Footy from Nippon with my fishing mates and a $2 Suntory Highball

[ism22]

Just thought I'd let everybody know that I've arranged a piss-up and a bit of footy with my old fishing mates in Japan.

My hotel's downtown, with lake views (penthouse room) and a private, rooftop hotspring so we're gonna watch Easts put a cricket score on manly in style (possibly followed by a relaxing massage... see if the parlour with that random pet kitten's still there).

This week's been a rollercoster and I hope the boys make sure of this one to give me a super positive end to the week before going home.

[Rooster36]

We’ll I hope the mighty brings a happy ending

[Moose]

Where abouts in Japan is this? Might have to suss out the area next time I'm over there

[Dr. Voodoo Man]

We’ll I hope the mighty brings a happy ending

In Japan happy endings are mostly for Japanese only.

[ism22]

Where abouts in Japan is this? Might have to suss out the area next time I'm over there

I guess closest to Kanazawa and Kyoto (Hukuriku region). Small-town stuff but definitely worth a visit!

[ism22]

In Japan happy endings are mostly for Japanese only.

Hahaha I'm a married man so none of that stuff.

All those girls hide when I'm out anyway coz they think I'm Russian anyway. I used to play a bit of pool with some Chinese and Taiwanese ladies down at a pool bar (they hang there off-shift). They were like 'lolz everybody hides when you're strolling around our turf at night coz they think you're a Russian sailor looking for a fight'. The ones I know wear bullet-proof underwear and spend most of their time ripping-off Japanese salarymen by saying 'oh yeah $500 and you can touch my leg', laughing as that gets them over the line prematurely and then sending the $$$ home to fund their kids through med degrees and stuff.

If you get these ladies going on politics (plus geopolitics), they know their shyte. Happy to forward some of John Menadue's questions to them to see if they agree (most won't, they're like 'hahah yeah all the Japanese salarymen tell us China's disgusting, then walk home going woooah, the people are all really friendly actually...'

For whatever reason, my Chinese friends from the pool bar don't understand the Japanese word for 'Australia' so I tell them all I'm from beijing. FWIW my Chinese and Taiwanese friends all hang-out together (there's no rift between them) and they'll all call Taiwan 'Taiwan'... they also use separate names for the the languages (which translate to 'Taiwan-Language' and 'Beijing-Language'). Interesting as English doesn't seem to make as many distinctions about languages like that.

My fishing mates concur with the above points. John Menadue thinks we're all Nazis who should pitch CCP flags outside, otherwise we might be on 'the wrong side of history'.

[ism22]

Crazy... I ducked out at 1/2 time to get a drink. Literally walked into some random hole in the wall bar and just said 'hey can I get some booze and snacks?' (In Japanese).

That place was totally random. Some Korean lady born in 1972 with a brother in Melbourne ran it (we're talking small town Japan here).

I grabbed a drink with a few locals, then some tool came in and started being ridiculously rude to the owner (saw me, knew she was Korean so was a total @rse). I was no white knight or anything... by using her modest/polite nature she somehow ejected the dudes without dramas and we had a bit of a debrief about it all.

Then... she called up one of her friends, got her brother on the phone and we had a massive piss-up (Cheese style). Turns out her brother's a large corporate client of a firm that I regularly deal with (didn't identify myself for privacy but the connection was insane).

Won't bore you all with her life story but fark the human race is strong. A few hours with people like that is worth a lifetime. I hope people are always thinking that when somebody different from them comes up.

To cap it all off, Easts (who I had full faith in at half-time) seem to have edged out a 20-10 win. I'm not gotta ask what happened but fark me! More proof that some people just somehow seem to land on their feet.

I'm drunk on Korean wine but am still gonna do the other tasks on my checklist (plus hoard some Japanese convenience store food for my colleagues back home).

What a farking golden night... oh and Cummins, you're a bloody cheat! Good lucky binning me bro

[milanja]

I hope you keep posting well into the night, sounds like you are having a blast!

[ism22]

I hope you keep posting well into the night, sounds like you are having a blast!

LOLz thanks mate! It's been a great night but alas I must sleep now. Many memories made, lotsa e-mails/contacts swapped. Go easts!!

[rented tracksuit]

Just thought I'd let everybody know that I've arranged a piss-up and a bit of footy with my old fishing mates in Japan.

My hotel's downtown, with lake views (penthouse room) and a private, rooftop hotspring so we're gonna watch Easts put a cricket score on manly in style (possibly followed by a relaxing massage... see if the parlour with that random pet kitten's still there).

This week's been a rollercoster and I hope the boys make sure of this one to give me a super positive end to the week before going home.

Say hi to one or two of those Japanese kittens for me.

[ism22]

Say hi to one or two of those Japanese kittens for me.

Hahaha fortunately they're still there, my old friend hasn't left and the kitten (while grown-up now) always comes up for a stroke post-massage when you're sitting around, drinking tea and having some general chit-chat.

Business is a bit slow due to corona but I was impressed by everybody's spirits. Nobody seems to have downed their service/standards. Rather, everybody's happy to see an old friend return and they all had time for a solid catch-up.

[rented tracksuit]

Hahaha fortunately they're still there, my old friend hasn't left and the kitten (while grown-up now) always comes up for a stroke post-massage when you're sitting around, drinking tea and having some general chit-chat.

Business is a bit slow due to corona but I was impressed by everybody's spirits. Nobody seems to have downed their service/standards. Rather, everybody's happy to see an old friend return and they all had time for a solid catch-up.

Nothing better than a post massage stroke.

Glad you are living it up bud.