam(I leave on 23/12)
BUT I have so many things going on in the next week-I havent had time to think about it!
I have Christmas lessons to endure(where I get to hear Last Christmas-several times- talk about SWEET TORTURE!)
Then I have a big FORGET-THE-YEAR-PARTY to attend. Kinda like the year end Xmas parties we have in SA.
Not sure what else to expect-since I didnt attend it last year (My Mum was visiting then) but knowing my collegues tendency to drink like crazy and end up in karaoke bars, I think it will be fun.


THEN...Id better be thinking about Vietnam....cause I will be on a plane to Ho Chi Min!

MY SCHOOL TRIP
I just returned from a week long all expenses paid school trip. All I had to do was hang out with a few hundred really amazing enthusiastic kids, and check out some of the highlights of Japan.
I know I know...I have a tough life!

We went to three big cities but the high-lite of my trip: DEFINATELY. 100%. WITHOUT A DOUBT was KYOTO.
Its a favourite tourist destination, as it is very much: REAL TRADITIONAL Japan. It has loads of stunning temples, shrines, castles and that kinda stuff.
If I start describing some of the things I saw- Im going to sound like the Lonley Planet (for any1 who has no idea what that is: its one of the best travel guides available)
So, Im NOT going to tell you about all the places in KYOTO.

BUT I will tell you about one place in particular. A place that I fell hopelessly inlove with. A place with magical romantic beauty that Iv only ever read about.
In fact, walking along those streets I felt I had been transported to Sayuri's world (in Memoirs of a Geisha)
I had stepped out of the present day, into a little part of Kyoto. GION.
I was AWED by the streets, the architecture & the lamps lighting secret gardens and entrances to tea houses(where the famous Maiko-san & Geisha can still be seen)

Kyoto is DEFINATELY a place I want to go back to. Im sorry that Iv only just discovered it. Its too late for me to share it with my Mother and Terushen. The next person who visits me will be luckier!!

Oh...yeah...we also went to Osaka- nothing too exciting. a city is a city is a city (to me!). Universal Studios Japan (USJ) was fun- especially the Jurassic Park roller-coaster and the ride on ETs bike, and the Back-to-the Future car! But USJ is a theme-park pretty much like any other.
The one thing that is worth saying about Osaka, is:I had an amazing meal called "Okonomiyaki". Its like a eggy-pankakey-thingie stuffed to capacity with veggies/meat/noodles or just about anything you fancy. YUMMY.

And the last city we went to was KOBE-site of the 1996 earthquake which killed 6000. Totally rebuilt now! Reminded me a lot of Cape Town- the ocean and mountains in close proximity to each other. The only really difference was the definate absence of wine, and the presence of a LOT more buildings! Buildings in Kobe are packed together closer than passengers in a mini-bus taxi!

I had an amazing school-trip. Made magical memories, and had a GREAT time. And paid NOTHING for it!! (bonus bonus)

Then I came back to reality. And wrote the JPLT yesterday.
But...thats a story for another time.
Right now...my mind is back in Gion, and Id like that mood to stay.