While it's true that time flies when you're having fun, it is also true that time's fun when you're flying.
It's been over a month since I arrived in Melbourne, and a very busy month it has been indeed. The first two weeks, studying every day for the Instrument Rating EXam (IREX), passed reasonably sedately, and I'm pleased to be able to say that after two weeks full time study, I was able to pass the exam on my first go. I'm sure doing the full-time classroom study was the best way to do this, because while I'm sure it would be possible to glean all the information you need from a textbook, there's no way a textbook can cover the material in the way a good human teacher can. And this teacher is by reputation, one of the two best aviation teachers in Australia.
Having completed this exam, I was able to fully relax and enjoy Fergus and Miranda's wedding earlier this month, at a lovely vinyard somewhere in the vicinity of Brisbane. It was a great evening, with great fun had by all, and as you'd expect with these two, a great many laughs. Also great was the chance to catch up with former Sale people, many of whom I hadn't seen in years. The Yarra Valley is a lovely and picturesque part of Victoria, and it is a shame I have no idea where it is.
But fun and frivolity only lasts so long, and it was back to Melbourne to start the next phase of the training - the flying component of the Instrument Rating. So as not to make it too hard right from the start, the first few days were flown in a simulator - a nice cosy little box in a room, but in a nice first, experience in the simulator actually counts as time in my logbook! Over the course of a week, I was able to fly all around Australia without ever leaving that little box in the room.
After a few IFR flights in the venerable Piper Arrow, to get back into the swing of things, particularly since it had been over two months since I flew anything at all, I had the great pleasure a couple of days ago of flying a twin-engined aircraft for the very first time. While the instructor keeps reminding me it is so much faster than anything I've flown before, it's actually no faster, indeed a tad slower than the Cessna 210, but it does have a much better rate of climb, and far better equipped an instrument panel! I'm starting to get a feel for the aeroplane, and am learning it's little quirks, though I haven't done any operations with only one engine working quite yet.
It seems the fun stuff is still to come, on that count!
Once this rating is done, I'll be in Sale for Christmas, then hopefully able to find another flying job in the not-too-distant future. The regular job-ad website is still frequently showing light single and light twin jobs all over Australia, I had an interesting post-script to a conversation I had earlier in the year with the Ops Manager of a certain international airline, which might turn out to be rather positive, but I can't get too hopeful. Shall keep you posted, though.
On a completely different topic, I've been working for the Electoral Commission over this little event we've had in Australia lately, the federal election. In 2004 also,
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Friday, November 16, 2007
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Cairns didnt work, which is a shame, because with such cheap flights to Japan and the rest of the world, it was going to be quite a tempting place to live, let alone the joys of the Reef.
The fellow seemed to want me to work, unpaid, for two months, before he was even going to consider offering me a job or not. This, to me, was unacceptable. In years gone by, there were far too many pilots in Australia, and people would be clambouring over one and other to take jobs with terrible conditions and worse pay, simply so they could be flying. But the tide has turned, and companies are now finding themselves having to pay for advertisements in nationwide circulation, or simply not have enough pilots anymore. I was all but offered three jobs, except for the lack of my instrument rating. That is, training that will let me fly without looking out the window. Good for in cloud. So, Plan B as I was devising in Cairns ultimately became Plan A, and I drove from Cairns to Melbourne to do this course.
Only 3000km, which, after 5000 to Broome, then 4000 to Cairns, felt quite quick and simple by comparison! Queensland definitely has the worst highways in Australia, and New South Wales has the best.
I have some new PHOTOS! from the drive - they're under the album on the top right - the one still labelled Kimberley Photos.
The fellow seemed to want me to work, unpaid, for two months, before he was even going to consider offering me a job or not. This, to me, was unacceptable. In years gone by, there were far too many pilots in Australia, and people would be clambouring over one and other to take jobs with terrible conditions and worse pay, simply so they could be flying. But the tide has turned, and companies are now finding themselves having to pay for advertisements in nationwide circulation, or simply not have enough pilots anymore. I was all but offered three jobs, except for the lack of my instrument rating. That is, training that will let me fly without looking out the window. Good for in cloud. So, Plan B as I was devising in Cairns ultimately became Plan A, and I drove from Cairns to Melbourne to do this course.
Only 3000km, which, after 5000 to Broome, then 4000 to Cairns, felt quite quick and simple by comparison! Queensland definitely has the worst highways in Australia, and New South Wales has the best.
I have some new PHOTOS! from the drive - they're under the album on the top right - the one still labelled Kimberley Photos.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Is it too much to ask for a straight answer?
Since arriving in Cairns, the chief pilot has been giving plenty of impressions, but a straight answer has always been 'tomorrow' or 'later this week' away.
If I were to believe all the impressions, I'll be flying twin-engined aircraft this week, with the company paying for the endorsement. Somehow, I don't think it's worth getting my hopes up. I'm prepared to give him a little bit more benefit of the doubt, but the point where my patience runs out seems to be drawing a little closer.
Plan B, though not yet anywhere near complete, is forming more and more solidly in my mind. It seems rather clear that to get much further, I'm going to need that multi- endorsement, so I'm going to have to get that sooner rather than later. Instrument, also, though not quite as quickly, will be important, and the ATPL exams can wait until later.
One thing I wish I had have done in Broome, is to get an idea of what the company was like before accepting the job. A simple thing, but important. So important, in fact, that the instruction has been right in front of my eyes countless times for the last six years. The Latin motto of the ANU, Naturum Primum Cognoscere Rerum, part of the crest, is on almost everything associated with the university, and means, "First, know the nature of things." In other words, rather than jumping in straight away, take some time at the start to observe, and to learn how things are. Had I done this in Broome, I would have noticed some of the things about that company, and indeed I am able to observe the company in Cairns as well. The thing is, I can see where things are headed in Cairns, and it seems worth being here for, though the uncertainty phase is frustrating.
But, that's why we formulate a Plan B!
Since arriving in Cairns, the chief pilot has been giving plenty of impressions, but a straight answer has always been 'tomorrow' or 'later this week' away.
If I were to believe all the impressions, I'll be flying twin-engined aircraft this week, with the company paying for the endorsement. Somehow, I don't think it's worth getting my hopes up. I'm prepared to give him a little bit more benefit of the doubt, but the point where my patience runs out seems to be drawing a little closer.
Plan B, though not yet anywhere near complete, is forming more and more solidly in my mind. It seems rather clear that to get much further, I'm going to need that multi- endorsement, so I'm going to have to get that sooner rather than later. Instrument, also, though not quite as quickly, will be important, and the ATPL exams can wait until later.
One thing I wish I had have done in Broome, is to get an idea of what the company was like before accepting the job. A simple thing, but important. So important, in fact, that the instruction has been right in front of my eyes countless times for the last six years. The Latin motto of the ANU, Naturum Primum Cognoscere Rerum, part of the crest, is on almost everything associated with the university, and means, "First, know the nature of things." In other words, rather than jumping in straight away, take some time at the start to observe, and to learn how things are. Had I done this in Broome, I would have noticed some of the things about that company, and indeed I am able to observe the company in Cairns as well. The thing is, I can see where things are headed in Cairns, and it seems worth being here for, though the uncertainty phase is frustrating.
But, that's why we formulate a Plan B!
Sunday, September 16, 2007
That was an interesting drive.
Long, but interesting. The strangest part was the first hour or two - I'd spent the last three months in and around Broome, where the longest I'd ever driven (in the car) was five minutes: that's all you need to get from anywhere to anywhere else in Broome. So, understandably, getting out onto the highway, setting the cruise control and letting the kilometres pass, hour after hour, was strange at first.
Overnighting in Halls Creek was interesting, as that was the place I came to Western Australia for, but spent more time there just passing through, than actually while I worked for that company. Then on to Katherine, only 800km down the road. A quick up-and-back to Darwin, overnight in Katherine again. Then a Rather Long Day, with 1296km of asphalt under the wheels. Out in central australia, you can set the cruise control and it becomes your average speed, not just your top. And with long straight stretches, all you do is keep the wheels straight. The longest straight stretch i found was 270km without so much as a curve in the road. And it doesn't rate a mention in the guide books, because that's unremarkable. The 800km stretches are written about. Though, it made the next day comparitively easy, only 900km to Townsville, and the coast. At last the scenery changed. From Broome it's been desert all the way, but in queensland the desert is broken by trees, hills, towns, and even the rare, but present, city. Crossing the Great Divide and coming in to tropical queensland, my nose was reminded of the area, by the faint, but present smell of sugar cane...
Cairns is an amazing place. It feels like a combination of Dickson, Lygon st, St Kilda, and Osaka. Shops have signs written in Japanese everywhere, even the Thai restaurants proclaim their Thai-restaurant-ness in Japanese.
I had a real Japanese crepe for dessert, tonight. Not quite the same as from the fellow in the green caravan in Okazaki, but still pretty good.
Long, but interesting. The strangest part was the first hour or two - I'd spent the last three months in and around Broome, where the longest I'd ever driven (in the car) was five minutes: that's all you need to get from anywhere to anywhere else in Broome. So, understandably, getting out onto the highway, setting the cruise control and letting the kilometres pass, hour after hour, was strange at first.
Overnighting in Halls Creek was interesting, as that was the place I came to Western Australia for, but spent more time there just passing through, than actually while I worked for that company. Then on to Katherine, only 800km down the road. A quick up-and-back to Darwin, overnight in Katherine again. Then a Rather Long Day, with 1296km of asphalt under the wheels. Out in central australia, you can set the cruise control and it becomes your average speed, not just your top. And with long straight stretches, all you do is keep the wheels straight. The longest straight stretch i found was 270km without so much as a curve in the road. And it doesn't rate a mention in the guide books, because that's unremarkable. The 800km stretches are written about. Though, it made the next day comparitively easy, only 900km to Townsville, and the coast. At last the scenery changed. From Broome it's been desert all the way, but in queensland the desert is broken by trees, hills, towns, and even the rare, but present, city. Crossing the Great Divide and coming in to tropical queensland, my nose was reminded of the area, by the faint, but present smell of sugar cane...
