Author Archives: spikekalashnikov

Starts on Saturday evening when I rent two tanks. Up very early on Sunday morning and off we go to Cape Maeda – 5 mins from the apartment. It is a perfect morning, blue, sky, calm, warm, blue, sea, sun. … Continue reading →

I have always loved going places by boat. My earliest memory is a trip from Campbeltown to Greenock on a steamer. I cannot quantify the excitement. Today I go from Okinawa to Tsuken, the island of carrots. Notice Carrot metaphor … Continue reading →

So I set off on an adventure. I am early for the boat so I set off on the bike to find a restaurant. I am on the East side of Okinawa, just across the road from a fishing port.There … Continue reading →

I will go on a little bit about the field that is quite close to my apartment. When I got here in February it was fallow. I then spied a man working it with a large motoculteur, which I believe … Continue reading →

Blue sky, turquoise sea and a strong wind to add a little chop to the waves, perfect conditions for the annual Haari Boat races in Maeganeku Fishing Port. Our teams had been practicising in an academic fashion over the previous … Continue reading →

I get up this morning – eat some miso soup and fire up the computer. My niece has posted a video of Beyonce on Facebook which I look at in a desultory sort of way. I have heard of Beyonce … Continue reading →

The worst thing about yesterday’s typhoon was that it started too late so I could not see its full fury. It built during the afternoon and went totally crazy at about 9:00 – too late to see. Howling and screaming … Continue reading →

Big typhoon on its way. Hooray! Will I be tested like MacWhirr? “Captain MacWhirr had sailed over the surface of the oceans as some men go skimming over the years of existence to sink gently into a placid grave, ignorant … Continue reading →

Vegetation here is science fictionish. Spikey- bulbous –  alien – prehistoric. I expect to see a huge purple and yellow iguana  emerge and crunch a scarlet/navy terrapin.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that no matter where you go you will find a group of people playing Irish traditional music. Okinawa ? A Japanese island  somewhat lost in the East China Sea.  I had resigned myself to … Continue reading →