So, after much wrangling, hand-wringing, cogitating, and discussion, Micah and I are not going to the South Island. Even though we were "working" for a full three weeks, we were only able to pick on five of those days. Thus, we found ourselves only $150 richer when all was said and done, not even accounting for the money we spent on food. "A failed enterprise?" one might wonder. The answer: Yes. So our migrant dreams were dashed upon the rocky shores of reality. But no matter, we had an all right time, and became good friends with our Irish flatmates, John and Damian. As for our strange Indian flatmate, Pidi, he didn't talk much, and when he did, it was pretty unintelligible. But he did eat lots of fish heads. Some interesting facts and tidbits on New Zealand:
There is a town called "Cat's Pajamas"
There are people named after Dio
The post office can deliver a large box, but won't ship the same one
Meat pies are amazing, and incredibly ubiquitous
There really are only 5 channels on TV
Rugby is not a sport here, it's a religion
Everyone does sound just like Bret, Jemaine, and Murray
Now that that's behind us, here's what's in front of us:
None other than the barren, burnt, scarred, and evil landscape of Mordor.
That's right, O reader, O muse. Micah and I have set our sights on the slopes of Mount Doom, and are headed out today to retrieve The Ring of Power. You thought the blog title was a joke? Think again. So far we've fulfilled two of three goals on our quest, and I'll be damned if a little fiction-reality barrier is going to stop the third. We are preparing our finest Hobbit outfits, and have arranged for someone to follow us with a boombox playing the Lord of the Rings soundtrack on repeat for the next eight days. I'd say that's more than enough preparation for a serious wilderness expedition, wouldn't you? In all seriousness, Micah and I indeed are headed for Tongariro National Park, where all of the Mordor and Mount Doom scenes were filmed for Lord of the Rings. Pretty cool. Should be a spectacular desert/jungle/subalpine/alpine journey, and an excellent way to finish off what I can only say has been an epic trip and huge adventure. Expect one final entry, and final beard update from the ramblers, before we part ways. Until then,
-Jack
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Guess What
Hello every one it's your old friend Micah Vassau. It has been a while since I posted so here is my side of the story. Tokyo is like a clean NY full of Japanese people, no one jay walks and there is a five way intersection in Shibuya that I hope to run threw naked one day. I have been hanging out with Jack allot. In Bali we drove around on motorcycles and ate lots of cheep food and drank home made Arak. During the last week in Bali I caught a fever and got really bad Diarrhea I lost about twenty pounds and my pants would barely stay up. Since I got to New Zealand I have been on a steady diet of meat pies and ice cream and am back to my normal weight. We are living with two Irish Guys named Damion and John and a man named Pidy. On my trip I have yet to see a Irish man go one night without drinking. Yesterday I caught a fish. We are about to go to the south island and venture into the bush.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Kiwifruit Madness
After a completely botched bus journey, one that cost literally ten times as much as it was supposed to, Micah and I are in Tauranga, part of the Bay of Plenty. We arrived here, watched a terrible Warriors game, (they lost big time) and then met up with Mr. Zaky, or Alam, our boss. He is basically a crazy Bangladeshi guy, who Micah accurately summed up as "A combination of Kramer and Murray Hewett, with a dash of curry on top." Either way, he shows up at the tiny migrant house that we and two other Irish guys live in about three times a day after work. We are contract Kiwifruit pickers, which means that we pick Kiwifruits, and get paid by the bin. It is hard work, and the first couple days I woke up sore all over, trying to drown out the howling agony of my body with the screaming need for cash. We had to pick in T-bar orchards at first, which sucks, because they involve lots of bending and ducking with a large bag of fruit strapped to your chest. We should be working in Pergola orchards soon, which will be better, because the fruit is all overhead, and much easier to pick. Better money too. We each pick about 8 or 9 bins a day, which is about 5000-9000 pounds of fruit, not quite sure exactly which, but either way it's a shit load of fruit. All in all, it is a vast change of pace from the leisurely travelling we have mainly been doing so far, but it is nice to be working hard outdoors. New Zealand is very similar to America, only there are less people, and they are generally nicer. We are having a good time, though we have not yet begun our quest for the Ring. We'll find it though, and we'll let you all know when we do. Until then,
-Jack
-Jack
Monday, March 31, 2008
Sunday, March 30, 2008
A Down Under Birthday
So today, I leave forever the wide world of teenage wasteland. No more being a dumb teenager, I am now a fully functioning 20 year old boy. Yippee-ki-yay. At this point, we are in Auckland, but a bit of recap is warranted, I think.
After leaving the Gili Islands, with a better tan, and a newfound desire to go to Norway (a boatload, literally, of stunning Norwegian girls had arrived a few days previous, and plus, it's my homeland) we headed to Kuta, the single most tourist choked part of Bali, and a town we had been avoiding for the entire month. It was basically exactly what we expected, an overbuilt resort town that seemed just like the main strip in Maui, or Cabo, or any other overplayed tropical beach destination. One welcome element was the vastly superior western food to be found there. My knees were weakened by the sight of a Round Table Pizza, which we immediately patronized. Strangely enough, or perhaps not so strangely given the utter lack of good pizza on Bali, Round Table there was a really upscale, fancy restaurant. But that didn't stop us from devouring one of their largest pizzas in minutes flat. The sensation of being stuffed full of pizza was one that I had missed for a long time. The next day we spent walking up and down the beach, and telling a thousand and one hawkers that we did not want to buy their crap. That night, we left for the airport, and barely made our flight for Australia, after learning at the check in desk that you need a visa prior to leaving. We got one real quick, and made it back in time for our flight, a red-eye to Sydney.