Cairns is an amazing place. It feels like a combination of Dickson, Lygon st, St Kilda, and Osaka. Shops have signs written in Japanese everywhere, even the Thai restaurants proclaim their Thai-restaurant-ness in Japanese.
I had a real Japanese crepe for dessert, tonight. Not quite the same as from the fellow in the green caravan in Okazaki, but still pretty good.
Friday, September 07, 2007
As most of you would have noticed, I was labouring under the impression that I would be posted to Halls Creek some months ago. This had not happened, and after a series of problems with the company, and an absolutely fabulous weekend away in Canberra, made it an easy decision to resign.
So resign I did, and I'm now about to set off on a journey of similar proportions to that of three months ago: I'm going to drive towards Cairns. Cairns, where I originally planned to go earlier in the year when I made it back from Japan. Cairns, where I can use Japanese a fair bit more, in town. And Cairns, much closer to home and the rest of the world than Broome.
3,851km, assuming I don't go via Darwin, or 4,484 if I do. Who knows where I shall end up this time!
So resign I did, and I'm now about to set off on a journey of similar proportions to that of three months ago: I'm going to drive towards Cairns. Cairns, where I originally planned to go earlier in the year when I made it back from Japan. Cairns, where I can use Japanese a fair bit more, in town. And Cairns, much closer to home and the rest of the world than Broome.
3,851km, assuming I don't go via Darwin, or 4,484 if I do. Who knows where I shall end up this time!
Monday, August 13, 2007
For some reason, when there are horse races in town, everyone gets very excited and bubbly. Yesterday was the Broome Cup - the culmination of the Broome Racing Season, which, I am led to believe, is a showcase of some of the best horse racing and hats outside of Halls Creek.
The boss, in his wisdom, decreed that the entire weekend would be off - Saturday for the races, and Sunday because he knew he'd need a day to recover, and therefore assumed we all would. He ensured that the Fitzroy Crossing and Halls Creek pilots were in Broome, and gears up for a busy all-day at the racetrack.
I went with a couple of other people at 2pm, having heard no word from the boss, who, it transpires, didnt show up until closer to 4pm. Possibly a wise decision to go earlier, as it appears that there were only three actual events on the programme - some horses ran around the track at 3 o'clock, 4, and 5 o'clock. The final race being the Broome Cup, which I believe a horse won, though not actually being able to see the track due to the poor layout of the venue, I can't be too certain.
The only action I did see on the track was the streaker - which, frankly, I didn't need to see at all. Then sunset came and all the horses went home. Or wherever horses go at night. As it got dark, the crowd started to thin out, a band set up and started playing (and it was actually decent music, of the sort never to grace the speakers in the boss' car), and I went in search of some food.
Once fed, it started to look like the crowd still there was going to be there all night, and it was beginning to get a little cold, so moseyed along down to Cable Beach, where someone had a bonfire going on the sand. Not sure whether this was legal or not, but we were graciously allowed to stand nearby and warm up before going home.
The boss didn't wake up until 3pm the following day.
The boss, in his wisdom, decreed that the entire weekend would be off - Saturday for the races, and Sunday because he knew he'd need a day to recover, and therefore assumed we all would. He ensured that the Fitzroy Crossing and Halls Creek pilots were in Broome, and gears up for a busy all-day at the racetrack.
I went with a couple of other people at 2pm, having heard no word from the boss, who, it transpires, didnt show up until closer to 4pm. Possibly a wise decision to go earlier, as it appears that there were only three actual events on the programme - some horses ran around the track at 3 o'clock, 4, and 5 o'clock. The final race being the Broome Cup, which I believe a horse won, though not actually being able to see the track due to the poor layout of the venue, I can't be too certain.
The only action I did see on the track was the streaker - which, frankly, I didn't need to see at all. Then sunset came and all the horses went home. Or wherever horses go at night. As it got dark, the crowd started to thin out, a band set up and started playing (and it was actually decent music, of the sort never to grace the speakers in the boss' car), and I went in search of some food.
Once fed, it started to look like the crowd still there was going to be there all night, and it was beginning to get a little cold, so moseyed along down to Cable Beach, where someone had a bonfire going on the sand. Not sure whether this was legal or not, but we were graciously allowed to stand nearby and warm up before going home.
The boss didn't wake up until 3pm the following day.
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Photos!
I know it has been a long time, but here are some photos from the last few months.
Kimberley Photos
There is also a new little logo over in the right hand column, just above the photos from Japan, which should be showing you a selection of my new photos. There are photos from my drive up the Red Centre, sightseeing in Halls Creek, Broome from the air, and a few photos from on the ground as well. I'll be adding more to this, but here's at least a few to get started!
A timely reminder, too, if you click the ads on this page, I actually make money! I know someone has been putting in special effort - thank you!
I still don't know how long I'll be in Broome, but theres a chance something unexpected might happen tomorrow to give me more of a definite idea... shall keep you posted!
I know it has been a long time, but here are some photos from the last few months.
Kimberley Photos
There is also a new little logo over in the right hand column, just above the photos from Japan, which should be showing you a selection of my new photos. There are photos from my drive up the Red Centre, sightseeing in Halls Creek, Broome from the air, and a few photos from on the ground as well. I'll be adding more to this, but here's at least a few to get started!
A timely reminder, too, if you click the ads on this page, I actually make money! I know someone has been putting in special effort - thank you!
I still don't know how long I'll be in Broome, but theres a chance something unexpected might happen tomorrow to give me more of a definite idea... shall keep you posted!
Sunday, August 05, 2007
I must be nearly running out of salt, having to use a grain of it every time the company gives me any updates on my future. The last 'rough plan' I heard seemed to indicate I'll be in Broome for considerably longer than 'the end of August', though having this new burrow means I actually don't mind.
The weekend has been nice, from spending yesterday afternoon dropping parachutists again, to today being able to unwind and relax, but from tomorrow it's back to the office. Looks like a quiet week flying, but that could change at short notice. It often does.
The weekend has been nice, from spending yesterday afternoon dropping parachutists again, to today being able to unwind and relax, but from tomorrow it's back to the office. Looks like a quiet week flying, but that could change at short notice. It often does.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
A new burrow!
I've lost count of the amount of new burrows I've moved into since that first one back in Sendai, but from last night I have added another one to the list.
When I first moved up to WA, the boss had assured me it would be a couple of weeks, maybe even four, in Broome, then on to Halls Creek where accommodation was already arranged. I have grown to realise that when he says something "will" happen, he means "would be nice if it did" happen. So, wholly frustrated with my living situation I have finally found a nice room at the back of a nice house, with nice, clean, quiet people, and now have the ability to sleep at whatever hour I choose, and control the levels of light and noise.
I'm thrilled.
Add to that, the rarity of two days off in a row- perfect timing as I was actually able to sleep in and catch up on some of my overdraft from the sleep bank. Now, the pressure to be in Halls Creek as soon as possible is off, and it will allow me to be better rested during the normal working day, permitting me to be more productive, and safer.
I've lost count of the amount of new burrows I've moved into since that first one back in Sendai, but from last night I have added another one to the list.
When I first moved up to WA, the boss had assured me it would be a couple of weeks, maybe even four, in Broome, then on to Halls Creek where accommodation was already arranged. I have grown to realise that when he says something "will" happen, he means "would be nice if it did" happen. So, wholly frustrated with my living situation I have finally found a nice room at the back of a nice house, with nice, clean, quiet people, and now have the ability to sleep at whatever hour I choose, and control the levels of light and noise.
I'm thrilled.
Add to that, the rarity of two days off in a row- perfect timing as I was actually able to sleep in and catch up on some of my overdraft from the sleep bank. Now, the pressure to be in Halls Creek as soon as possible is off, and it will allow me to be better rested during the normal working day, permitting me to be more productive, and safer.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Another long time has gone by between posts, but I have been busy!
It was a week for milestones, actually, as I have gone from casual hours to a full-time salary (my first salaried job as a pilot), reaching three hundred hours, and having my first ever layover.
The boss has been consistently pushing back my expected start time ever since I arrived, and when at the start of July he decided to let me know that he expects me to start in Halls Creek at the end of August, I let him know that things were getting beyond a joke. I let him know that having me hovering around, working twelve-hour days but being paid whenever he remembered that I'd been doing huge amounts of work for him, really wasn't good enough. To his credit though, he put me onto a salary straight away, and now its only a matter of days until the end of the first pay cycle, and the money starts arriving!
Broome does seem to be busier than Halls Creek at the moment, too, (despite what the boss believes), which is working well for me, having flown 70 hours since I arrived - though the first three weeks had almost nothing happening. The disadvantage to Broome, however, is that I still have nowhere to live - despite the boss promising me over a week ago to sort something out. I will absolutely refuse to live in his house, though a room will be opening here very soon, for not only is the company office part of the house, but the whole house is an absolute pigsty. Yet he himself has somewhere to live, so it keeps slipping his mind that I, still, don't.
Still, something may happen sooner rather than later to move me to Halls Creek, where I will at least have my own room and be able to unpack my car!
But I spent Sunday night in Halls Creek, on my first ever overnight layover! I'm expecting a lot more of these as my career progresses, and I'm expecting over the years to grow to dread them (thanks for the tip, (ex-)cabin-crew peoples... you know who you are!) but for now, it's exciting. I did have the single best nights sleep that I've had since coming to Broome (ironic that it wasnt even in Broome), which I can clearly ascribe to having a room to myself, where I control the background noise! The other pilot living out there is fantastic; we managed to find plenty of things to pass the time in the thriving metropolis that is Halls Creek. Yet still, the highlight for me was the ability to close the door, have the room to myself until I chose to wake up the next morning!
