tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-239069332008-07-24T16:52:33.893+09:00Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10372867185647178937noreply@blogger.comBlogger425125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23906933.post-35815569962237074602008-07-24T16:44:00.002+09:002008-07-24T16:52:33.908+09:00

Greetings, Again, I have to apologize for my lack of updates. I have enjoyed my time in Thailand, and will soon be flying back to Texas for an extended visit. What have I been doing? Volunteering in underfunded government schools with the Thai Mueang Volunteers; read about my first two weeks in Thailand here. What am I doing now? Exploring the rest of the country until my flight departs on

Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10372867185647178937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23906933.post-25820489777231353592008-07-14T19:32:00.002+09:002008-07-14T19:35:34.911+09:00

Although it is more closely affiliated with Thai history, Bangkok in the Balance gives a good perspective of Thailand in the 1980's and early 90's from the perspective of a Japanese, Tatsuya Hata.

Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10372867185647178937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23906933.post-42676214456315738482008-07-09T18:52:00.003+09:002008-07-09T18:57:43.110+09:00

Another individual is joining the ranks of Alan Booth and Tyler MacNiven. Craig Stanton will be walking the length of Japan in 2008; read about his journey on One Man Walking.

Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10372867185647178937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23906933.post-26397370407155912662008-06-26T21:48:00.001+09:002008-06-26T21:50:06.272+09:00

I should be back to regular updates on my new site Once A Traveler in a few weeks. Sorry about the delay - still negotiating internet access in Thailand. In the meantime, I will be posting a few more pieces on Japan. Patience.

Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10372867185647178937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23906933.post-55770793396744550412008-06-21T22:39:00.005+09:002008-06-21T23:15:09.313+09:00

I never seem to catch on to my own actions until they're in the distant past. Even now, I'm still in denial - more like ignorance - of my situation. I have given up my residency in Japan... I am on a ferry to China... soon I will be making my way to Thailand... The fact that I've been living on a diet of no breakfast foods, Subway sandwiches, soft cream, and ramen dinners certainly doesn't

Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10372867185647178937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23906933.post-45618495288723518112008-06-13T04:17:00.003+09:002008-06-13T04:24:30.267+09:00

I'm in Beijing at the moment gathering the pieces of my Thai visa and visiting with some interesting locals. Although I have posted a few entries about Japan, I have yet to complete my pièce de résistance (on top of that, I can't view my blog... or any others, for that matter, with China's website blocks). Headed to Hong Kong and Phuket in a few days, so will post as soon as I can.

Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10372867185647178937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23906933.post-32579878965588304722008-06-12T00:52:00.004+09:002008-06-14T19:20:27.000+09:00

Cost of living. A lot of people ask me about it, complain about it when they're here, but I think I'll let the numbers do the talking: Starbucks grande hot chocolate ¥480 Movie ticket ¥1800 - except on the first day of every month, when theaters offer ¥1000 specials; shows after 10 pm are ¥1200. Subway club sandwich ¥490 w/ "large" drink +¥300 and two chocolate chip cookies +¥200 = ¥990

Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10372867185647178937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23906933.post-64288898661550116792008-06-10T09:57:00.003+09:002008-06-10T10:04:25.882+09:00

This little piece of advice came courtesy of a waitress at the Kangaroo Bar, a foreigner hang-out not far from Osaka Station. Two phrases in Osaka dialect to help you integrate better in the Kansai area: Maido まいど Konnichiwa　こんにちは Hello Okiini おきいに Arigatou gozaimasu　ありがとうございます Thank you

Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10372867185647178937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23906933.post-82230349661490199202008-06-05T13:16:00.003+09:002008-06-05T14:41:04.769+09:00

Twenty four hours to go. It's raining, I'm a little sick, and I need to stretch my legs. Inherent contradictions, I know. Although this will be my last blog entry written in Japan, it will not be the last entry on KPIJ; I still have a few ideas to get down for you heroes, including my summation of the last two years I've spend in Japan in a piece I call "From Shima to Shima": final thoughts

Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10372867185647178937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23906933.post-35920545185222055102008-06-05T12:27:00.002+09:002008-06-05T12:30:43.547+09:00

I've decided to open up my Sitemeter traffic reports to the public eye. Although it only keeps records for the last hundred visitors, readers will get a general idea of the month-to-month and year-to-year traffic (just take a look at July 2007, when The Truth About AEON was published). Enjoy.

Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10372867185647178937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23906933.post-86777195755762114642008-06-04T15:15:00.002+09:002008-06-04T15:29:34.063+09:00

What to see, what to do, what to read... I was looking over the English books available at Kinokuniya Fukuoka yesterday and it occurred to me I could spend an entire lifetime and never finish reading all the texts on Japan; everything has been jotted down, mapped, and stamped with a seal of approval. And I always see something appealing: Bar Flower, Lea Jacobson - an insider's perspective on

Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10372867185647178937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23906933.post-4952539512419825412008-06-04T14:35:00.002+09:002008-06-04T14:50:45.401+09:00

What do you get when three bureaucratic organizations collide? High blood pressure and not much else. I doubt even a 7-hour soak could calm me down. This was my official response after being turned down again for a Thai visa. Dear sirs, Good afternoon. I'm currently a foreign resident who has lived in Japan for two years. Recently, I decided to terminate my residency and travel to China

Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10372867185647178937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23906933.post-8702907801490396192008-06-03T23:26:00.005+09:002008-06-03T23:47:01.229+09:00