Sydney, to the bay area type, is very much like San Francisco. The buildings, people, food, and geography are all very similar to San Francisco, and we felt quite at home there. However, upon arriving at the hostel we had booked, we were told that our booking had been off by a day and had been given up, and they made us pay for the night we missed. If we hadn't been so tired, we would have just bolted, but alas, we were beat. We found another place, and really didn't do much that first day. The next day, we walked around the city, and spent a while in the State Gallery, which had some really nice art. The day after that, we tried to walk to Bondi Beach, but then found out it was way farther than we thought, so we caught a bus. It was well worth it, as we spent the day hanging out on one of the nicest beaches I have ever seen, surrounded by some of the most beautiful girls I have ever seen. Australia thus far carries the crown for the International Womanly Beauty award, as the place was just littered with good looking girls. Unfortunately, beards were as scarce as hotties were plentiful, so I think they weren't too interested in Micah and I. Either way, it made for good sightseeing. Our room mates for two of the nights were Irish guys who fulfilled all the alcoholic stereotypes there were about their country. The first night, I wanted to kill them, when they all came in at 6am and decided to keep partying for another two hours in our room. The absolutely awful music they were blasting, combined with stale cigarette smoke, and their yelling at Micah and I made for one of the most unpleasant awakenings of my life. The next night we went to a bar with them to watch a soccer game, and they also fulfilled the stereotypes about european soccer fanaticism. They were into it, to say the least.
We have since departed Sydney and made for New Zealand, and now find ourselves in Auckland.
It is a fairly boring city, just not particularly interesting, but we won't be here long. We are actively looking for jobs, since we are both almost broke. I think we will be working as fruitpickers, and will probably never want to touch a kiwi fruit again in a couple weeks. I have become fully initiated into the cult of the meat pie, something Timmy told me about after his stay here. They are delicious and cheap, and therefore amazing. I imagine I will eat many of them before I return. Anyways, I must go, my internet credit is almost up, and my stomach wants some more meat pie. Expect more dispatches as the ramblers become migrant workers. Until then,
-Jack
After leaving the Gili Islands, with a better tan, and a newfound desire to go to Norway (a boatload, literally, of stunning Norwegian girls had arrived a few days previous, and plus, it's my homeland) we headed to Kuta, the single most tourist choked part of Bali, and a town we had been avoiding for the entire month. It was basically exactly what we expected, an overbuilt resort town that seemed just like the main strip in Maui, or Cabo, or any other overplayed tropical beach destination. One welcome element was the vastly superior western food to be found there. My knees were weakened by the sight of a Round Table Pizza, which we immediately patronized. Strangely enough, or perhaps not so strangely given the utter lack of good pizza on Bali, Round Table there was a really upscale, fancy restaurant. But that didn't stop us from devouring one of their largest pizzas in minutes flat. The sensation of being stuffed full of pizza was one that I had missed for a long time. The next day we spent walking up and down the beach, and telling a thousand and one hawkers that we did not want to buy their crap. That night, we left for the airport, and barely made our flight for Australia, after learning at the check in desk that you need a visa prior to leaving. We got one real quick, and made it back in time for our flight, a red-eye to Sydney.
Sydney, to the bay area type, is very much like San Francisco. The buildings, people, food, and geography are all very similar to San Francisco, and we felt quite at home there. However, upon arriving at the hostel we had booked, we were told that our booking had been off by a day and had been given up, and they made us pay for the night we missed. If we hadn't been so tired, we would have just bolted, but alas, we were beat. We found another place, and really didn't do much that first day. The next day, we walked around the city, and spent a while in the State Gallery, which had some really nice art. The day after that, we tried to walk to Bondi Beach, but then found out it was way farther than we thought, so we caught a bus. It was well worth it, as we spent the day hanging out on one of the nicest beaches I have ever seen, surrounded by some of the most beautiful girls I have ever seen. Australia thus far carries the crown for the International Womanly Beauty award, as the place was just littered with good looking girls. Unfortunately, beards were as scarce as hotties were plentiful, so I think they weren't too interested in Micah and I. Either way, it made for good sightseeing. Our room mates for two of the nights were Irish guys who fulfilled all the alcoholic stereotypes there were about their country. The first night, I wanted to kill them, when they all came in at 6am and decided to keep partying for another two hours in our room. The absolutely awful music they were blasting, combined with stale cigarette smoke, and their yelling at Micah and I made for one of the most unpleasant awakenings of my life. The next night we went to a bar with them to watch a soccer game, and they also fulfilled the stereotypes about european soccer fanaticism. They were into it, to say the least.
We have since departed Sydney and made for New Zealand, and now find ourselves in Auckland.
It is a fairly boring city, just not particularly interesting, but we won't be here long. We are actively looking for jobs, since we are both almost broke. I think we will be working as fruitpickers, and will probably never want to touch a kiwi fruit again in a couple weeks. I have become fully initiated into the cult of the meat pie, something Timmy told me about after his stay here. They are delicious and cheap, and therefore amazing. I imagine I will eat many of them before I return. Anyways, I must go, my internet credit is almost up, and my stomach wants some more meat pie. Expect more dispatches as the ramblers become migrant workers. Until then,
-Jack
Friday, March 21, 2008
Gili Trawangan, or how to chill out for ten days straight.
Intrepid voyagers that we fashion ourselves to be, Micah and I now find ourselves in the middle of the Indian Ocean on an island of Indonesia no bigger than a postage stamp. Well, maybe a touch bigger, but only at the widest point. This little island is called Gili Trawangan, and we were drawn to it by promises of pristine beaches, crystal clear azure water, and a complete lack of motor vehicles. Thus far, all of those promises have been fulfilled. That said, it is a bit more expensive than the rest of Bali, and a lot more tourist filled. A international cornucopia, spilling over with Europeans, Japanese, Aussies, and the occasional pair of California goof balls.