I've come to learn with this company that many things are promised, but until they actually happen I'm not holding my breath. Having said that, I may likely be spending the first week of August living in Fitzroy Crossing, while the pilot out there takes some time off. This will also have the advantage of some decent sleeping. On another note, I was introduced to the primary investor in this company tonight, a very nice chap who owns a pearling farm. Whether anything will come of it or not I don't know, but he was rather interested to hear I speak Japanese, for apparently he has need from time to time to bring clients out from Japan to his pearl farm, which is in a location served only by air, and he feels he could put a Japanese-speaking pilot to good use. I shall keep you updated if anything does come of that - but as I said before, still not holding my breath!
For now, it's off to bed for me: I have another early start with a staff transfer to one of the diamond mines, followed by an afternoon dropping parachutists over Cable Beach.
It was a week for milestones, actually, as I have gone from casual hours to a full-time salary (my first salaried job as a pilot), reaching three hundred hours, and having my first ever layover.
The boss has been consistently pushing back my expected start time ever since I arrived, and when at the start of July he decided to let me know that he expects me to start in Halls Creek at the end of August, I let him know that things were getting beyond a joke. I let him know that having me hovering around, working twelve-hour days but being paid whenever he remembered that I'd been doing huge amounts of work for him, really wasn't good enough. To his credit though, he put me onto a salary straight away, and now its only a matter of days until the end of the first pay cycle, and the money starts arriving!
Broome does seem to be busier than Halls Creek at the moment, too, (despite what the boss believes), which is working well for me, having flown 70 hours since I arrived - though the first three weeks had almost nothing happening. The disadvantage to Broome, however, is that I still have nowhere to live - despite the boss promising me over a week ago to sort something out. I will absolutely refuse to live in his house, though a room will be opening here very soon, for not only is the company office part of the house, but the whole house is an absolute pigsty. Yet he himself has somewhere to live, so it keeps slipping his mind that I, still, don't.
Still, something may happen sooner rather than later to move me to Halls Creek, where I will at least have my own room and be able to unpack my car!
But I spent Sunday night in Halls Creek, on my first ever overnight layover! I'm expecting a lot more of these as my career progresses, and I'm expecting over the years to grow to dread them (thanks for the tip, (ex-)cabin-crew peoples... you know who you are!) but for now, it's exciting. I did have the single best nights sleep that I've had since coming to Broome (ironic that it wasnt even in Broome), which I can clearly ascribe to having a room to myself, where I control the background noise! The other pilot living out there is fantastic; we managed to find plenty of things to pass the time in the thriving metropolis that is Halls Creek. Yet still, the highlight for me was the ability to close the door, have the room to myself until I chose to wake up the next morning!
I've come to learn with this company that many things are promised, but until they actually happen I'm not holding my breath. Having said that, I may likely be spending the first week of August living in Fitzroy Crossing, while the pilot out there takes some time off. This will also have the advantage of some decent sleeping. On another note, I was introduced to the primary investor in this company tonight, a very nice chap who owns a pearling farm. Whether anything will come of it or not I don't know, but he was rather interested to hear I speak Japanese, for apparently he has need from time to time to bring clients out from Japan to his pearl farm, which is in a location served only by air, and he feels he could put a Japanese-speaking pilot to good use. I shall keep you updated if anything does come of that - but as I said before, still not holding my breath!
For now, it's off to bed for me: I have another early start with a staff transfer to one of the diamond mines, followed by an afternoon dropping parachutists over Cable Beach.
Saturday, July 07, 2007
An early start today was very very worth it, flying a scenic with a lovely couple of Canberrans around the Kimberley. From a slight delay in Derby getting fuel (and chatting to the group of ultralight pilots on a tour around Australia from... LaTrobe Valley) we picked up time, and headed north to some waterfalls, still spectacular enough in the dry season, and I can only imagine how they look in the wet.
Flights from all over the place were converging on the major attractions of the area, including the Horizontal Waterfalls, which unfortunately weren't waterfalling at the time, but I shall post some good pictures when I have them. We did get some good views of Australia's largest pearl farm, the islands of the Buccaneer Archapeligo, and the red sand cliffs at Cape Leveque.
Cape Leveque was our lunch spot, and with a few hours to spare, I absolutely couldn't resist the lure of the beach, and the warm, clear water. Despite having only my uniform, I was undeterred, and went swimming anyway, being fairly confident that I'd dry off in time to fly back to Broome.
With a beach that looks like this, could you have refused?
Flights from all over the place were converging on the major attractions of the area, including the Horizontal Waterfalls, which unfortunately weren't waterfalling at the time, but I shall post some good pictures when I have them. We did get some good views of Australia's largest pearl farm, the islands of the Buccaneer Archapeligo, and the red sand cliffs at Cape Leveque.
Cape Leveque was our lunch spot, and with a few hours to spare, I absolutely couldn't resist the lure of the beach, and the warm, clear water. Despite having only my uniform, I was undeterred, and went swimming anyway, being fairly confident that I'd dry off in time to fly back to Broome.
With a beach that looks like this, could you have refused?
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Wow.. another post so soon... I know... amazing.
Have spent the last two days in the office writing letters to customers, printing envelopes, and in general playing with stationery. But from tomorrow I'm back in the aircraft. By the sounds of it I'm flying every day from tomorrow through to Sunday, and then... fingers crossed... off to Halls Creek.
Have spent the last two days in the office writing letters to customers, printing envelopes, and in general playing with stationery. But from tomorrow I'm back in the aircraft. By the sounds of it I'm flying every day from tomorrow through to Sunday, and then... fingers crossed... off to Halls Creek.
Monday, July 02, 2007
I've been in Broome for about a month now, and I am finally getting around to posting again. Yes, I know, very very bad of me. My only excuse is that I don't want to use the work computers to post - I dont want any connection to this blog on the work computers in case I want to say things about them... not that I ever would... but just in case.
Anyway, the last four weeks have gone by at varying speeds. At first, things were very slow, and I found myself very frustrated at the lack of anything happening. The company here is run from the boss's house (which does save them from renting an office), but it means its very hard to draw a distinction between 'work time' and 'not-work time'. They seemed to be in no hurry to get my check flights and line checks done, and seemed content that I should be also in no hurry, that I was in Broome should be enough. I flew three flights to the same remote community and then there was nothing for over a week. I have actually taken a side job with the local skydiving operator to make some more money while hanging around, and of course every hour with them counts too!
This last week has been amazingly busy, getting up at 4am four days running, to get the paperwork done, the aircraft prepared, and ready for take-off at 6am. From one day taking the 210 out to a diamond mine where the company had left another aircraft the week before because of some maintenance problem, then me flying the second aircraft back to Broome (an aircraft I had never flown before at all, yet now at the end of the week I have logged over fifteen hours in), to a hugely busy day flying all over the place from Fitzroy Crossing and then later in the day back to Broome, to a flight to Kununurra and back, stopping in Halls Creek for lunch, Friday at least seemed like a quiet, relaxing day despite taking off at 6am and landing back in Broome at 5pm. Though it sounds like a long day, seven hours were spent waiting for the passengers - we had to take a couple of architects to a couple of remote communities, wait for them to do their work, fly to the next community, wait, and so forth until it was time to get back to Broome. I did get almost the entire way through my new book, which I am VERY glad I put in my flight bag.
The "plan" according to the company, which seems to vary on an almost daily basis, is to have me in Halls Creek by around about July 10th... a date which seems to get pushed back further and further every time I hear about it. That is frustrating itself, because until then I am really without proper internet access, and can't properly unpack the car, which has now been packed for over a month since I left Sale. As long as it happens soon and I get paid in the meantime, then I can wait a little longer...
On the postive side, we have been having some amazing days, hot and dry, not a cloud in the sky, and Cable Beach is a fantastic place to watch the sunset from! Its nice to have something I can consider a summer- after two winters in a row, one in Canberra and one in Odawara, sunshine is a lovely change!
Anyway, the last four weeks have gone by at varying speeds. At first, things were very slow, and I found myself very frustrated at the lack of anything happening. The company here is run from the boss's house (which does save them from renting an office), but it means its very hard to draw a distinction between 'work time' and 'not-work time'. They seemed to be in no hurry to get my check flights and line checks done, and seemed content that I should be also in no hurry, that I was in Broome should be enough. I flew three flights to the same remote community and then there was nothing for over a week. I have actually taken a side job with the local skydiving operator to make some more money while hanging around, and of course every hour with them counts too!
This last week has been amazingly busy, getting up at 4am four days running, to get the paperwork done, the aircraft prepared, and ready for take-off at 6am. From one day taking the 210 out to a diamond mine where the company had left another aircraft the week before because of some maintenance problem, then me flying the second aircraft back to Broome (an aircraft I had never flown before at all, yet now at the end of the week I have logged over fifteen hours in), to a hugely busy day flying all over the place from Fitzroy Crossing and then later in the day back to Broome, to a flight to Kununurra and back, stopping in Halls Creek for lunch, Friday at least seemed like a quiet, relaxing day despite taking off at 6am and landing back in Broome at 5pm. Though it sounds like a long day, seven hours were spent waiting for the passengers - we had to take a couple of architects to a couple of remote communities, wait for them to do their work, fly to the next community, wait, and so forth until it was time to get back to Broome. I did get almost the entire way through my new book, which I am VERY glad I put in my flight bag.
The "plan" according to the company, which seems to vary on an almost daily basis, is to have me in Halls Creek by around about July 10th... a date which seems to get pushed back further and further every time I hear about it. That is frustrating itself, because until then I am really without proper internet access, and can't properly unpack the car, which has now been packed for over a month since I left Sale. As long as it happens soon and I get paid in the meantime, then I can wait a little longer...