And just what does one do with less than 60 hours left in Japan? The various "S" tasks... - Slurp ramen till the sun comes up - Sleep in an environment that would make anyone envious of claustrophobics - Subject oneself to everything the Japanese bureaucracy has to offer: visa procedures, bank accounts, cell phones, immigration, travel agents, apartment leases, utility companies - Soak in the

Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10372867185647178937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23906933.post-66458935174491644732008-06-03T00:22:00.000+09:002008-06-03T00:22:32.439+09:00

I don't know why I'm in such a funk all of a sudden... maybe it's due to being a year older, maybe it's because I've made the intention of leaving Japan, maybe it's the stupidity of Chinese visa officials... all I know is I was two seconds away from tearing into the next person who chose to speak to me in fragmented English, which always makes me feel like an idiot... "日本語が話せます！　私は日本語で話していますか？　

Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10372867185647178937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23906933.post-48039682480079463952008-06-02T16:26:00.003+09:002008-06-02T16:38:40.492+09:00

The solution to the "Keeping Pace in Thailand" or "Keeping Pace in the World" problem is solved. Although I am rather fond of the Keeping Pace theme, I will be recording my later travels on the new domain Once A Traveler (with respect to John L. Parker). However, this will most likely be my headquarters and general information, not containing any specific blog entries, so it is entirely

Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10372867185647178937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23906933.post-60159619242103428122008-05-29T21:42:00.003+09:002008-05-29T21:47:05.126+09:00

The viewing public is starting to wane in numbers. At last count, Matador Study figured my Japanese customs article topped 106,000 hits in just over 24 hours. Wow.

Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10372867185647178937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23906933.post-40585692610034951262008-05-28T22:36:00.007+09:002008-05-29T01:45:09.217+09:00

Due to my recent article on Matador Study (58,000 hits and counting in just over 24 hours), I think it's time to show these readers what KPIJ is all about. Some of what I consider to be the best entries in terms of writing and substance from my time in Japan, which is slowly drawing to its natural conclusion. November 2006 An Epidemic - bullying in Japanese schools. December 2006 Take My 腎,

Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10372867185647178937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23906933.post-27085634782236351202008-05-28T16:18:00.004+09:002008-05-28T16:30:25.196+09:00

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7419969.stm Cannabis blunder at Tokyo airport An unwitting passenger arriving at Japan's Narita airport has received 142g of cannabis after a customs test went awry, officials say. A customs officer hid a package of the banned substance in a side pocket of a randomly chosen suitcase in order to test airport security. Sniffer dogs failed to detect

Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10372867185647178937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23906933.post-45350477456108361632008-05-27T22:50:00.004+09:002008-05-28T16:33:17.546+09:00

Another article is out, this time on MatadorStudy - 10 Japanese Customs You Must Know Before a Trip to Japan. Update 5/28: apparently the hit count for this article is going over 17,000, all within 24 hours. Not too shabby.

Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10372867185647178937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23906933.post-60773959091322144082008-05-27T13:49:00.000+09:002008-05-28T00:43:42.648+09:00

Remember that scene in the movie Crash, where the movie producer has his car hijacked? (Cue video to 5:34, then follow through to part 9) This guy has had it; he happens to be black, and within 48 hours, he's been victimized by the police for being "a black man in a good neighborhood", and had his partners confess they don't believe the American public is ready for the idea of an intelligent

Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10372867185647178937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23906933.post-28382067028156860692008-05-26T01:41:00.001+09:002008-05-26T01:42:20.736+09:00

Although I've spent two years in Japan, I've only been to Osaka twice. Once, for the job interview for my most recent employer. The second time was this past week, to obtain my Thai visa. I forgot what western Honshu was like, having spent so much time in Kyushu this past year. I don't claim to believe that Japan is a superficially beautiful country, with it having so much concrete laid

Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10372867185647178937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23906933.post-68805463598424760702008-05-24T23:25:00.000+09:002008-05-26T00:01:55.896+09:00

Horner assured reporters that this was normal for him... he would just go to the park, put on his uniform, and wait for the game to begin. Better to save your energy for actual play, he explained. Many Japanese were horrified to hear this. To them, pregame practice was as much a part of playing baseball as the game itself. To some people, it was more important. A good hard workout every

Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10372867185647178937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23906933.post-71965041091416549572008-05-24T22:11:00.002+09:002008-05-24T22:13:02.549+09:00

I'm going to try to buy a new domain name and incorporate KPIJ into my worldly travel blog, so don't be surprised if minor superficial changes appear and disappear over the next few weeks. The entries will remain up.

Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10372867185647178937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23906933.post-296837181935542662008-05-23T23:07:00.002+09:002008-05-23T23:10:26.854+09:00

My newest Brave New Traveler article, "5 Lesser Known Ways to Stay Fit When Traveling", is now online.

Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10372867185647178937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23906933.post-89334410002598542792008-05-22T00:21:00.003+09:002008-05-22T03:10:12.551+09:00

Japan is infamous for having a bureaucracy that surpasses even the anal-retentive souls working at DMVs across the United States: "You missed a comma here. Please fill out all twenty forms again and come back next month between 8:07 and 8:23 AM." "I'm sorry, but we cannot process this on a Tuesday. It has never been done before, and I can think of no practical reason to start now simply

Turnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10372867185647178937noreply@blogger.com