Got the Job

Well i found out a couple of weeks ago that I will be the new SPA of Shizuoka Prefecture.
SPA stands for Special Prefecture Advisor
So I will start from the end of July and work for one or two years depending on how well i do and if i like the job.
My job is basiclly, helping JET ALTs (ALTs- Assitant Langauge Teachers) come to Japan, sort out there job placements, life in japan and at their school, organise seminars, orientations and any other problems that they might have.
I am really excited to do this job and cant wait to start it.

Classic All Blacks vs Japan

Well last weekend Ayako and I went to Tokyo to watch the big game with Sasha and Sachiko. It was great to see see some of my rugby heroes play in Japan as it doesn't happen very often. Once in 10 or so years. the score was 36-6 (if i remember right) to the classic All Blacks. Japan did very well but we must remind ourselves that this was the 'Classic' All Blacks and not the All Blacks and the last time Japan played the All blacks in a rugby game the score was 145-19 (a world record at the time). So you can see there is a difference between the two sides.
Anyway, after the game Ayako, Sasha, Sachiko and I went out drinking in Roppongi and watch the Super 14 semi final between the Crusaders and the Bulls. We lost which was very sad but the cool thing was that we watched it with the classic All Blacks. So we were able to have a chat and a beer with some of the greats of world rugby like Merts, Spencer, JK and John Hart. Ayako was able to get a few photos with some of them and we all had a great time apart from the Crusaders losing.

Photos are HERE

Not so interesting weekend.

Well start the weekend off with a night out at karaoke with some friends.
Saturday just relaxed around the house watching TV and doing Internet stuff. In the evening I went out with Ayako and her family and her mother's brother's family for a family dinner. More like a house warming for a her cousin who has just moved into his own apartment but it wasn't at his apartment, so i don't know if you can really can call it a house warming?! After that went back home to watch the rugby. Crusaders vs The force (perth,aust) and what and arse kicking that was. 53-0. The crusaders are looking good at the moment and are slowing picking there game up. Good to see.
Sunday, had a game of cricket in shizuoka against the Paddy Foleys from Tokyo. Always good fun but this time it didnt seem like fun. It feels our team is just in the game to win and it is making things hard for everyone. Lots of people arguing and shit like that.
Sunday night I was all alone as Ayako went to Tokyo with her parents to see her sister's new apartment.

Kytes C.C vs Indian Engineers C.C

well my season isn't getting off to the start i was hoping for and at the moment i am unsure where to start to get it right as we don't have time to practice so the game is the only time to try anything and if you go out cheaply then that is it. lets hope i can sort out my batting woes in the next game.
anyway the kytes lost another warm-up game, this time to the Indian Engineers. it was a good game but our bowling let us down, but it didn't help that we were one short in the field.

Photos are HERE

some funny pictures.

here are some funny pictures that have been appearing at train stations around japan for the last 2 to 3 years.
it is all about smoking manner. not about quiting smoking but about the manner. very funny and strange.

here is some in my gallery and here is some more from the JT Delight World website.

37.8 degrees

that was my temperature this morning. i had a high fever last night and today, so means that i didn't have to go to work today. yay. watched Lost all day. was feeling good all day but now the temperature is starting to rise so will have to see how i go tonight.

18th Kytes vs Wombats

Well we had a our first game of the cricket season and what a cold one it was. we started off with a lost. It wasn'tt that bad but it was against our close rivals the wombats.
The game started with the wombats smashing us all around the park for 296 for 4 or so.
Then we went into bat and were very lucky to make it to 151 all out. if it wasn't for some players finally getting some runs then our total might have been very low, i mean very very low, i mean like under 100 runs low.

My New 40inch Sony LCD TV

Well on Saturday I got my new Sony 40inch TV. Man it is so good and big. I can now hook up my computer to it and watch all the NZTV that I have been downloading. It is so great to catch up on NZTV.
Next is to hook up some really nice speakers to it so that I blast the neighbours with it. hehe

Before and after shots are here

The Crusaders VS The Sharks

This weeks big game is between the Crusaders and the Sharks. The Crusaders have just come off the back of a big win (48-29 vs the Cheetahs(South Africa) and will be looking to stake their claim for this years Super 14 Title and to make it a 2 wins 1 lost on their South African tour. They are up against the Sharks (South Africa) who have had a week off as they had a bye and a 3 wins from 3 games.