There are also no stray dogs on this island, which I appreciate after nearly being attacked by marauding bands of haggard canines in Ubud. The cats however, are wild, loud, and bold. We can't really leave our door open on our room, as the moment you stop paying attention, a skinny little kitty will dart in and hide under your bed. I'm not sure why they do this, perhaps they just want to be loved? The worst was a few nights ago, when I left my window open to get some respite from the 24/7 heat, and was awakened in the middle of the night by a mangy, smelly, cat walking around on my bed near my pillow, and meowing insistently. I responded by forcibly insisting that he leave through the same window he entered, albeit with more velocity and less grace. Oh how I miss my cute, fat, little princess kitty from home.
Yesterday there was a tempestuous thunder storm, with peels of thunder shaking the whole island. Micah and I sat on our little porch, watching a distant communications tower in hopes that it would be struck. Imagine our surprise when a massive lightning bolt hit the much smaller tower 150 feet from our abode. Actually, scratch imagining. Micah yelled out loud, and his face belied nothing but terror, and I recoiled instinctively, hitting my elbow on my chair with bruising force. Yes Virginia, it was that loud. Unfortunately, the thunder abated after a few hours, but the rain continued to fall all day.
So, our days have been filled with backgammon, eating, reading, sleeping, and swimming. If that sounds somewhat empty, you'd be right, and that's why we're loving it. Micah has had a bit of a bug for the last few days, but we are confident that his GI tract will rise to the challenge and blow the sickness to kingdom come. Make of that, what you will. Soon we head to Sydney, back into the fold of western civilization, familiar food, bearable humidity, and normal toilets. I can't say I'm not excited, but I will miss the simple and slow way of life we have enjoyed in Bali. Until next time, my fair readers.
-Jack
There are also no stray dogs on this island, which I appreciate after nearly being attacked by marauding bands of haggard canines in Ubud. The cats however, are wild, loud, and bold. We can't really leave our door open on our room, as the moment you stop paying attention, a skinny little kitty will dart in and hide under your bed. I'm not sure why they do this, perhaps they just want to be loved? The worst was a few nights ago, when I left my window open to get some respite from the 24/7 heat, and was awakened in the middle of the night by a mangy, smelly, cat walking around on my bed near my pillow, and meowing insistently. I responded by forcibly insisting that he leave through the same window he entered, albeit with more velocity and less grace. Oh how I miss my cute, fat, little princess kitty from home.
Yesterday there was a tempestuous thunder storm, with peels of thunder shaking the whole island. Micah and I sat on our little porch, watching a distant communications tower in hopes that it would be struck. Imagine our surprise when a massive lightning bolt hit the much smaller tower 150 feet from our abode. Actually, scratch imagining. Micah yelled out loud, and his face belied nothing but terror, and I recoiled instinctively, hitting my elbow on my chair with bruising force. Yes Virginia, it was that loud. Unfortunately, the thunder abated after a few hours, but the rain continued to fall all day.
So, our days have been filled with backgammon, eating, reading, sleeping, and swimming. If that sounds somewhat empty, you'd be right, and that's why we're loving it. Micah has had a bit of a bug for the last few days, but we are confident that his GI tract will rise to the challenge and blow the sickness to kingdom come. Make of that, what you will. Soon we head to Sydney, back into the fold of western civilization, familiar food, bearable humidity, and normal toilets. I can't say I'm not excited, but I will miss the simple and slow way of life we have enjoyed in Bali. Until next time, my fair readers.
-Jack
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Around the Island in 11 Days
Absence, they say, makes the heart grow fonder. Or perhaps just makes the readers bored. Either way, I am back. Micah and I have returned to Ubud, having successfully driven all the way around the island of Bali. It was definitely worth the drive, as we saw a Bali that I think few tourists ever do. Most of the East, North, and West coasts of Bali are pretty deserted, save for a few sparsely scattered villages and beaches.
The day of rest, or Nyepi in Singaraja was pretty boring, although we befriended the local special policeman, who took us outside to walk around the silent city. It was beyond eery. No cars, no motorbikes, no people, no sound. Damn. He then took us to hang out with his buddies, and convinced us to drink more Arak, the gnarly Balinese liquor distilled from coconuts. Apparently, as it is the Hindu new years day, they like to party just as much as we do on new years. Within a few hours, most of the parties involved had passed out where they were sitting, or in the middle of the conveniently empty streets. Micah and I then returned to our hotel, and passed out in our room, trying to ignore the din of horrible indonesian dance videos that the proprietors daughters seemed to play on repeat. The day continued to go on, and we had forgotten to stock up on food and water, so by the evening we were thirsty, hungry, and bored silly.
We played a lot of backgammon, actually that has been a common activity these days. We started keeping score once we got to Bali, and at this point I am up, something like 37 to 32 games. Like I said, we've been playing a lot. After the day of rest, we got out of town, and went to the near deserted resort town of Putumeran, and hung out there for a few days. When I got there, I realized I had left my knife in the hotel room in Singaraja, and had to drive there and back in a large rainstorm. Not particularly fun, but I really like that knife. From Putumeran, we drove to Medewi beach, which had a shacking left beach break, that I was tortured by watching, as I hurt my leg and couldn't go out. We had a good time swimming and hanging by the beach there, but left today, with the intention of going to another beach town. Unfortunately, on the way the back tire of my motorbike went flat, and we were told it would cost 50 dollars to replace, which was more than the entire cost of rental. Facing that, we decided I could limp back to Ubud, where we rented them, which we barely did. Thus concludes the motorized portion of our time in Bali, and now we are preparing to head to the Gili Islands, deserted though they may be. More dispatches from there, and keep California warm for me. All my best,
-Jack
The day of rest, or Nyepi in Singaraja was pretty boring, although we befriended the local special policeman, who took us outside to walk around the silent city. It was beyond eery. No cars, no motorbikes, no people, no sound. Damn. He then took us to hang out with his buddies, and convinced us to drink more Arak, the gnarly Balinese liquor distilled from coconuts. Apparently, as it is the Hindu new years day, they like to party just as much as we do on new years. Within a few hours, most of the parties involved had passed out where they were sitting, or in the middle of the conveniently empty streets. Micah and I then returned to our hotel, and passed out in our room, trying to ignore the din of horrible indonesian dance videos that the proprietors daughters seemed to play on repeat. The day continued to go on, and we had forgotten to stock up on food and water, so by the evening we were thirsty, hungry, and bored silly.
