Category Archives: Uncategorized

The last thing I did before leaving Okinawa was to pay my yearly Health Insurance bill – 12,902 yen. This is about 75$. Hooray! This gets me full medical and dental treatment. I didn’t exactly leave Okinawa; I was driven … Continue reading →

Yes, it means I have been back to the dentist. After misery and pain, I reward myself with a nice, big octopus from the Tomari Fish Market. Mina san, who has been voted Okinawa’s funniest dental nurse, no mean achievement … Continue reading →

This is what I have been leading over the last few months -no great drama, nor tragedy and only bits of comedy. I blame the weather; well, up to a point. It rained consistently for the first 2 months and … Continue reading →

I will start by recording progress on my fitness campaign. You will remember that I walk to nearby restaurants and gorge thus becoming fitter and stronger. To mark the upcoming Irei no Hi, OIST organises talks. I have experience with … Continue reading →

My phone is buzzing with warning emergency messages. They are in Japanese so I can only speculate. The loud speakers in the streets roar out messages. Finally a message in English comes over but I can’t understand due to the … Continue reading →

My new favourite places are the fish restaurants beside the Ginowan Fishing Port. When not eating soba for lunch I eat there. They are only a skip and a jump from my salubrious apartment I am the only non Japanese. … Continue reading →

Anticipation is nearly always more thrilling than the act or event. The tycoon was pretty good but not much more than that. I would call it a severe tropical storm. It started off quiet but Okinawa took it seriously. Schools, … Continue reading →

About 7 years ago,Tim gave me a plant. It was n’t very big and was in a tiny pot. It has gone through phases of prosperity and collapse that correspond to my presence or absence from Okinawa. When I got … Continue reading →

Well, rainy season really. Ever since I got here in March, it has rained. Mostly fairly gentle stuff, but enough to give me an excuse for not doing much and also for the promotion of wonderful flowering trees. A slight … Continue reading →

I have made it to 74 – hooray! Tomomi san and Ichiro san ask me round for a birthday celebration meal. Such fun! We eat so well. Very good birthday!