Almost out of the weeds

Hi everyone! Sorry for the long absence. Josh and I are currently mired in a CELTA (Cambridge English Language Teaching to Adults) course in Hang Dong, Chiang Mai, Thailand. It is a 4 week intensive course, so we've been writing reports and attending classes day in and day out.

Fortunately, we had a bit of time to wander around in Old Chiang Mai with Kawasaki and some other friends over our first weekend. We get out about once a week to stock up on tea, snacks, and other essentials, like orange Fanta, to keep us going. The rest of our week is spent in classes from 11:30-9:00 with a few breaks for lunch and snacks in between. We are definitely getting some prep work in for graduate school, and I have to admit, it feels nice to be on this side of the desk again. In one more week, barring any unforeseen drama, we'll both be certified CELTA English teachers! Cross your fingers for us :D

Nihon no tomodachi, gomen nasai! Kono pasokon ha nihon no ji ga arimasen. Mousugu nihon no tegami wo kakimasu! Eigo de ganbatte kudasai!

Sabaidee (hello) from Laos!


We started off in Bangkok, and went south to Hua Hin for a few days to catch up with some of Josh's friends from his days in Thailand. Highlight, 2kilos of mangosteen for 50baht. That's less than 2 US dollars! Yum.

ラオのパソコンで日本語で頑張ります。最初、バンコクとフアーヒンへ行った。ジョシュのタイの友達に会った。２キロはマンゴスティーンを買った、でも２百円だけ！安い！

After a few more days in Hua Hin and back in Bangkok, we flew up north to Chiang Mai where we explored a bit and were picked up the next morning to head further north to Chiang Khong. We took a longboat from Chiang Khong to Luang Prabang, passing over the border to Laos on the 28th.

フアーヒンの後で、バンコクに帰り、チアンマイへ行った。次の日長い船でラオスへ行った。メコング川はとてもきれい！

We are currently enjoying double-priced yet air-conditioned internet in Luang Prabang, a bit down from our hotel. Our first 3 days were spent at a great little bungalow place named Khoune and Khone about 4km outside of the city. The owners are a husband and wife who built and run the place with their family. We experienced shoe-cleaning ants, a monster spider, and a really beautiful setting. The family is lovely, and we got to spend some time talking to them and eating Laos home cooking.

ルアンプラバングに小さい旅館の方がバンガローに泊まりました。クンとコーネのバンガローですした。市は４キロからにいました。本当に楽しかった。大きい庭とかわいいバンガローがあった。コーネの料理はおいしかったも。

Yesterday, we rented a motorbike to head out to Kwang Si waterfalls, about 29km southwest of the city. It's nearing the end of rainy season, so the falls were very strong and the swimming was a bit difficult. We managed a bit of rope swinging (Josh more than myself). You can see we have very different "styles".

昨日バイクを借りまして、くワングシ滝へ行った。ルアングプラバングは２９キロからにいました。ラオスはすごく緑の国です。滝の川に私たちはロプスウィングをした。ジョシュは上手ですでも、わたしはちょっと。。。写真を見て下さい。





We have to leave Lao a day early because of a flight cancellation. I guess that will give us a little more time to explore Chiang Mai before the course starts. Silver lining? I'm not so sure. Josh is pretty bummed to leave. I think he has become a bit fan of Lao.

ラオスから一日早くで去り無ければなりません。残念です。じゃあとで！

Welcome


Hello to all our friends and family who might be seeing this blog for the first time. What Josh and I are going to attempt to do is update the blog with photos and info when we can manage to find internet cafes and friendly hotel lobbies during our trip. Also, I am going to try to update in Japanese as well as English, so our friends back in Japan can see what's happening.

皆さん、私達のブログへようこそ。私の悪い日本語からすみません。このブログはジョシュアと私の家族と友達のために。旅行中、写真とニュースを書きだろう。少し日本語で書きます。外国に、日本語のキーボードがありません。まだ、頑張ります！コメントを書くか、または私たちに質問してください。答えることができるとき、私たちは、答えようとするでしょう。

We are departing Toyama-ken tomorrow morning at 6am.

