Nokonoshima!

I can't remember how to say that word. I get the "o" and the "ko" mixed up everytime. I went there yesterday with Miho, the lady I taught for the other week and her friends. It was great but I didnt have any money, since I figured we were just going somewhere to hike. Sadly, this is Japan, and Japan charges you for everything short of the air you are breathing. It turns out that there is no bridge to the island, like I though, just a ferry. And you have to pay to go and look at their flowers and kisch shops. I don't know why they don't just make admission free and charge more for souvenirs like everywhere else in the world. Anyway. I felt really bad about Miho having to may for my ferry ride, so when they asked whether we should take the bus, I suggested we walk(to save money). I ended up carrying her 4 year old son Haru, who isn't used to walking by himself apparently. It took us about an hour and a half to walk to the top of the mountain and on the way saw a TON of creepy huge spiders. Still not the biggest I've seen in Japan though.
Anyway, The park was really nice, although very flowerless. Apparently the typhoon had blown away all the summer blooms, so we have to wait till the autumn flowers bloom to get the full effect. We had lunch at the top and then we went and saw the sites. Basically, the entire park was like any Botanical Gardens in Canada I have ever seen, except there was a petting zoo here and I got to feed rabbits and goats.
That's clearly not me, but Momo, who also helps teach with Miho, but more often. Anyway, we went and walked to the very end of the park and then sat on a really sunny hill for about an hour and a half. I ended up falling asleep and got a sunburn, which was worse on the left side of my body thanks to the angle of the sun. The only reason I woke up was because Haru was poking me in the face to get me come on an adventure.


We ended up taking the bus down the mountain, because everyone was really tired. The park is freaking huge. This is the island for your viewing pleasure. Its really big. Oh and also a picture of the view from the top. Really fun day, and I got lots of exercise. I think I am starting to get a cold. I attribute it to stress, since I am eating really well and I get lots of exercise here. Its just a little sore throat right now and I am battling it with bananas and tofu, so hopefully it doesn't get any worse. Today was another 10 minute karate class, where we got our uniform and then were dismissed after learning some bows. Next week we actually get to do stuff. Apparently the teacher has cancer so this year will be his last to teach. Kinda gives you a good reason not to disappoint him though, so hopefully everyone tries really hard. I just wanna punch some stuff, LOLOL. I went to the gym to try to meet with the judo club but the doors to the practice room were locked, so I assumed that everyone had decided not to go. Maybe tomorrow, eh? Light music club on Wednesday. I'm super jazzed.

Oh, and the only picture that I got of me on the island. Well, the one guy took about a million of me, but I don't know him, so those pictures are a write off.

Oh, and I mailed two chocolate bars today to see if they actually make it to Canada. Kaori kept saying how the bars would get crushed, but I couldnt explain it to her that I didn't care, its just chocolate which is going to be eaten anyway. Oh well. It is a good test to see if I can mail home chocolate. I will send bigger packages next time for sure. As it stands, I am feeling really, really lazy and I can't be asked to pay attention to anything Canada related. I know its sort of an assholey thing to do, but its just a phase I think. I just need to get all my shit together here and then I can resume normalcy. I didn't even put a not in with the chocolate. Totally absent-minded. Okays, that's all. I'm going to some festival tonight, so I'll have more pictures. soon. Check my other site for all the pictures I took.