On the postive side, we have been having some amazing days, hot and dry, not a cloud in the sky, and Cable Beach is a fantastic place to watch the sunset from! Its nice to have something I can consider a summer- after two winters in a row, one in Canberra and one in Odawara, sunshine is a lovely change!
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Ive made it to Broome!
After setting out last Monday, I have covered 5,200 km covering the furthest reaches of Australia. From the freeways through Melbourne to the pouring rain of the Wimmera, to fierce storms in Adelaide to the long, dry stretches of the South Australian Outback, to Alice Springs, Mataranka and Katherine, to Halls Creek and finally Broome, where Cable Beach is a welcome sight at the end of a long, dry, dusty and hot highway.
I have arrived at the company offices, spent one night on the couch here (and another soon to come) while I look for a place to stay in Broome for the next couple of weeks, and it looks like I will be flying tomorrow after all! Halls Creek won't be too much futher away, but I will certainly be making the most of the oasis in the desert that is Broome before I move 700km back inland!
After setting out last Monday, I have covered 5,200 km covering the furthest reaches of Australia. From the freeways through Melbourne to the pouring rain of the Wimmera, to fierce storms in Adelaide to the long, dry stretches of the South Australian Outback, to Alice Springs, Mataranka and Katherine, to Halls Creek and finally Broome, where Cable Beach is a welcome sight at the end of a long, dry, dusty and hot highway.
I have arrived at the company offices, spent one night on the couch here (and another soon to come) while I look for a place to stay in Broome for the next couple of weeks, and it looks like I will be flying tomorrow after all! Halls Creek won't be too much futher away, but I will certainly be making the most of the oasis in the desert that is Broome before I move 700km back inland!
Sunday, May 27, 2007
As of tomorrow I'll be setting off in the car for a journey of 5,209km, which will take me to Broome where I shall start my new job. The trip across the vastness of Australia is going to take me a bit over a week, but once it's done I'll be posting some photos of my journey and updating this blog on some of the entertaining stories of life as a pilot in the Kimberley.
Access to the internet may be sporadic, but please send me an email or two; I'll be able to respond from time to time, I'm sure!
Access to the internet may be sporadic, but please send me an email or two; I'll be able to respond from time to time, I'm sure!
Thursday, May 17, 2007
From some time next week, I'll be moving to the Kimberley, first to Broome but soon after that out to Halls Creek, where I will be based. I'll be on casual hours for the few weeks in Broome - thats probably going to be around 12 hours a week, but salaried as soon as they move me to the base in Halls Creek.
Broome will be the time to get my line checks and so forth done, as well as learning my way around the company, getting to know the staff, and enjoying being near Cable Beach. Once out in Halls Creek, there will apparently be only two of us representing the company, and therefore I imagine a bit of extracurricular work doing some marketing to the transient tourists, drumming up some business for tourists taking scenics over the Bungle Bungles, Wolfe Creek, and wherever else the company takes people.
Im sure there will be some ad-hoc charter business as well, and surely a large amount of transporting locals, but this will all add to the excitement and interesting nature of the work.
The company provides accommodation, too, for rent comparable to what I paid in Canberra but including all utilities AND three meals a day :) So my expenses will be minimal - car running costs and my telephone. It does look rather promising that internet access will also be available from home - which will enable me to continue blogging and posting photos - much more than i'd be able to were I restricted to the town library...
A fair bit of this is going to be hard work - but that is part of the lifestyle, and I'm very much looking forward to it!
Broome will be the time to get my line checks and so forth done, as well as learning my way around the company, getting to know the staff, and enjoying being near Cable Beach. Once out in Halls Creek, there will apparently be only two of us representing the company, and therefore I imagine a bit of extracurricular work doing some marketing to the transient tourists, drumming up some business for tourists taking scenics over the Bungle Bungles, Wolfe Creek, and wherever else the company takes people.
Im sure there will be some ad-hoc charter business as well, and surely a large amount of transporting locals, but this will all add to the excitement and interesting nature of the work.
The company provides accommodation, too, for rent comparable to what I paid in Canberra but including all utilities AND three meals a day :) So my expenses will be minimal - car running costs and my telephone. It does look rather promising that internet access will also be available from home - which will enable me to continue blogging and posting photos - much more than i'd be able to were I restricted to the town library...
A fair bit of this is going to be hard work - but that is part of the lifestyle, and I'm very much looking forward to it!
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
I have a job!
After calling both the Halls Creek operator and another one up in Kakadu yesterday and not being able to get onto either chief pilot ( in an amazing coincidence, both the chief pilots were out of the office, both of them were "looking at a bus". Being a few thousand kilometres apart, I doubt it was the same bus..), so I had to call back again today.
Well, Kakadu weren't interested, even though I'd heard they wanted a Japanese speaker. Apparently not.
Halls Creek, on the other hand... actually offered me a job! I'll do a little more flying here in Sale, get up to 10 hours on the Cessna 210, then head on up to Broome for an introduction to the Kimberley, check flights, and then off to my prepared room in Halls Creek.
Yup, prepared room. Makes a difference from Interac!
I'm excited.... yay!!
After calling both the Halls Creek operator and another one up in Kakadu yesterday and not being able to get onto either chief pilot ( in an amazing coincidence, both the chief pilots were out of the office, both of them were "looking at a bus". Being a few thousand kilometres apart, I doubt it was the same bus..), so I had to call back again today.
Well, Kakadu weren't interested, even though I'd heard they wanted a Japanese speaker. Apparently not.
Halls Creek, on the other hand... actually offered me a job! I'll do a little more flying here in Sale, get up to 10 hours on the Cessna 210, then head on up to Broome for an introduction to the Kimberley, check flights, and then off to my prepared room in Halls Creek.
Yup, prepared room. Makes a difference from Interac!
I'm excited.... yay!!
Thursday, May 10, 2007
After my first flight at night, on August 7th, 2004 (one thousand and six days ago), I finally completed my Night VFR rating this evening.
Flying at night is just like flying during the day - except you cannot see very much out the windows. Its the finding your way around the countryside that gets a little trickier at night. Still, the normal principles of heading and time work well, though I did manage to misidentify a certain coastal town...
Tonights flight was interesting, flown under a cloudbase of 3000 foot, but a lowest safe of only 2500. But it's done, and now I have a Night VFR rating!
Flying at night is just like flying during the day - except you cannot see very much out the windows. Its the finding your way around the countryside that gets a little trickier at night. Still, the normal principles of heading and time work well, though I did manage to misidentify a certain coastal town...
Tonights flight was interesting, flown under a cloudbase of 3000 foot, but a lowest safe of only 2500. But it's done, and now I have a Night VFR rating!
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Things might be looking good - Ive had a few phone calls from an operator in Halls Creek with a possible job. Not a lot of detail so far, but it looks positive. Its going to be an interesting part of the country to work in, with its own unique hazards. I have been strongly advised to bring plenty of Vicks VapoRub to smear under my nose to mask certain odours, but if that's as hard as the area gets, I think I'll be OK!
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Ive now done a few hours in the 210, but I dont think that the ten hours the flying school 'recommended' is actually that much of a benefit. Ive got nearly five, and the instructor let it slip the other day that five is actually plenty. So rather than spending large amounts of money getting large amounts of hours, I'll round out the five, and head off with that.
My task over this weekend has been making a list of every company in the areas of Australia I am considering (which is a large section of land, everywhere from Townsville to Broome), find out contact details for them all, and attempt to contact each and every chief pilot and ask for a job. Hopefully I will get some nibbles before leaving Sale, which will make it a lot easier, but I am not greatly expecting miracles. It still might be a long drive...
My task over this weekend has been making a list of every company in the areas of Australia I am considering (which is a large section of land, everywhere from Townsville to Broome), find out contact details for them all, and attempt to contact each and every chief pilot and ask for a job. Hopefully I will get some nibbles before leaving Sale, which will make it a lot easier, but I am not greatly expecting miracles. It still might be a long drive...
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Yes, Im back in Australia and after a few days sleeping, eating home-cooked food, and playing with the dog, Im considerably more rested and ready to set out on the next phase of this search for a flying job.
I must say, the check-in staff at the airport, as representatives of Japan's flag carier, showed rather a lack of understanding and sympathy to someone such as myself,who had been in Japan for considerably more than a short holida. 20kg of baggage is hardly a reasonably allowance for a flight such as mine, where I was in effect moving allthat I had from one country to another. Qantas staff in the past have usually been flexible and understanding, allowing more than the minimum through, though it seems the staff at this particular airline were not prepared to even contemplate using their discretionary powers. I had to post one of my suitcases, because even the rather expensive fees for that were far, far cheaper than what they wanted to charge me in excess baggage...
Yet I made it in one piece, albeit without half my luggage, and was at least able to catch half an hour of sleep in the car on the way home. This was half an hour more sleep than I was able to get sitting in Cattle Class for ten hours, and as you'd expect, I fell asleep early that afternoon.
Its nice to be back in Australia, and exciting to be getting ready for this search for a flying job. Saturday afternoon saw me back in the air - unexpectedly - as I went out out to my local aerodrome to say hi, and of coure to poke around in the hope of finding a job. No jobs were going, but I was a little surprised to see the Airtourer, the very same craft I learned to fly in, in piece all over the hangar floor. Nothing to worry about - regular maintenaince but this time going a little more in-depth, and its in for a repaint this time, too. So, while there was clearly no hope of getting a fly in that, but the owner of the Cessna 210 on the field just happened to be going for a flight, and offered me the passenger seat!
Only half an hour or so, but it was lovely, as expected, to be back in the sky again, even though someone else was driving! Of course, seeing it was a C210, my little brain starts ticking over, wondering about the possibilities of getting an endorsement in this aircraft here (while still being able to sleep in my comfy bed) before heading up north. These aircraft are rather commonly used Up North, so I figure this might work in my favour.
