Superstar me

What a week it was last week. I am sort of glad to be hidden away in this tiny corner of the world, I don't think I could handle the pace of life on the mainland for too long... it was like being back at uni with the daily/nightly drinking but this time with karaoke, high-tech cameras and confusing foreign money.

I spent Monday to Wednesday biking around the city (which is scary, the roads are narrow and people bike in both directions on both sides of the street) shopping like a manic with a credit card (but of course you can't use those here). I have never enjoyed shopping in New Zealand, I think it is just an absence makes the heart grow fonder thing. Having been deprived of shops for so long I went a little crazy at the range of goods on display. Most of the damage was done at the 100 yen shop though so it wasn't as poor-making as it could have been (those shops are incredible everything from cushions to garden rakes, peanut butter to lap-top carry bags... I purchased many, many pairs of toe socks there).

But most importantly of everything... I believe I have found me a sewing machine. Oh blessed day! One of Nic's workmates had one but it doesn't go so well. I will pay the repair costs and it is all mine, mine, mine. I have bought fabrics in anticipation.

My new favourite thing is biking at night and singing. I frightened some locals with a particularly enthusiastic version of 'horse with no name' at one traffic light.

The conference itself was goodly, more useful information to try to cram into my poor wee head. I am sure it will all fall into place once I finally actually start doing my job... I keep telling myself it will anyway.

Saturday I started exhibiting unusual behaviour and played soccer (in a team called the Shimane Samurai Superstars) and watched the rugby. I thoroughly enjoyed doing rather badly at both. Playing soccer I managed to give someone smaller than me a bloody knee and shut my eyes twice when the ball got too close... but apparently I will be allowed to play again should the occasion arise. In the general excitement of the rugby I managed to consume 5 chuhais (the cheapest most potent alcohol I have met) and spent the night talking thirteen to the dozen to anyone foolish enough to be in my general vicinity... so I think it best that I hole up on the island for a while...

In other news I have gone technological and purchased me a cell phone. They don't have text here, they just email from phone to phone so you can email it and I can email back any old time anyone feels like saying hi. I won't put the address here in case the odd message leaving person is as scary as they seem.

Sorry to people who are eagerly awaiting emails from me (you know you secretly are) but I can't get into yahoo from this computer. I think I may just have to suck it up and convert to evil gmail... can someone send me an invite just in case I get into my account one of these days? Sorry to non-gmailers but these are desperate times. Hotmail has stopped working here too.