Overall: Crusaders 9 wins, Sharks 2 wins, 1 draw

At Sharks home venues: Crusaders 3 wins, Sharks 2 wins

VS

I think the Crusaders will come away with the win but only just.

Go the Crusaders

* The Crusaders lost the game in the last minute 26-27.

The Asunaro English Kids ' Listen Up' page

I work at the Asunaro Education Centre where I help out with the web page for kids to test there skills in English, Science, Japanese language and some other subjects.

here is the link to the English section link

check it out and see how your english is?!

Shizuoka Kytes first practice of the year.

Well it was a coldish but sunny day in Shizuoka city. All the boys that said they would be there at 11am to help with some work on the ground were nowhere to be seen, but this is very typical of kytes players.
Anyway, when everyone finally turned up we were able to have a nice relaxing practice. Of course everyone was rusty from a long winter break but that was to be expected.
After the practice we moved to the warmer kytes club house and got down to business, well after the beers had came. After a lot of talking, alot of yes, no's, and that sounds good but.... we finally finished and were on our way homes.
It was a good day and lets just hope that our season goes the same.

photos to come.......

Mt Fuji

here is a photo of the old war horse from the gotemba outlet shopping centre.

Update.
So here is a video I took of Mt Fuji from Hamamatsu city.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7X1I07HL-rQ

The Family Trip to Tokyo

Well we started off around 6pm on Sunday night. Everything was going very smoothly until we hit Kanagawa Prefecture ( the prefecture in between Shizuoka and Tokyo) We smashed in to the biggest traffic jam i have even been in. 25 kms long. it took ages to get to Tokyo.
Well we arrived there around 11pm and checked into the hotel and then we and picked up Keiko and Tetsuro to go out for dinner. We had curry for dinner and at the same restaurant that Ayako and I would eat at when we came to Tokyo a few years back. Monday we all got a early and drove to Ueno to go to the museum that is showing the Te Papa Maori exhibition. It was good to see ..... to be continued

here are some photo that i have uploaded so far ----------> HERE


東京首都ドライブ - Driving through Tokyo

Kytes Cricket team's New Year Party

Well we had our new year party last night. we gave out awards to people who scored the most runs (me) and took the most wickets (Ben) and was the best fielder ( Sharpy) We also gave some other funny awards to others who we thought did something funny or stupid over the season. After almost 3 hours of drinking we moved to Our Boozer to finish off the night.

Ski Trip to Hakuba

Last weekend a few of us from cricket went skiing in Nagano. We went for 2 days to the Happoone ski field. This is one of the biggest ski fields in Japan and the biggest i have ever been too.

Click here to see some more photos

Update.
A few weeks ago the family and I went to the Iwata Snow Festivial.

雪in磐田市 - Snow in Iwata - Look around the festival.


雪in磐田市 - Snow in Iwata   - Rua and I


雪in磐田市 - Snow in Iwata   - Reka and I

Shizuoka Kytes Work Day No #2

Well today was the shizuoka kytes work day and we tried to move a bench or two.

We asked some Japanese guys playing touch American football to help us out.

Well we got one in and abandoned the second one.



Thanks to the kytes players that came and thanks to the American football guys for helping out.

PS the camera on my phone is in a different place compared to my last phone so i havent got use to it yet.

Me & Ayako in Gunma

On our way to the party after (二次会) Sacha & Sachiko's Wedding.

Update

Here is some Christmas lights display

Christmas Lights in Japan: クリスマスライト

Congratulations Sacha & Sachiko

What a fantastic day it was. Ayako and I traveled to Gunma prefecture to see our two best friends finally get married. The wedding ceremony was fantastic and the receptions was full of many and wonderful surprises. Congratulations guys.

Click here to see some photos from the 2nd party.

Where I Work video

Click to watch

Happy New Year

I hope everyone had a happy new year.
I will update this page more this year so please keep reading and i hope to have some new features too.
thanks all.

ashley