Talking about it with the CFI, he's most adamant that it would be in my favour - so much so that the school has brought a C210 down from the tropics to work at this airfield as a trainer. Apparently too many low-time CPLs such as myself get Up North having flown nothing heavier than a 172, and the operators have to train new employees to fly the things. Turning up there with the endorsement puts me ahead of anyone without it, and the more time I can get in it the better!
This CFI also very very strongly reccomends the Kimberley, rather than Far North Queensland, based on the comparitive ease in which Broome and Kununurra offer compared to Queensland, but also because of the contacts they have which may or may not make things easier.
I decided to visit the airport down the road, too, to make sure that I was getting a balanced view of the situation, because the flying school down there almost always presents a different view or opinion. Quite useful, actually, for though School A can't stand School B, School B never ever talks negatively about School A.
And I spend a bit of time at both... I think this works!
The upshot though, is that both schools agree that the C210 endorsement is vital. So, I'll be doing that over the next two weeks... but finishing off my Night VFR with the other school.
I must say, the check-in staff at the airport, as representatives of Japan's flag carier, showed rather a lack of understanding and sympathy to someone such as myself,who had been in Japan for considerably more than a short holida. 20kg of baggage is hardly a reasonably allowance for a flight such as mine, where I was in effect moving allthat I had from one country to another. Qantas staff in the past have usually been flexible and understanding, allowing more than the minimum through, though it seems the staff at this particular airline were not prepared to even contemplate using their discretionary powers. I had to post one of my suitcases, because even the rather expensive fees for that were far, far cheaper than what they wanted to charge me in excess baggage...
Yet I made it in one piece, albeit without half my luggage, and was at least able to catch half an hour of sleep in the car on the way home. This was half an hour more sleep than I was able to get sitting in Cattle Class for ten hours, and as you'd expect, I fell asleep early that afternoon.
Its nice to be back in Australia, and exciting to be getting ready for this search for a flying job. Saturday afternoon saw me back in the air - unexpectedly - as I went out out to my local aerodrome to say hi, and of coure to poke around in the hope of finding a job. No jobs were going, but I was a little surprised to see the Airtourer, the very same craft I learned to fly in, in piece all over the hangar floor. Nothing to worry about - regular maintenaince but this time going a little more in-depth, and its in for a repaint this time, too. So, while there was clearly no hope of getting a fly in that, but the owner of the Cessna 210 on the field just happened to be going for a flight, and offered me the passenger seat!
Only half an hour or so, but it was lovely, as expected, to be back in the sky again, even though someone else was driving! Of course, seeing it was a C210, my little brain starts ticking over, wondering about the possibilities of getting an endorsement in this aircraft here (while still being able to sleep in my comfy bed) before heading up north. These aircraft are rather commonly used Up North, so I figure this might work in my favour.
Talking about it with the CFI, he's most adamant that it would be in my favour - so much so that the school has brought a C210 down from the tropics to work at this airfield as a trainer. Apparently too many low-time CPLs such as myself get Up North having flown nothing heavier than a 172, and the operators have to train new employees to fly the things. Turning up there with the endorsement puts me ahead of anyone without it, and the more time I can get in it the better!
This CFI also very very strongly reccomends the Kimberley, rather than Far North Queensland, based on the comparitive ease in which Broome and Kununurra offer compared to Queensland, but also because of the contacts they have which may or may not make things easier.
I decided to visit the airport down the road, too, to make sure that I was getting a balanced view of the situation, because the flying school down there almost always presents a different view or opinion. Quite useful, actually, for though School A can't stand School B, School B never ever talks negatively about School A.
And I spend a bit of time at both... I think this works!
The upshot though, is that both schools agree that the C210 endorsement is vital. So, I'll be doing that over the next two weeks... but finishing off my Night VFR with the other school.
Sunday, April 01, 2007
When does 70 kilometres an hour on the freeway seem fast?
Last weekend was Moving Day for both Robin and myself, as we moved all of her things from Ibaraki to Tokyo, and my furniture and things from Odawara to Tokyo.
Grossly underestimating the volume of things to take, we figured packing everything into Turbo Tim, a Toyota Starlet, would be fine- after all, how much stuff can you accumulate in six months, especially when you aren’t taking any of your furniture?
Quite a lot, apparently. So much so, that we discoveredcrooks and grannies nooks and crannies new to both us and the car in the Starlet, and were able to fit a phenomenal amount of boxes, crates, bags and loose Kit Kats in the back. I was also impressed at the very large space created by the removal of the parcel shelf, folding down the back seats, oh, and moving the front seats forward to the limit of their travel.
I found myself, the erstwhile navigator, with plenty of room in the front left seat. Plenty of room, once I had manouvered myself over the aluminium bar blocking the doorway, and sat in the seat, I had almost a complete centimetre to spare between my forehead and the corner of the windscreen, and almost another complete centimetre between the top of my head and the roof of the car! This position rendered me completely unable to move, for even the remaining floorspace behind my feet was filled with a backpack, and my own backpack was relegated to sitting on my lap the entire journey.
Sitting like this would have made it difficult to read a map, but thankfully we didn’t have such luxuries as maps anyway. What I was navigating from was a series of landmarks I had written on paper that morning while following the route on Google Maps.
Thankfully it was merely a 65km trip, most of which would be driven on Highway 6, a national route, so it only took us three and a half hours. I’d hate to think how long it would have taken on back roads, for Highway 6 seems to have traffic lights every three to four hundred metres, and traffic dense enough to walk the length of the highway without ever touching asphalt. The real estate agent, the ever-thoughtful Obara san, reneged on her plans to meet us at the new apartment to hand over keys, and instead gave us some rather creative driving directions to her office, which resulted in us travelling down a road that we suspect was not intended for vehicle traffic (and a minor incident involving a bicycle), yet somehow we managed to get to the right place, then on to the apartment.
Unloading Tim was quite rapid, much more so than loading him that morning, due in part to the fact that the rain had stopped, and of course its much easier to unload than to load. The boxes piled up in the new apartment, but we couldn’t stop to rest just yet.
Phase two was moving the car seats back to a more comfortable position, and driving out of Tokyo to Odawara. A 75km drive this time, so naturally there was much trepidation, but at that hour of night we were sure the roads would be much quieter. At the very least, there were less turns to make this time, and we were comparitively far more comfortable in the car. Indeed it was much quicker, getting us to Odawara in only three hours out of Tokyo, and had the added bonus of taking us reasonably close to Hiratsuka, my Friday school. I noticed that it took only 45 minutes to get home from Hiratsuka, a journey that takes about an hour using public transport. Even so, it was after 11 at night when we finally pulled into Odawara, so after parking Turbo Tim at the Lawson around the corner, it was bedtime.
The following morning, one of my former colleagues from Odawara who had foolishly volunteered to help us move, turned up with his Land Cruiser, and we loaded as much furniture, appliances and other bulky things from my Odawara apartment into the two vehicles, agreed on a route, and set off, driving in convoy back to the apartment in Tokyo. My task as navigator was reasonably simple this time, having found an even easier route to get into the city, but poor Robin driving had to constantly be checking in the rear-view mirrors to make sure the white Land Cruiser was still behind us. This would have been easy enough but for the apparent lack of engine power in the big car. I don’t want to think of the amount of missed overtaking opportunities and potentially gained distance we had to pass up on because the Land Cruiser was dawdling hundreds of metres behind, but what’s done is done, and we finally made it – four hours after departure.
We really did appreciate his help, but we felt so very very bad for this poor teacher who volunteered his time to help us out. Four hours in heavy traffic is no fun for anyone. At that point, we ourselves were ready to flake out and give up – but we still had one final return trip to Odawara to make. Deciding enough was enough, it was time to bite the bullet and elect to drive on the Tomei Expressway. A toll road, for sure, but the time and frustration that the regular highways had given us was at our limits. However much the toll cost, it surely couldn’t be worse than that stress, could it?
The nearest onramp was an hour away, so off we go, gradually drawing closer to the raised beacon that was the expressway. Once up the ramp and on the road, we experienced a feeling that I liken to taking off the twenty-kilogram backpack you have been hiking with for the past five hours, shedding the weight, and being free. The Tomei Expressway was, at its thinnest, three lanes in each direction. Traffic was light, very light, and for the first time we saw hope and joy. With smooth black asphalt under the tyres, Tim leaped forward, and the scenery was positively whizzing by. Settling into a groove, we discussed how exhilarating it felt to be finally travelling at a such high speed. Then we looked at the speedometer: 70km/h.
Something isnt quite right when that speed on the expressway feels fast. This is an example of relative speed – because it was so much faster than what we were used to, it felt very fast. Yet, I am pleased to say, taking Tim up to a hundred not only worked, but pretty soon began to feel comfortable too.
We were on the expressway for less than an hour. Total time door to door, two hours. Tolls came to about $20 one way, but so incredibly worth it! Feeling rejuvenated, it was time for a coffee in Odawara before packing the remaining things into Tim and setting off for Tokyo once again.
Yes, tollways again this time, and we were back within two hours. A lot of time spent in the car, not all of it comfortable. By the time Tim was returned to the company offices (another saga in of itself), the whole episode of moving two apartments into Tokyo had clocked up five hundred kilometres in the car. Good boy, Tim!
The only things left in Odawara by this point were the cardboard boxes and bags of rubbish I needed to throw out once I cleaned and washed the apartment. This was for the next day.
Tuesday dawned, day three of this moving extravaganza. I took the trains back to Odawara, and in less than two hours and for about $10, I was there. Why, oh why do people drive at all in this country?
I had arranged to have the apartment ready for hand-over at 4pm, so with plenty of time to spare I wasn’t worried that I had left it in quite a state the previous night. Imagine my surprise when, on opening the door to my soon-to-be-vacated apartment, I discovered a pair of slippers inside the door, many cardboard boxes flattened and removed, and the floor swept.