We played a lot of backgammon, actually that has been a common activity these days. We started keeping score once we got to Bali, and at this point I am up, something like 37 to 32 games. Like I said, we've been playing a lot. After the day of rest, we got out of town, and went to the near deserted resort town of Putumeran, and hung out there for a few days. When I got there, I realized I had left my knife in the hotel room in Singaraja, and had to drive there and back in a large rainstorm. Not particularly fun, but I really like that knife. From Putumeran, we drove to Medewi beach, which had a shacking left beach break, that I was tortured by watching, as I hurt my leg and couldn't go out. We had a good time swimming and hanging by the beach there, but left today, with the intention of going to another beach town. Unfortunately, on the way the back tire of my motorbike went flat, and we were told it would cost 50 dollars to replace, which was more than the entire cost of rental. Facing that, we decided I could limp back to Ubud, where we rented them, which we barely did. Thus concludes the motorized portion of our time in Bali, and now we are preparing to head to the Gili Islands, deserted though they may be. More dispatches from there, and keep California warm for me. All my best,
-Jack
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Bali Cruisin'
This is my first post in Bali, though we have been here about ten days, as internet is scarce and super slow. But here in Singaraja there is little to do, so blog ho! We spent the first few days in Ubud, in central Bali, which was very pretty, but a little bit touristy. Still cool though, and we went on an awesome hike through the jungle and rice paddies. Very cool landscape. We also visited the sacred monkey forest there, and got some quality simian time. Micah made one of them angry, but was able to outrun it. Some of the little ones were friendly, going as far as climbing onto our heads to look for bugs. None found, thankfully. We have since left Ubud, on rented motorbikes, and are now biking around the whole perimeter of Bali. It has been very interesting, and we have definitely seen the more authentic Bali. The driving has been challenging at times, as traffic laws are more like traffic suggestions, and the roads are often no more than 6 feet wide. Staying alert is the key. We stopped in East Bali, in Amed, to hang out on the beach, snorkel, and go fishing with some local fishermen. They then decided we were friends, and invited us to eat dinner with them. Very cool. Micah even went to a cockfight with one of them the next day, but I was asleep at the time. He loved it. We are now in North Bali, in the town of Singaraja, which is a bit hairy, sort of like Bali's mexico city. We did encounter Balinese Keith Richards though. Pretty funny. Tonight is Hindu new year's eve, and hopefully we will find some Ogoh-Ogoh, or giant evil spirit effigies, which they parade around then burn. Everyone loves an effigy, right? Tomorrow however, it is mandated that everyone stay inside and be quiet and not turn on any lights all day. Bummer. Especially since I finished my book, (Another Roadside Attraction, by Tom Robbins, Excellent) and could only find Indonesian language books here. After that, we head to a nice beachy kind of area in North Bali, called Permuteran, and from there, who knows. It is hot, humid, and overwhelming at times here, but overall the people are friendly and the scenery is beautiful. Stay well, my intrepid readers, and keep your internet eyes peeled for more dispatches from the tropics.
-Jack
-Jack
Monday, February 25, 2008
Photos, from Tokyo and KL
Here are some pictures of the first two countries of our trip. Hope you enjoy them. Tonight we enjoyed some frog porridge for dinner. I felt bad for Kermit, but damn his friends were pretty tasty. Anyways, here's the pics, unfortunately I can only put up a few, because the internet here is not too fast.
Country #2: Malaysia
So, in the blink of an eye, our time in Japan has ended. We spent the final day not doing too much, in anticipation of a big last night. We found a club in Shibuya that was relatively cheap, and played hip-hop. Headed down there around midnight, and were witness to an enormous number of young Japanese people drunkenly cavorting in the streets. They sure do know how to party, and how to work. We found the club, got in, and then proceeded to dance all night, since the subways shut down from 12-6. All of a sudden, we looked up at the clock in the VIP room, where some new friends had taken us, and realized that it was 6:30 am, and we had a 10:30 am flight to catch. "Oh shit," was the phrase on both of our lips. We rushed back to the hostel, got our stuff, managed to get the train to the airport, and arrived at the check in counter at 10:10 am. Luckily, we made it to the gate at 10:15, just as our flight was finishing boarding. The 8 hour flight was restless and uncomfortable, although Malaysia Air is one of the best airlines I have been on.
