A Mixed Bag

4/6/11 After a couple of days of car auctions and other car related stuff we had a free day on Friday. Our flight doesn't leave until 8.30PM so the morning was spent strolling around Namba and Shin Sekai. I like trawling around the old shops full of old electrical equipment and machinery and tools. I did not know that there was such a thing as a computer parts recycler. There was all manner of obsolete components available, even some old glass valves. Another thing that seems to be growing in popularity is the electrically assisted bicycle. I don't know why anyone would pay Y70-80,000 for one of these things when you can have a good 50cc scooter for the same price. Osaka central is a decrepit place but there is a certain buzz to it and the rents are pretty high for accommodation. It makes me think that the next property I buy should be in this area. In the afternoon we went to Tenpozan. This place always has a relaxed feel to it even though its close to Namba. The cruise ship terminal gives a rare chance to access the waterfront and almost gives it a seaside feeling.

That evening we took the train out to KIX and got on an almost full airplane. Back home to a wet and windy NZ.

Pretending to work

So.....what did we learn from this experience? Firstly, the weather in Japan is just as unpredictable as any where else. The week before was hot. The weeks we were there were cold. The following week was hot. Then there was the typhoon in May. Nothing unique there....so much for all that crap about the seasons you constantly hear.  Secondly, Insurance everywhere is a great big rip off. We had travel insurance, car insurance and house insurance. Guess what? We ain't covered by any of it for damage to the Serena by the neighbours tree. It's just one of those things that no one is responsible for. When I do or fail to do something there is always someone holding me responsible and demanding something but, when something happens to me, ah well, that's different. Thirdly, travel agents are a group of people than I no longer need to have in my life. For the last couple of years I have booked my own flights and accommodation. This trip, being a group event, we ended up using an agent who was a friend of someones wife. As well as screwing up our seats she neglected to inform us that the return date we requested wasn't available and just booked us on the one the next day. Won't be doing that again.

On the plus side of the ledger I got the repaired wall tidied up, pulled out the big privet bush, fixed the front step, got the new tatami mats and sprayed all the weeds. Subtract the van situation plus the damage to the flashing and tiles up on the roof and the fact that now there's 3 huge pieces of tree lying on the boundary and I feel it was a case of 3 steps forward two steps back.