That whomever it was had actually helped and made my job easier was the only thing that stopped me from calling the police. Someone had broken into my apartment (though as there was no sign of forced entry, they most likely used a key) – someone had unlawfully entered my apartment – which was, until 4pm, my apartment, and even in this country, to enter without permission is the tort of trespass, a criminal offence. I suspect it was my landlord – the slippers looked like something she’d wear. As I mentioned, the fact that whoever it was was actually a help stopped me from calling the police. I was still furious, though, at the landlord (or whomever) for such a violation of my security and safety. Trouble is, the police would see any complaint as “Foreigner vs Japanese Person” and immediately side with the Japanese person. I’d have been wasting my time anyway.
Not only that, but if it was the landlord, and they thought I was already out and vacated, then I wouldn’t put it past them to claim that I left the place full of cardboard boxes and rubbish, along with a dirty floor.
I did make sure, once I had tidied up and properly cleaned the place (before 4pm), to take some photographs of the place in the state in which I left it. Just in case…
Oh, and the owner of the slippers hadn’t returned by 4 o’clock to claim them, so, despite them being rather nice, expensive looking slippers, they went out with the rubbish too!
Last weekend was Moving Day for both Robin and myself, as we moved all of her things from Ibaraki to Tokyo, and my furniture and things from Odawara to Tokyo.
Grossly underestimating the volume of things to take, we figured packing everything into Turbo Tim, a Toyota Starlet, would be fine- after all, how much stuff can you accumulate in six months, especially when you aren’t taking any of your furniture?
Quite a lot, apparently. So much so, that we discovered
I found myself, the erstwhile navigator, with plenty of room in the front left seat. Plenty of room, once I had manouvered myself over the aluminium bar blocking the doorway, and sat in the seat, I had almost a complete centimetre to spare between my forehead and the corner of the windscreen, and almost another complete centimetre between the top of my head and the roof of the car! This position rendered me completely unable to move, for even the remaining floorspace behind my feet was filled with a backpack, and my own backpack was relegated to sitting on my lap the entire journey.
Sitting like this would have made it difficult to read a map, but thankfully we didn’t have such luxuries as maps anyway. What I was navigating from was a series of landmarks I had written on paper that morning while following the route on Google Maps.
Thankfully it was merely a 65km trip, most of which would be driven on Highway 6, a national route, so it only took us three and a half hours. I’d hate to think how long it would have taken on back roads, for Highway 6 seems to have traffic lights every three to four hundred metres, and traffic dense enough to walk the length of the highway without ever touching asphalt. The real estate agent, the ever-thoughtful Obara san, reneged on her plans to meet us at the new apartment to hand over keys, and instead gave us some rather creative driving directions to her office, which resulted in us travelling down a road that we suspect was not intended for vehicle traffic (and a minor incident involving a bicycle), yet somehow we managed to get to the right place, then on to the apartment.
Unloading Tim was quite rapid, much more so than loading him that morning, due in part to the fact that the rain had stopped, and of course its much easier to unload than to load. The boxes piled up in the new apartment, but we couldn’t stop to rest just yet.
Phase two was moving the car seats back to a more comfortable position, and driving out of Tokyo to Odawara. A 75km drive this time, so naturally there was much trepidation, but at that hour of night we were sure the roads would be much quieter. At the very least, there were less turns to make this time, and we were comparitively far more comfortable in the car. Indeed it was much quicker, getting us to Odawara in only three hours out of Tokyo, and had the added bonus of taking us reasonably close to Hiratsuka, my Friday school. I noticed that it took only 45 minutes to get home from Hiratsuka, a journey that takes about an hour using public transport. Even so, it was after 11 at night when we finally pulled into Odawara, so after parking Turbo Tim at the Lawson around the corner, it was bedtime.
The following morning, one of my former colleagues from Odawara who had foolishly volunteered to help us move, turned up with his Land Cruiser, and we loaded as much furniture, appliances and other bulky things from my Odawara apartment into the two vehicles, agreed on a route, and set off, driving in convoy back to the apartment in Tokyo. My task as navigator was reasonably simple this time, having found an even easier route to get into the city, but poor Robin driving had to constantly be checking in the rear-view mirrors to make sure the white Land Cruiser was still behind us. This would have been easy enough but for the apparent lack of engine power in the big car. I don’t want to think of the amount of missed overtaking opportunities and potentially gained distance we had to pass up on because the Land Cruiser was dawdling hundreds of metres behind, but what’s done is done, and we finally made it – four hours after departure.
We really did appreciate his help, but we felt so very very bad for this poor teacher who volunteered his time to help us out. Four hours in heavy traffic is no fun for anyone. At that point, we ourselves were ready to flake out and give up – but we still had one final return trip to Odawara to make. Deciding enough was enough, it was time to bite the bullet and elect to drive on the Tomei Expressway. A toll road, for sure, but the time and frustration that the regular highways had given us was at our limits. However much the toll cost, it surely couldn’t be worse than that stress, could it?
The nearest onramp was an hour away, so off we go, gradually drawing closer to the raised beacon that was the expressway. Once up the ramp and on the road, we experienced a feeling that I liken to taking off the twenty-kilogram backpack you have been hiking with for the past five hours, shedding the weight, and being free. The Tomei Expressway was, at its thinnest, three lanes in each direction. Traffic was light, very light, and for the first time we saw hope and joy. With smooth black asphalt under the tyres, Tim leaped forward, and the scenery was positively whizzing by. Settling into a groove, we discussed how exhilarating it felt to be finally travelling at a such high speed. Then we looked at the speedometer: 70km/h.
Something isnt quite right when that speed on the expressway feels fast. This is an example of relative speed – because it was so much faster than what we were used to, it felt very fast. Yet, I am pleased to say, taking Tim up to a hundred not only worked, but pretty soon began to feel comfortable too.
We were on the expressway for less than an hour. Total time door to door, two hours. Tolls came to about $20 one way, but so incredibly worth it! Feeling rejuvenated, it was time for a coffee in Odawara before packing the remaining things into Tim and setting off for Tokyo once again.
Yes, tollways again this time, and we were back within two hours. A lot of time spent in the car, not all of it comfortable. By the time Tim was returned to the company offices (another saga in of itself), the whole episode of moving two apartments into Tokyo had clocked up five hundred kilometres in the car. Good boy, Tim!
The only things left in Odawara by this point were the cardboard boxes and bags of rubbish I needed to throw out once I cleaned and washed the apartment. This was for the next day.
Tuesday dawned, day three of this moving extravaganza. I took the trains back to Odawara, and in less than two hours and for about $10, I was there. Why, oh why do people drive at all in this country?
I had arranged to have the apartment ready for hand-over at 4pm, so with plenty of time to spare I wasn’t worried that I had left it in quite a state the previous night. Imagine my surprise when, on opening the door to my soon-to-be-vacated apartment, I discovered a pair of slippers inside the door, many cardboard boxes flattened and removed, and the floor swept.
That whomever it was had actually helped and made my job easier was the only thing that stopped me from calling the police. Someone had broken into my apartment (though as there was no sign of forced entry, they most likely used a key) – someone had unlawfully entered my apartment – which was, until 4pm, my apartment, and even in this country, to enter without permission is the tort of trespass, a criminal offence. I suspect it was my landlord – the slippers looked like something she’d wear. As I mentioned, the fact that whoever it was was actually a help stopped me from calling the police. I was still furious, though, at the landlord (or whomever) for such a violation of my security and safety. Trouble is, the police would see any complaint as “Foreigner vs Japanese Person” and immediately side with the Japanese person. I’d have been wasting my time anyway.
Not only that, but if it was the landlord, and they thought I was already out and vacated, then I wouldn’t put it past them to claim that I left the place full of cardboard boxes and rubbish, along with a dirty floor.
I did make sure, once I had tidied up and properly cleaned the place (before 4pm), to take some photographs of the place in the state in which I left it. Just in case…
Oh, and the owner of the slippers hadn’t returned by 4 o’clock to claim them, so, despite them being rather nice, expensive looking slippers, they went out with the rubbish too!
Thursday, March 29, 2007
As of forty-eight hours ago, I handed in the keys to my apartment in Odawara. Between now and the 11th of April, I do not expect to have very much in the way of internet access, though I will be able to send and recieve emails.
I am going to spend most of the next two weeks in Tokyo and Nagoya, so if you're in the area (or anywhere in between), let me know, and we can catch up! For those of you in Australia, I'll be arriving back in the morning of April 11th, and after a couple of days sleep I'll be around Sale for a couple of weeks.
I'm not sure if I will be able to post on my blog or not, but it might be possible from time to time. I will be trying here and there to update it from various internet cafes or libraries across Japan.
I am going to spend most of the next two weeks in Tokyo and Nagoya, so if you're in the area (or anywhere in between), let me know, and we can catch up! For those of you in Australia, I'll be arriving back in the morning of April 11th, and after a couple of days sleep I'll be around Sale for a couple of weeks.
I'm not sure if I will be able to post on my blog or not, but it might be possible from time to time. I will be trying here and there to update it from various internet cafes or libraries across Japan.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
I had spent about two hours writing a post last night when the computer decided to have a sook, and I lost the lot.
Things are coming to an end here in Odawara. I have already had my final days at the two other schools, Seaside School and Hiratsuka. Seaside School staff, with the exception of the principal, really didn’t seem to care either way that I was going. The principal, the fellow from the train station, on the other hand, wished me all the best, was sorry to see me go, hoped to see me again in the future, and other nice things.
Hiratsuka staff were a little more human in their responses, though I am not sure that the vice-principal pretending to burst into tears in the office was quite what I was expecting.