Upon arriving in Kuala Lumpur, we were greeted by temperature and humidity both 85, certainly a shock coming from chilly Tokyo. We got a bus into downtown Kuala Lumpur,
and caught the monorail to Bukit Bintang, the neighborhood where our hostel is. Problem was, I had done a really poor job copying the map off of the hostel's website, and thus we got lost for the next hour and a half, walking the streets of some fairly unsavory adjacent neighborhoods in search of ours. We finally found it, put down our stuff, and then got a tasty and filling indian meal for about 2 dollars a piece. Heaven on a plate for shoestring cheapskates like ourselves. We have spent the last two days checking out different parts of the city, going to a huge mega mall yesterday, where we bowled a couple of games. I almost beat Micah in the second game, after rolling 3 strikes, but the pressure of the Malaysian guys who started watching was too much, and we tied. We also went up the KL Tower, the 4th tallest in the world, which afforded a beautiful view of KL at sunset. Also awesome was the fact that we saw monkeys for the first time. They were every bit as ragingly awesome as I ever could have hoped. Today, we went to chinatown, the epicenter of pirated-bootlegged-fake everything. I bought a soccer jersey, an designer t-shirt, a diesel belt, and two computer games all for about 20 dollars. We also went to a beautiful orchid garden. It is hot, humid, dirty, diverse, and loud here, vastly different from Tokyo but really cool in its own way. I am going to try to put up a mass photo post a little later, so stay tuned for that. Until then,
-Jack
Upon arriving in Kuala Lumpur, we were greeted by temperature and humidity both 85, certainly a shock coming from chilly Tokyo. We got a bus into downtown Kuala Lumpur,
and caught the monorail to Bukit Bintang, the neighborhood where our hostel is. Problem was, I had done a really poor job copying the map off of the hostel's website, and thus we got lost for the next hour and a half, walking the streets of some fairly unsavory adjacent neighborhoods in search of ours. We finally found it, put down our stuff, and then got a tasty and filling indian meal for about 2 dollars a piece. Heaven on a plate for shoestring cheapskates like ourselves. We have spent the last two days checking out different parts of the city, going to a huge mega mall yesterday, where we bowled a couple of games. I almost beat Micah in the second game, after rolling 3 strikes, but the pressure of the Malaysian guys who started watching was too much, and we tied. We also went up the KL Tower, the 4th tallest in the world, which afforded a beautiful view of KL at sunset. Also awesome was the fact that we saw monkeys for the first time. They were every bit as ragingly awesome as I ever could have hoped. Today, we went to chinatown, the epicenter of pirated-bootlegged-fake everything. I bought a soccer jersey, an designer t-shirt, a diesel belt, and two computer games all for about 20 dollars. We also went to a beautiful orchid garden. It is hot, humid, dirty, diverse, and loud here, vastly different from Tokyo but really cool in its own way. I am going to try to put up a mass photo post a little later, so stay tuned for that. Until then,
-Jack
Thursday, February 21, 2008
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
So, as you readers may have gathered from the title, tonight Micah and I found and entered the Denki Furo. Obviously such a momentous occasion deserves the lion's share of attention in this dispatch, but first some recap of the past few days.
Day 4 was spent in search of a charger and batteries for my camera, since I left those in Mill Valley. We went to Akihabara, the electronics district, to seek it out. Our efforts were rewarded, and now I have a functioning camera, so pictures should start to be a part of this little blog thing. We then wandered around for a while, taking in the myriad electronics shops of all types. There were high end audio stores, strictly lightbulb stores, used stores -- even one shop that sold strictly oscilloscopes and test equipment. My dad would have been like a kid in a candy shop. I was also surprised to see lots and lots of independent apple stores, so I guess the apple is alive and well over here. We also stopped to watch a video that was playing that showcased different bugs fighting to the death. Not something you'd see in the US, and sure to have some PETA panties all in a bunch. From there, we went to Roppongi, which was actually pretty dissapointing. Lots of East African guys tried to get us to go in lots of bars and strip clubs, but we weren't interested. We got excited when we found a place called Fiesta, an international karaoke bar, but the sign that said "no dancing" did not sit well with us. No dancing = no fun. So then we went to a bar that specialized in international beers, but was really just a rip-off. I paid 950 yen, about 9.50 US, for a single stella artois, definitely not worth it. What was truly shocking though was that they were selling little bottles of mickey's for the same price. Now, back in Marin, we all know that mickey's is the drink of choice of derelicts and dumb high schoolers, and can be had for a about 3.50 for a 40. Japan is a strange place indeed. After all that sticker shock, we barely made the last subway home, which was a good thing as it was very cold again.
The next day, day 5, we decided to take it easy, so we slept in, and then walked over to a local park to play some backgammon. I finally beat Micah, but he still won 2 out of 3 games. At the park, the main clientèle was old Japanese guys feeding the ducks and other birds. And when I say feeding, I mean 4 loaves of bread, little chair and blanket, there all afternoon kind of feeding. Serious business indeed. Next to the park was a weird little fishing pond. Now with a fee of only 30 yen, we knew this was no trophy fishing operation. Again, its main clientèle was strange old Japanese guys with full-on setups. After a while it was apparent whatever they were going for was very small, and very seldom even bit. Finally as we were leaving, one guy caught a tiny golden carp, about 6 inches long. I figured he would either throw it back or bite right in, but he chose the firs option, probably the right call given the murky, pukey color of the water. One local restaurant type that we have become fans of are some of the local udon places. In these places, you pay and order by using a vending machine that prints out a little ticket, which you then hand directly to the cooks. By not using any wait staff, they can give you a huge meal for about 4 dollars. Now who said Japan had to be expensive? That night we went to the bar operated by the hostel chain we are staying at, which was not all that remarkable, save for the presence of an honest to god Geisha hanging out. Now, you think the archetype of Japanese decorum, grace, and manners would not be found in a smoky, cheap, and dingy bar, but you'd be wrong. Again, Japan is a strange place indeed.
Today, we got up and went first back to Harjuku and Omote Sando to take some photos now that my camera was in commission, and then walked over to Shibuya, which some describe as the heart of Japanese popular culture and fashion. This is the place where a single intersection is repeatedly filled with about 500 people every time the walk signs light up. Quite a sight. Other than that, huge department stores and tons of streetwear boutiques make up most of the area. Unfortunately, all of the fashion in Tokyo, though really awesome, is significantly more expensive than in the US. I saw a pair of Nikes I got for 70 bucks going for 140 over here. Crazy. On the way back to Asakusa, our town, we experienced the subway at rush hour. None of the fabled "pushers" were anywhere to be seen, but they weren't really necessary, as the glut of humanity did plenty of pushing all by itself. I considered myself lucky to be shoved into a corner of the subway car. When we got back, we went to a restaurant which we thought served raw Kobe beef, but actually was a cook it yourself meat place, and an exorbitantly expensive one at that. We pulled the cheapo bum move, and ordered about 4 ounces of steak between the two of us, which still ran us 25 dollars. Timmy might recall a similar Melting Pot experience from once upon a time. I then filled up on steamed buns from 7-11. Hey, they're actually not that bad, so no judging.
