Going for a wander

Today was the first time that I got to stretch my paws since the horrible plastic bag incident, and so we both took ourselves off to the water to look at a couple of the sights. The weather was great (or at least better than when I arrived), and so I think that I got a little bit of scorched fur for my troubles - I took this shot of the Opera House, which still gets me every time that I come to Sydney. I know that it is a cliché and that 1,000s of photos are taken every day of the building but it is still one of the most impressive pieces of architecture in the world. For us that live in Scandinavia, we can be especially proud given that it was designed by a Dane, Jórn Utzøn (which I know to be true) and that the tiles that give it its white sheen are from Höganäs in Skåne (which I think I heard somewhere, but I like the idea of that so I'll have it...

Following that, a quick wander in the Royal (if you're a republic, you'll have to change that) Botanical Gardens, where you see animals that you don't see anywhere else in the world, and then a quick stop at the hotel for coffee before heading off on a shopping trip. Now Australia is famous for quite a few things and I think that I bought most of them - one of them is a present, so I am not going to reveal exactly what I bought :-) Needless to say, enough money was spent in the QVB building in the Pitt Street Mall and in various stores around the city.

The one bit of culture that I thought that I would do today is the Museum of Sydney where there was an exhibition about changing the part of town called the Rocks. Following a quick look round (big museums are a put off for ADHD bears), I now know where Darling, King and Phillip Streets in Sydney got their names, and the name of the Aboriginal Tribe whose land the British took over when they arrived - very useful for when I participate in who wants to be a Millionaire Bear... Don't ask me now - I've forgotten, but I have great prompted recall!!!

Anyway, we'll see what happens this evening, but I am not feeling wonderful - still a bit under the weather from the travel, I guess. See you tomorrow!

G'day Australia!!!

I apologise to those of you whole have been waiting from an update from Australia, but I have been rather tied up in my Japanese plastic bag for 24 hours and doing two overnight flights in a week certainly takes its toll on your body! I have been catching sleep to get on the time zone and finally, I think that I am there! It's Friday night in Sydney, so tomorrow promises to be filled with sightseeing and shopping - more than a bear can cope with...

Just to prove that I am here - here's a picture of the Sydney Harbour Bridge!

One thing that I did manage to do last night, was sneak away for dinner at this amazing restaurant :-) The fabulous art-deco building apparently used to be the HQ for TAA, an old Australian airline company. But it is certainly some of the most impressive architecture that I have seen of its kind outside of Miami - anyway, check out the Rockpool Bar and Grill

High Drama

Your hapless adventurer / reporter was almost not able to complete his mission and write up his escapades in Australia and China, because the other one - or should I say the absent minded on almost left me in the hotel in Tokyo. Not much to blog about if you are in plastic bag on a shelf in Japan (unless you are a Conservative MP) - but luckily the ANA Intercontinental moved heaven and earth to bring me to the sheepish and hapless fool who was headed towards the airport.

Ittekimasu

The brief trip to Tokyo is over until we come back the next time in about two weeks - I have just seen the other guy pack the suitcase with winter clothes, because we are heading to Sydney tomorrow evening! Can't wait!

So Tokyo is an amazing place, with so much to see - the picture I took from the window just shows it off nicely - loads of lights and bustle and cars. The other one went for a nice dinner at the しゃぶしゃぶ （Shabu Shabu or shake shake - because that is what you do with your meat in the broth) place with friends Shuta and Alex, and they apparently talked about the differences between Europe and Japan - of which there are many :-)

However, it is such an amazing place - 12.2 million people, that feels much smaller because they are used to living so close to each other, karaoke bars the size of small hotels, the wonderful food - because it must be impossible to have a bad meal in Japan) - so until we embark on the bigger adventure - ittekimasu or I am going, but I am coming back again!

Japanese bathrooms

So, I wanted to discuss something that people have asked me a lot about before I headed over, and that is Japanese toilets - are they really as people say they are. Well, not sure about that, but they are quite different to the ones that we have at home.

Firstly, the toilet seat is heated - I kid you not; not sure how cold it gets in Japan in the winter, but I am sure that that is a very definite welcome start to the day :-) Additionally, the flush controller looks like it has been designed by Bang and Olofsen :-) Look at it, there are so many different buttons that the mind boggles as to what they all do! Well, there is a bidet function, a 'deodorizer' and another button, that I haven't pressed yet, and am not really sure that I want to :-/ have to get the dictionary out and see what happens.

Anyway, I think that we need more of these in Sweden :-) What do you think?

Tadaima!!!

Hey, so we have finally arrived in Japan - nothing too exciting happening on the way. I guess that's best when it comes to flying anyway, especially when you have your face stuck in a leather bag for twelve hours - not that I am bitter....

Anyway, the other one was banging on about Pocari Sweat or something when he arrived, something about rehydrating to keep wrinkles off... anyway, after the usual 1 hour bus ride from Narita, we were pretty tired so we put our heads down.

From what I have seen so far, Japan is an amazing place - there are 12,2 million people living in Tokyo alone - and the views from the hotel are awesome - I'll send you a picture tomorrow. There is a traditional cemetery under the hotel, and I can see the prime minister's residence from my... our room. At least, he has stuck me by the window this time...

Ganbatte kudasai!!!!

Sorry, again it looks like I am going to be sitting around the hotel for a large part of the early trip - something about work... Keep a bear in the style to which he has become accustomed and all that. So I thought I would turn my hand to Japanese - and I am studying at Dalarnas Universitet (or University of the Valleys, if you are feeling poetic). Anyway, it's quite 'Japanese hard' in the sense that it is homework intensive. Fun though and a big shout to the group members :-)

Anyway, heading off soonish so I thought I would get some verb practice in as you can see - ganbatte kudasai means, please work hard! So I am!

See you in Tokyo - Ja mata! じゃ、また！

ちさい熊　(Little bear or chisai kuma, do you get it?)

Moving home???

For some unknown reason, the other one is moving home today - well at least he muttered something about going to pick up keys, which I guess means that we are moving. Why he is doing this a day before we are leaving on a big trip is beyond me, but that's him for you. I haven't yet been myself, but apparently it's nice.... Here's a picture

Lots to do, and he has been at the wallpaper place, Tapetorama, to choose what he is going to have around the place. All sounds very expensive, but so long as it doesn't detract from my onsen (steam baths in Japan), the visit to the Great Wall and some Opera House action, then I don't care what he does with his cash...

Anyway, just thought you'd like to know - haven't left yet... soon though!

Heading off in a couple of days

So the time has come to embark on another long adventure, this time to Japan, Australia, China, and back again to Japan for a longer holiday. The bigger bear (Chisai Kuma, he tells me means little bear) is working during the first part of the trip, but there should be time for a couple of updates - I mean I am not going to be writing anything from the comfort of my hotel room...

Nice to see old friends in Japan and Australia, and also to see China - cause the other one hasn't been there before.