I only have one more day at Odawara, too. Since the loss of my desk hasn’t been that bad – I just use the couch instead – I’m not worried. All day Tuesday was spent at the Chorus Festival, where each class troupes across the stage and sings first the same song as everyone else, then an individual choice song. Thankfully the one everyone had to sing was short. I spent most of the day sitting up the back chatting to some second year students.
Today was the last real day of school – though I had nothing to do, as usual. Friday I deliver my farewell speech at assembly, and I am expecting a few gasps, as not many of the students are aware that I’m leaving the school, let alone the country. I expect to be actually finished work by around 11am, though shall probably stay around school for a bit, talking to people before actually walking out the gate for the last time.
Things are coming to an end here in Odawara. I have already had my final days at the two other schools, Seaside School and Hiratsuka. Seaside School staff, with the exception of the principal, really didn’t seem to care either way that I was going. The principal, the fellow from the train station, on the other hand, wished me all the best, was sorry to see me go, hoped to see me again in the future, and other nice things.
Hiratsuka staff were a little more human in their responses, though I am not sure that the vice-principal pretending to burst into tears in the office was quite what I was expecting.
I only have one more day at Odawara, too. Since the loss of my desk hasn’t been that bad – I just use the couch instead – I’m not worried. All day Tuesday was spent at the Chorus Festival, where each class troupes across the stage and sings first the same song as everyone else, then an individual choice song. Thankfully the one everyone had to sing was short. I spent most of the day sitting up the back chatting to some second year students.
Today was the last real day of school – though I had nothing to do, as usual. Friday I deliver my farewell speech at assembly, and I am expecting a few gasps, as not many of the students are aware that I’m leaving the school, let alone the country. I expect to be actually finished work by around 11am, though shall probably stay around school for a bit, talking to people before actually walking out the gate for the last time.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Friday, March 16, 2007
Ever get the feeling you aren't wanted?
I walked into school this morning to discover that my desk had been thrown out. Last time I saw it was Monday, when I sat at it, put things on the shelves, moved things around, and actually used it.
Today, all that is there in its place is my swivel chair and three cardboard boxes.
The boxes are of a height sufficient that I can lean paper on top of them and write, but sadly the tops arent smooth. Inside the boxes sits all the items that had been stuffed into the drawers of the desk, the shelves on top, and even the couple of bits of paper and photos I had on the desktop itself. Most of the stuff that was on or in the desk I had never looked at, and a lot of it was junk, to be sure, but Im left wondering, DID I have anything important there? I guess I timed things well bringing my ATPL books home last week, else who knows where they'd have ended up by now?
Not much longer to go.. yesterday was my last day at Seaside School, and tomorrow my last day at Hiratsuka.
I walked into school this morning to discover that my desk had been thrown out. Last time I saw it was Monday, when I sat at it, put things on the shelves, moved things around, and actually used it.
Today, all that is there in its place is my swivel chair and three cardboard boxes.
The boxes are of a height sufficient that I can lean paper on top of them and write, but sadly the tops arent smooth. Inside the boxes sits all the items that had been stuffed into the drawers of the desk, the shelves on top, and even the couple of bits of paper and photos I had on the desktop itself. Most of the stuff that was on or in the desk I had never looked at, and a lot of it was junk, to be sure, but Im left wondering, DID I have anything important there? I guess I timed things well bringing my ATPL books home last week, else who knows where they'd have ended up by now?
Not much longer to go.. yesterday was my last day at Seaside School, and tomorrow my last day at Hiratsuka.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
A busy weekend, again. For some reason, weekends are always busier than school days.
This weekend was busier than most, though. Saturday afternoon I had to deliver a speech on "My Impressions on Coming to Japan", to a group of old fogeys at some community centre up the road.
What I think they wanted to hear was me rabbit on about how wonderful and unique Japan was and how much better it is than the land of Gaikoku. Instead, I told them how I saw it, which is part good and part bad. I think a few of them squirmed uncomfortably in their seats for a good part of my speech, but I think in the end they thought I had a couple of good points.
I managed to convince them I was a Japanese citizen, too, mainly for my own amusement.
Still, it was easy money. About a hundred dollars for an hour and a half of talking, and they even gave me coffee. OK, so the coffee had gone cold, but it was coffee.
Then onto the train, and over to Kashiwa to find Jun. Having not seen her since that memorable day when she paged me over the public address at Ueno station, and not having met her family at all, this was exciting. The family are fantastic; they fed me very very well, and even the pooch took a liking to me in the end. Too much of a liking - he decided that licking my fingers wasnt enough, and attempted to lick my face too. No thanks...
Sunday, after a brief run of volleyball with Jun, she drops me back to the station where I meet Robin and her mum on the platform.
In to Tokyo sightseeing we go, seeing such interesting sights as the multicoloured dancers in Harajuku, that really annoying girl from training in August, (but we hid- safe!), and the view from the top of the Metropolitan Government Building - the Rhialto of Japan, the tallest building in the country, and on a clear day, a fine view.
Luckily, we had an amazingly clear day and could even see Fuji in the distance, peeking up over the hills. Sadly, Fuji was due west and it was nearing sunset, so no decent photos of the mountain worked out.
Dinner at the Daikonman, the bestest okonomiyaki restaurant in all of Japan, then home to bed before another busy day at work.
Monday I indeed went to work, but in this line of work a sharp distinction must be drawn between being at work, and doing work. I didnt have a great deal of work to do, and as expected they sent me home at lunchtime. So, I scoot onto the train and head off to Yokohama and meet Robin and her mum again, where we wander the Minato Mirai, ride on the roller coaster (see photo above), and contemplated Foot Onsens.
After dinner, I head up to Tokyo, where Rumi has managed to get herself and me onto the VIP list to meet the two blokes from the TV show Little Britain. A little anticlimactic, given that they were there for all of five minutes, but enough time for a photo or two, a quick Hello and shake hands, and - pouf, bye bye.Actually getting home from Tokyo became and adventure, but that itself is another long story, so I'll leave that till next time.
Friday, March 09, 2007
Last Friday was Graduation Day at Seaside School.
Through some interesting school shuffling, I was able to be there, despite Fridays being my Hiratsuka day. As penance, I spent Tuesday at Hiratsuka waiting for my supervisor to finish writing an exam for the students, and then ‘recording’ it once he finished.
I digress.
Graduation at Seaside School was an interesting affair, none the least because students who have never spoken a word in class spoke to me. There was one kid who, for a while, I was actually concerned was physically unable to speak. Maybe he was born without a tongue, or was deaf, or had some advanced form of lung disease…. in any case, he had not spoken a single word in my presence ever.
Yet after graduation, he came up to me, actually spoke, and thanked me for English classes. He’s one of about four students from the school actually going on to university. My samurai student (well, he sat at the side of the class, said very little except for grunts, and has his hair cut in the style of a true samurai warrior) also thanked me.. as did the class clown, the disruptive creature with his trousers about twenty centimetres too low all year. He even apologized for being ‘not the best student’!
Wow.. quite an experience, talking to these students once the pressure of school was off them…
Yet another chapter in the Chronicles of Kyoto Sensei. My Vice-Principal here at Hiratsuka, who is renowned for making strange noises at his desk, casting me sly glances across the room and laughing, and in general being entertaining. The same bloke who once apologised on behalf of his entire nation, saying “Please don’t think all Japanese people are strange because of me.”
He is on the phone right now, and it truly is a scene out of a cartoon. Remember how, in cartoons, the person on the other end of the phone is represented by a high pitched, twittering unintelligible warble, yet clearly audible to third party listeners.
That just happened. The person on the other end of the phone was clearly audible to me, however due to being a high pitched, twittering warble, was completely unintelligible.
Through some interesting school shuffling, I was able to be there, despite Fridays being my Hiratsuka day. As penance, I spent Tuesday at Hiratsuka waiting for my supervisor to finish writing an exam for the students, and then ‘recording’ it once he finished.
I digress.
Graduation at Seaside School was an interesting affair, none the least because students who have never spoken a word in class spoke to me. There was one kid who, for a while, I was actually concerned was physically unable to speak. Maybe he was born without a tongue, or was deaf, or had some advanced form of lung disease…. in any case, he had not spoken a single word in my presence ever.
Yet after graduation, he came up to me, actually spoke, and thanked me for English classes. He’s one of about four students from the school actually going on to university. My samurai student (well, he sat at the side of the class, said very little except for grunts, and has his hair cut in the style of a true samurai warrior) also thanked me.. as did the class clown, the disruptive creature with his trousers about twenty centimetres too low all year. He even apologized for being ‘not the best student’!
Wow.. quite an experience, talking to these students once the pressure of school was off them…
Yet another chapter in the Chronicles of Kyoto Sensei. My Vice-Principal here at Hiratsuka, who is renowned for making strange noises at his desk, casting me sly glances across the room and laughing, and in general being entertaining. The same bloke who once apologised on behalf of his entire nation, saying “Please don’t think all Japanese people are strange because of me.”
He is on the phone right now, and it truly is a scene out of a cartoon. Remember how, in cartoons, the person on the other end of the phone is represented by a high pitched, twittering unintelligible warble, yet clearly audible to third party listeners.
That just happened. The person on the other end of the phone was clearly audible to me, however due to being a high pitched, twittering warble, was completely unintelligible.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
A Saturday drive to post a parcel from 7-11 ended up being a lovely, pleasant drive around Ibaraki.
The days are getting longer, and warmer, though the nights are still cold. If you are outside in the sun, its usually pleasant, except for Saturday, when the wind was blowing stronger than I've ever experienced in Japan before.
This photo is the Pacific coast, the eastern coast of Honshu. Yes, it appears to be fully concreted in both directions as far as the eye can see, and that is a selection of run-down shacks covered in tarpaulins off to the left. I didnt dawdle taking these photos, because the wind was making my hands freeze just holding the camera. I feel sorry for the poor bloke who thought it was a good day to go windsurfing. The wind was good, but he must be part penguin to have survived those waters.