The big part of our evening came when we set out for a new bath house that was rumoured to contain the elusive denki furo. We were on our way, when a couple of young Japanese guys came up to us and started talking to us. Turns out one of them was an actor, who actually was a character in Battle Royale, an excellent film. They were really friendly, and invited us to go to a bar with them, but we were on a mission. Luckily, they knew where this bath house was, and took us there. It was a good thing too, as it was located in an alley of another alley, that branched off from a side street, off of the main road. Local knowledge is indispensable in these situations. We were still not sure if they had a denki furo, but we went in anyway. It was a much bigger and busier bath house than the other one we had been frequenting. We washed up, and started looking around at the baths. None of them seemed to scream "hey, climb in me and I'll zap your nuts off" so I was somewhat discouraged. We got into one that had separate sort of compartments, and was very hot, like 115 degrees Fahrenheit hot, definitely ear ringing caliber. I settled into a compartment, and Micah moved into the one adjacent to mine. As he shifted into it, his face belied something more than heat. "Oh my god" he uttered, "I think this is it." His face continued to contort with expressions switching from pain to disbelief to horror to ecstasy. This was undoubtedly the Denki Furo we had been seeking. I watched some more, but looked away as I began to anticipate my own imminent electrocution. Surges of excitement and anxiety racked my body, and I had to get out of the bath for a minute to collect myself. Micah finally managed to coax his twitching body out of the bath, and I knew that it was my time. I dipped my body back into the steaming waters, and inched towards the evil electrodes. While the rest of the baths surface was roiling and steaming, the denki furo possessed an eery calm, undisturbed save for a million tiny writhing ripples. I don't think I've ever really personified a bath, but god damn if this wasn't an evil and conniving sonnuvvabitch. I knew that too much deliberation would do me no good, so I let my body slip between the electrodes.
I have never felt so strange, so devoid of control of my body.
Instantly all of the muscles of my torso clenched uncontrollably, making it hard to breathe. My arms were possessed of their own volition, which for some reason seemed to be to move closer and closer to the electrodes, the intensity of the shock increasing with every inch closer they got to the metal panels. The intense heat of the water was nothing, all my energies were focused on surviving an experience that all common sense told me I should have been avoiding in the first place. I suppose it was meditative in a way, because I had definitely transcended the confines of the bathhouse. My mind wandered, and I found that I was beginning to relax, or at least I no longer felt that I might vomit or defecate at any second. I moved my limbs around a bit, marveling at the palpable beam of electricity that was flowing through them. I pondered the possible health benefits of this bizarre bath, which was at once painful, soothing, terrifying, and relaxing. After I felt that I had twitched for long enough, I managed to wriggle my quivering corporal self from between the electrodes, my mind long since departed. I staggered over to a room where natural springs were piped into the bathhouse, and lowered my body into the cold tub. My head was spinning, my ears were ringing, and I was not sure how to characterize the feeling that was taking hold of me. My pulse throbbed with an electric beat not its own, and the sound of the waterfalls seemed to grow louder, and louder, and louder. My head started to slip lower into the icy water, and a metallic taste was suddenly in my mouth. I thought to myself, "perhaps I am dying," and was shocked at how casually I considered the possibility. At that point, getting out of the bath seemed to be the thing to do, so I stepped out, collected myself, and got into a warmer tub. Normal thoughts came crawling back, and the previous experiences became shrouded with the gauzy veil of a recent dream. I went into some of the other baths, and even ventured into the denki furo one more time to assure myself it was real, and then returned home. I now will go to sleep having accomplished something of a life goal of mine, certainly a good way to end the day. I may return to Japan, and to the denki furo, but never will I equal that first foray into electric waters.
Until next time,
-Jack
Day 4 was spent in search of a charger and batteries for my camera, since I left those in Mill Valley. We went to Akihabara, the electronics district, to seek it out. Our efforts were rewarded, and now I have a functioning camera, so pictures should start to be a part of this little blog thing. We then wandered around for a while, taking in the myriad electronics shops of all types. There were high end audio stores, strictly lightbulb stores, used stores -- even one shop that sold strictly oscilloscopes and test equipment. My dad would have been like a kid in a candy shop. I was also surprised to see lots and lots of independent apple stores, so I guess the apple is alive and well over here. We also stopped to watch a video that was playing that showcased different bugs fighting to the death. Not something you'd see in the US, and sure to have some PETA panties all in a bunch. From there, we went to Roppongi, which was actually pretty dissapointing. Lots of East African guys tried to get us to go in lots of bars and strip clubs, but we weren't interested. We got excited when we found a place called Fiesta, an international karaoke bar, but the sign that said "no dancing" did not sit well with us. No dancing = no fun. So then we went to a bar that specialized in international beers, but was really just a rip-off. I paid 950 yen, about 9.50 US, for a single stella artois, definitely not worth it. What was truly shocking though was that they were selling little bottles of mickey's for the same price. Now, back in Marin, we all know that mickey's is the drink of choice of derelicts and dumb high schoolers, and can be had for a about 3.50 for a 40. Japan is a strange place indeed. After all that sticker shock, we barely made the last subway home, which was a good thing as it was very cold again.