明日、午前６時に富山から出発します。

We also wanted to share some news with all of you. On August 11th, while on a hiking trip in the Northern Japanese Alps, Josh and I got engaged.

嬉しいニュースがある。８月１１日、北アルプスの登山する時、ジョシュアと私は婚約しました！


And we're off!

私達は出発します！

Kyushu by car II (Miyazaki and Kumamoto)

Haniwa, a bit of a trip theme

ritual cleaning basin at Aso-jinja

Aso-san, recently burnt for new growth

clouds wisping out of the crater

I was reprimanded for not posting the "money shot" from the love hotel

Takachiho gorge

Takachiho-jinja

the waterfall at Takachiho

J pretending he's falling

more Takachiho

Down the river from the gorge, rocks are stacked vertically in Buddhist tradition, to make a safer and happier place for the spirits of the dead.

every direction you looked, as far as people could reach, there were stone piles

Ama-no-Iwato-jinja

NOoooo!

businessmen walking to Aoshima-jinja

Aoshima-jinja and an Obachan (grandma)

J investigating the Giant's Washboard

within Udo-jingu's cave

Udo's cliffs

a view down and into the cave

secret island cave shrine near Udo-jingu

views from the cave

Kumamoto castle

flowers and lantern

yukizakura (cherry blossom snow)

in my natural habitat

walking up to our final shrine in Kumamoto-shi

sakura petals

That just about wraps it up. From Kumamoto, we headed back home to Toyama. The return trip was a rainy affair, but we are back, safe and sound.

Next up is a Golden Week camping trip. Not sure if we'll head to Gifu's mountain area, or somewhere coastal and therefore warmer. I suppose it depends on the weather. Either way, we're doing cheap and local this time around!

Kyushu by car



Last Friday around 3 am, we woke up and headed down route 8 to the highway. J drove till nearly 4pm that evening, when we arrived in Shimonoseki, just north of Kyushu. We stopped, visited a few temples, had dinner, and did a bit of yoga in a nearby park with a view of the bridge we'd soon be going over to the last island we had to thoroughly investigate. The map on our wall is covered with pins marking where in Japan, J and I have visited over the past 7 (for him) and 5 (for me) years we've been here. Poor wall is going to look like Swiss cheese by the time we're out of here.

I won't go on an on, but will post pictures from the trip, with some short descriptions. Hope you enjoy!

so, they're a little fugu (blowfish) crazy in Shimonoseki

did I mention the fugu?

fugu fins posted to dry outside of a local store

Hōichi the Earless

inside the Akama Shrine


J's shot of the boat at Akama's gate


Miko sweeping at Tenman-gu


J captured a shot of a Miko training troupe


path to Tenman-gū shrine in Dazaifu


lest you think we take ourselves too seriously


shishi antics


raked rock garden


vampire dog (check out that cape!) at the shrine Saturday market


the one that J likes at Sofukuji in Nagasaki


"shattered glass" door design at Kokufuji in Nagasaki


J discovering Nagasaki in Ryoma Sakamoto's boots


me too!


don't mess with carpentry donkey/horse


Suwa Shrine from a distance


the approach to Suwa


wandering the hillside temples


my new friend and her mom next to the single tori in Nagasaki


the martyr's monument


yup... that's Kannon riding on the back of a massive turtle


he's yelling at you to remember about beef

learning about pork is also important


Nagasaki Peace Park (beefy statue in distance)


bask in his beefiness


J peeking out

tree after the blast


the tree's great comeback!


a fat pony at Yutoku


Yutoku Inari-jinja


sakura in full bloom


a very subtle love hotel advertisement we saw on the way to Aso


heading into the Aso-shi caldera


J playing kitchen wench at our cold-ass campsite on Aso-san


vegan sausage yum


J's moon shot


there was ice on the car and the tent in the morning

Alright, that's a little over 1/2 way. I'll save the rest for another post. It's off to study for now.