Still, it made a nice change from the day before, when it was pouring with rain all day.
I had a nice bonus last Friday, as I turn up at school at the appointed time, 8.30, to confused expressions from the staff. One of the English teachers ventured to explain that as there was no students at school that day, there would be no classes for me, and all the teachers would be busy marking exams, therefore would be too busy to ask me questions.
Apparently my supervisor, the little bird, was supposed to have told me about this, and though he claims he did, I have no recollection of the event. The principal demanded he hold his little finger out onto the desk, whereupon he made cutting motions with the edge of his hand. He threatened to use my supervisors blood as ink to sign my timesheet for the day, which I believe he was joking, but you never can tell...
I was sent home, and back outside the school again at 8.35.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
The irony hasn't escaped me that Japan, which is renowned around the world for producing electronic goods and automobiles, has such a large amount of its population unable to use a computer or drive a car.
To be fair, there are exceptions, but the majority of the people I work with, all of whom are teachers, real teachers in a real school, have no idea what computers are used for.
Last Friday there was a large commotion behind me as one teacher was explaining to another teacher that computers can copy and paste words and pictures, removing the need to re-type things. This was, apparently, earth-shattering information, and bizzare because the teacher in question was under 35, and therefore should have used a computer at some stage beforehand.
I have been de-facto tech support to another teacher most of the last fortnight. I realise that he is old, but I should not have to be on standby to help him out every single time he want to save a document to his USB stick. The poor old fellow still insists on saving documents on floppy disks, because he is worried that hard drives dont save things properly. (How can they? You cant see them...)
I am glad that I dont have to drive in this country, for it appears the roads are hazardous areas full of trucks stopping in random areas blocking the roads, little old ladies walking down the centre of a busy two way street, at night, in dark clothing, and bicycles cutting in front of traffic with no warning. Perhaps, in part, it's related to all the dashboard signs and labels in the vehicles being printed in English, in a country where almost no one actually speaks English...
To be fair, there are exceptions, but the majority of the people I work with, all of whom are teachers, real teachers in a real school, have no idea what computers are used for.
Last Friday there was a large commotion behind me as one teacher was explaining to another teacher that computers can copy and paste words and pictures, removing the need to re-type things. This was, apparently, earth-shattering information, and bizzare because the teacher in question was under 35, and therefore should have used a computer at some stage beforehand.
I have been de-facto tech support to another teacher most of the last fortnight. I realise that he is old, but I should not have to be on standby to help him out every single time he want to save a document to his USB stick. The poor old fellow still insists on saving documents on floppy disks, because he is worried that hard drives dont save things properly. (How can they? You cant see them...)
I am glad that I dont have to drive in this country, for it appears the roads are hazardous areas full of trucks stopping in random areas blocking the roads, little old ladies walking down the centre of a busy two way street, at night, in dark clothing, and bicycles cutting in front of traffic with no warning. Perhaps, in part, it's related to all the dashboard signs and labels in the vehicles being printed in English, in a country where almost no one actually speaks English...
Monday, February 12, 2007
Friday, February 09, 2007
Have been rather under the weather this week, compounded by the lack of availability of pseudoephedrine in this country. Actually, its classed as an illegal substance, so there is no chance. Ive instead been stocking up on the antique favourite, aspirin...
I have, on the other hand, caught up with a LOT of people from Canberra over the last couple of weeks. (yes, possibly contributing to my overtired state and hence I got the flu..)
I have, on the other hand, caught up with a LOT of people from Canberra over the last couple of weeks. (yes, possibly contributing to my overtired state and hence I got the flu..)
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
This past weekend I had the pleasure of visiting Kita Junior High School, in Kasumigaura, in Ibaraki.
The schooling system here splits high school into Junior and Senior high schools, with Junior being the equivalent of years 7 to 9, and Senior being 10 to 12. But unlike the split-campus system common in Australia, they are independent schools. Junior High is compulsory; students attend the closest one to their house. (Towns are divided into school districts and you dont get a choice of which school to go to.) High School is not compulsory and entrance is competitive- students may travel up to an hour each way to get to school.
Anyway, at Kita.
The primary purpose of visit was to meet the Big Green Samurai and any other teachers who happened to be there. Being a Saturday, students in sports clubs were there, though not every sport. Walking towards the baseball pitch, we were noticed from afar, and the entire team stopped what they were doing, faced us, and called out in unison "HELLO!" in English!
While it wasnt our intention to disrupt their practise at all, it was thoughtful of them to tailor their interruption to us and use English for practical stuff.
(Unlike my little rodent of a 'supervisor' at Seaside School, who informed me a few minutes ago: "I made an instant coffee by myself this morning". I congratulated him.)
But back to Kita, where we chatted about the prowess of the Australian baseball team with the baseball coach, known as Silent Bob (though he is learning to communicate better), then into the staffroom for a coffee with the aforementioned Big Green Samurai - who, strangely, isnt big at all, nor is she green. I dont know either way on the samurai part, but its possible.
The schooling system here splits high school into Junior and Senior high schools, with Junior being the equivalent of years 7 to 9, and Senior being 10 to 12. But unlike the split-campus system common in Australia, they are independent schools. Junior High is compulsory; students attend the closest one to their house. (Towns are divided into school districts and you dont get a choice of which school to go to.) High School is not compulsory and entrance is competitive- students may travel up to an hour each way to get to school.
Anyway, at Kita.
The primary purpose of visit was to meet the Big Green Samurai and any other teachers who happened to be there. Being a Saturday, students in sports clubs were there, though not every sport. Walking towards the baseball pitch, we were noticed from afar, and the entire team stopped what they were doing, faced us, and called out in unison "HELLO!" in English!
While it wasnt our intention to disrupt their practise at all, it was thoughtful of them to tailor their interruption to us and use English for practical stuff.
(Unlike my little rodent of a 'supervisor' at Seaside School, who informed me a few minutes ago: "I made an instant coffee by myself this morning". I congratulated him.)
But back to Kita, where we chatted about the prowess of the Australian baseball team with the baseball coach, known as Silent Bob (though he is learning to communicate better), then into the staffroom for a coffee with the aforementioned Big Green Samurai - who, strangely, isnt big at all, nor is she green. I dont know either way on the samurai part, but its possible.
Friday, January 19, 2007
My tail is well and truly between my legs, for I have been a bad wombat and haven't written for a very long time.I am back in Japan, after a lovely two-week holiday in The Land of the Long White Beach. Err.. The Land of the Rising Heat… no, that's still not right.
I was in Australia, but before my seemingly eventual demise into a puddle of little melted me, I returned to Japan. Now, the strangest thing about this return to Japan was that now, Japan smells different to Australia. Arriving back in August, it never felt much different to Australia, but these days there is a different smell in the air, a smell which I associate strongly with Japan (and also with jet fuel…) – the ubiquitous kerosene heater.
These heaters work amazingly well, keeping the temperature in their immediate vicinity around 30 degrees; and at my base school, sitting on the couch in my office with a cup of coffee and the heater blazing away, it is as close as I can get to sitting in front of an open fire at home… I choose not to dwell on what noxious gases are in the air from the kero fumes… the downside of course, is the walk to the classroom. The corridors are open to the elements, and are usually closer to three degrees plus windchill.
I was witness to some students being told off for skipping class yesterday. Apparently, a relative or someone was sick, so two of them took some time off school to go and visit. When questioned as to why they didn't do this after school, instead of during English class, they protested that it would have been impossible, as they had club activities after school. The teacher agreed that they couldn't possibly miss club activities, but asked them to try very hard to ensure they were able to attend English classes as well…
This morning:s staff meeting lived up to expectations. My Friday school seems to be populated with lively, entertaining people. My desk is a metre away from the vice-principal's desks, and one of the twovice-principals is wearing a surgical face mask. (Not itself uncommon in Japan – people wear them when they have colds). The principal warned me to be careful, as he suspected said vice-principal has bird flu, or maybe mad cow disease, so I should sit somewhere else today. Vice-principal protested meekly, claiming that he just had a cold…. The other vice-principal's mobile phone rang loudly during the meeting, causing him to forget what important message he was trying to deliver to the staff…
I was in Australia, but before my seemingly eventual demise into a puddle of little melted me, I returned to Japan. Now, the strangest thing about this return to Japan was that now, Japan smells different to Australia. Arriving back in August, it never felt much different to Australia, but these days there is a different smell in the air, a smell which I associate strongly with Japan (and also with jet fuel…) – the ubiquitous kerosene heater.
These heaters work amazingly well, keeping the temperature in their immediate vicinity around 30 degrees; and at my base school, sitting on the couch in my office with a cup of coffee and the heater blazing away, it is as close as I can get to sitting in front of an open fire at home… I choose not to dwell on what noxious gases are in the air from the kero fumes… the downside of course, is the walk to the classroom. The corridors are open to the elements, and are usually closer to three degrees plus windchill.
I was witness to some students being told off for skipping class yesterday. Apparently, a relative or someone was sick, so two of them took some time off school to go and visit. When questioned as to why they didn't do this after school, instead of during English class, they protested that it would have been impossible, as they had club activities after school. The teacher agreed that they couldn't possibly miss club activities, but asked them to try very hard to ensure they were able to attend English classes as well…
This morning:s staff meeting lived up to expectations. My Friday school seems to be populated with lively, entertaining people. My desk is a metre away from the vice-principal's desks, and one of the twovice-principals is wearing a surgical face mask. (Not itself uncommon in Japan – people wear them when they have colds). The principal warned me to be careful, as he suspected said vice-principal has bird flu, or maybe mad cow disease, so I should sit somewhere else today. Vice-principal protested meekly, claiming that he just had a cold…. The other vice-principal's mobile phone rang loudly during the meeting, causing him to forget what important message he was trying to deliver to the staff…
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