The next day, day 5, we decided to take it easy, so we slept in, and then walked over to a local park to play some backgammon. I finally beat Micah, but he still won 2 out of 3 games. At the park, the main clientèle was old Japanese guys feeding the ducks and other birds. And when I say feeding, I mean 4 loaves of bread, little chair and blanket, there all afternoon kind of feeding. Serious business indeed. Next to the park was a weird little fishing pond. Now with a fee of only 30 yen, we knew this was no trophy fishing operation. Again, its main clientèle was strange old Japanese guys with full-on setups. After a while it was apparent whatever they were going for was very small, and very seldom even bit. Finally as we were leaving, one guy caught a tiny golden carp, about 6 inches long. I figured he would either throw it back or bite right in, but he chose the firs option, probably the right call given the murky, pukey color of the water. One local restaurant type that we have become fans of are some of the local udon places. In these places, you pay and order by using a vending machine that prints out a little ticket, which you then hand directly to the cooks. By not using any wait staff, they can give you a huge meal for about 4 dollars. Now who said Japan had to be expensive? That night we went to the bar operated by the hostel chain we are staying at, which was not all that remarkable, save for the presence of an honest to god Geisha hanging out. Now, you think the archetype of Japanese decorum, grace, and manners would not be found in a smoky, cheap, and dingy bar, but you'd be wrong. Again, Japan is a strange place indeed.
Today, we got up and went first back to Harjuku and Omote Sando to take some photos now that my camera was in commission, and then walked over to Shibuya, which some describe as the heart of Japanese popular culture and fashion. This is the place where a single intersection is repeatedly filled with about 500 people every time the walk signs light up. Quite a sight. Other than that, huge department stores and tons of streetwear boutiques make up most of the area. Unfortunately, all of the fashion in Tokyo, though really awesome, is significantly more expensive than in the US. I saw a pair of Nikes I got for 70 bucks going for 140 over here. Crazy. On the way back to Asakusa, our town, we experienced the subway at rush hour. None of the fabled "pushers" were anywhere to be seen, but they weren't really necessary, as the glut of humanity did plenty of pushing all by itself. I considered myself lucky to be shoved into a corner of the subway car. When we got back, we went to a restaurant which we thought served raw Kobe beef, but actually was a cook it yourself meat place, and an exorbitantly expensive one at that. We pulled the cheapo bum move, and ordered about 4 ounces of steak between the two of us, which still ran us 25 dollars. Timmy might recall a similar Melting Pot experience from once upon a time. I then filled up on steamed buns from 7-11. Hey, they're actually not that bad, so no judging.
The big part of our evening came when we set out for a new bath house that was rumoured to contain the elusive denki furo. We were on our way, when a couple of young Japanese guys came up to us and started talking to us. Turns out one of them was an actor, who actually was a character in Battle Royale, an excellent film. They were really friendly, and invited us to go to a bar with them, but we were on a mission. Luckily, they knew where this bath house was, and took us there. It was a good thing too, as it was located in an alley of another alley, that branched off from a side street, off of the main road. Local knowledge is indispensable in these situations. We were still not sure if they had a denki furo, but we went in anyway. It was a much bigger and busier bath house than the other one we had been frequenting. We washed up, and started looking around at the baths. None of them seemed to scream "hey, climb in me and I'll zap your nuts off" so I was somewhat discouraged. We got into one that had separate sort of compartments, and was very hot, like 115 degrees Fahrenheit hot, definitely ear ringing caliber. I settled into a compartment, and Micah moved into the one adjacent to mine. As he shifted into it, his face belied something more than heat. "Oh my god" he uttered, "I think this is it." His face continued to contort with expressions switching from pain to disbelief to horror to ecstasy. This was undoubtedly the Denki Furo we had been seeking. I watched some more, but looked away as I began to anticipate my own imminent electrocution. Surges of excitement and anxiety racked my body, and I had to get out of the bath for a minute to collect myself. Micah finally managed to coax his twitching body out of the bath, and I knew that it was my time. I dipped my body back into the steaming waters, and inched towards the evil electrodes. While the rest of the baths surface was roiling and steaming, the denki furo possessed an eery calm, undisturbed save for a million tiny writhing ripples. I don't think I've ever really personified a bath, but god damn if this wasn't an evil and conniving sonnuvvabitch. I knew that too much deliberation would do me no good, so I let my body slip between the electrodes.
I have never felt so strange, so devoid of control of my body.
Instantly all of the muscles of my torso clenched uncontrollably, making it hard to breathe. My arms were possessed of their own volition, which for some reason seemed to be to move closer and closer to the electrodes, the intensity of the shock increasing with every inch closer they got to the metal panels. The intense heat of the water was nothing, all my energies were focused on surviving an experience that all common sense told me I should have been avoiding in the first place. I suppose it was meditative in a way, because I had definitely transcended the confines of the bathhouse. My mind wandered, and I found that I was beginning to relax, or at least I no longer felt that I might vomit or defecate at any second. I moved my limbs around a bit, marveling at the palpable beam of electricity that was flowing through them. I pondered the possible health benefits of this bizarre bath, which was at once painful, soothing, terrifying, and relaxing. After I felt that I had twitched for long enough, I managed to wriggle my quivering corporal self from between the electrodes, my mind long since departed. I staggered over to a room where natural springs were piped into the bathhouse, and lowered my body into the cold tub. My head was spinning, my ears were ringing, and I was not sure how to characterize the feeling that was taking hold of me. My pulse throbbed with an electric beat not its own, and the sound of the waterfalls seemed to grow louder, and louder, and louder. My head started to slip lower into the icy water, and a metallic taste was suddenly in my mouth. I thought to myself, "perhaps I am dying," and was shocked at how casually I considered the possibility. At that point, getting out of the bath seemed to be the thing to do, so I stepped out, collected myself, and got into a warmer tub. Normal thoughts came crawling back, and the previous experiences became shrouded with the gauzy veil of a recent dream. I went into some of the other baths, and even ventured into the denki furo one more time to assure myself it was real, and then returned home. I now will go to sleep having accomplished something of a life goal of mine, certainly a good way to end the day. I may return to Japan, and to the denki furo, but never will I equal that first foray into electric waters.
Until next time,
-Jack
Monday, February 18, 2008
Tokyo: Day 2 and 3
So, the last two days have been comprised of spending the whole day walking around various districts. Yesterday we spent the whole time in Shinjuku, marvelling at the vast amounts of neon and people. We were worried at first when neither of our bank cards worked at any of the atm's, but JCB bank came through and saved our asses. With some yen in our pockets, we were able to sample some more delicious Japanese food. All I have to say about that is, green tea donuts = awesome, and curry donuts = not so awesome. But I wouldn't have slept at night if I hadn't tried both. The sheer volume of seedy little nightclubs/sexclubs/ and pachinko galleries was incredible. Especially one little area that was no more than two city blocks, yet had to have 100+ bars. Needless to say the average capacity was about 6 people. At about 9pm, the endless walking, combined with the bitter cold made us decide to call it a night.
Today, we spent the entire day in Harujuku, and the surrounding areas, and it was super awesome. On one side, there are streets crammed with quaint little boutiques that reminded me of the Haight, and then right adjacent to that is a street of haute couture boutiques that puts Rodeo Drive, Union Square, and 5th avenue all to shame. The architecture was really cool, but we got some strange looks going into the gucci store to check out the building. In the more hip part of town, we came across a really cool gallery that was entirely covered in crazy murals and sculptures on the outside. Also, some of the teenage girls in Harujuku took fashion to heights (or maybe depths) that I had never imagined. The favorite for me was the girl dressed in an all white jumpsuit, with a bright red rabbit head on, and 8 inch platforms. We also spent some time walking through Yoyogi park, which was beautiful, and while we were in there we happened upon the Meiji shrine, our first exposure to the more traditional side of Japan.
Micah was super amped to find an NBA enthusiast shop, apparently one of only a handful of basketball related stores in Tokyo, where we found out where to play some ball. We found a couple of teenage guys who were willing to take us on, and then promptly whupped our asses. I got in some good shots though, earning me the nickname shooter. I was down. Now, we are once again both very tired, and about to go hit up the local bath house before bed.
Until next time,
-Jack
Today, we spent the entire day in Harujuku, and the surrounding areas, and it was super awesome. On one side, there are streets crammed with quaint little boutiques that reminded me of the Haight, and then right adjacent to that is a street of haute couture boutiques that puts Rodeo Drive, Union Square, and 5th avenue all to shame. The architecture was really cool, but we got some strange looks going into the gucci store to check out the building. In the more hip part of town, we came across a really cool gallery that was entirely covered in crazy murals and sculptures on the outside. Also, some of the teenage girls in Harujuku took fashion to heights (or maybe depths) that I had never imagined. The favorite for me was the girl dressed in an all white jumpsuit, with a bright red rabbit head on, and 8 inch platforms. We also spent some time walking through Yoyogi park, which was beautiful, and while we were in there we happened upon the Meiji shrine, our first exposure to the more traditional side of Japan.
Micah was super amped to find an NBA enthusiast shop, apparently one of only a handful of basketball related stores in Tokyo, where we found out where to play some ball. We found a couple of teenage guys who were willing to take us on, and then promptly whupped our asses. I got in some good shots though, earning me the nickname shooter. I was down. Now, we are once again both very tired, and about to go hit up the local bath house before bed.
Until next time,
-Jack
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Ｔｏｋｙｏ： Ｄａｙ １， ｏｒ ”Ｗｏｗ， ｔｈａｔ’ｓ ａ ｌｏｔ ｏｆ ｋａｎｊｉ．”
Ｓｏ Ｍｉｃａｈ and I have arrived in Tokyo, and it is just about the most overwhelming and foreign ｐｌａｃｅ I have ever been. The people are super friendly, I think they can see that we are just a couple of goofballs with little to no idea what's going on. In the airport, a squatable toilet was the truly foreign thing we'd seen, so I decided to take a picture. Right about then, I ｒｅａｌｉｚｅｄ Ｉ hadleft the camera battery and charger in Mill Valley. So a trip to Akihabara, the electronics district is in order. found the hostel, found some tasty tempura and on tap sapporo, and then started looking for bath house. We couldn't find the one we were looking for, despite the efforts of a strange old lady followed us for a while, speaking mostly Japanese with the occasional english word thrown in. Since those words amounted to bath, snake, rock, and south san francisco, we remained lost. Eventually, after some more searching we found one, and enjoyed an ear-ringing hot bath. I ａｍ ｎｏｗ ｏｆｆｉｃｉａｌｌｙ ｃａｓｈｅｄ， ａｎｄ ａｂｏｕｔ ｔｏ ｐａｓｓ ｈａｒｄ ｏｎ ａｎ ｅｖｅｎ ｈａｒｄｅｒ Ｊａｐａｎｅｓｅ ｐｉｌｌｏｗ． Ｓｔａｙ ｔｕｎｅｄ ｆｏｒ ｕｐｄａｔｅｓ ｏｎ ｔｈｅ ｑｕｅｓｔ ｆｏｒ ｔｈｅ Ｄｅｎｋｉ Ｆｕｒｏ． Ｉｆ ｙｏｕ ｄｏｎ’ｔ ｋｎｏｗ ｗｈａｔ ｔｈｅ Ｄｅｎｋｉ Ｆｕｒｏ ｉｓ， ｒｅａｄ ｔｈｉｓ： http://www.jeffgreenwald.com/home/?p=10
Ｕｎｔｉｌ ｎｅｘｔ ｔｉｍｅ，
－Ｊａｃｋ
Ｕｎｔｉｌ ｎｅｘｔ ｔｉｍｅ，
－Ｊａｃｋ
Friday, February 15, 2008
Beards: Day 1
Here I sit, in California for only a few more hours. Naturally, the perfect time to document the initial stage of project beard. Here are two young men, on their way to hirsute glory.
Marin County
Ladies and gentlemen this is Micah Vassau, it is 3:30 AM and Jack and I are preparing for the trip. I am tired. I am about to drink a Rock-Star, Jack is sticking to his Full Throttle. We are growing our ceremonial traveler's beards which Jack will keep you posted on. I am re-reading the lord of the rings and will keep you posted on what is happening on Frodo's epic adventure.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)