Details of my travel whilst on the road: April 2007

44 hours til japan & top 100

I had a thought the other day that i should bite the bullet and compile a list of my all time favourite films (not best - favourite!) I am just a tiny bit busy getting ready to leave work and the rest to go to Japan on Thursday, but I wanted to make a public commitment that I will make a top 100 list. I have always resisted this as it is so hard, but having to write a top five list for a job application a while ago was fun... so I will extend it a little. Probably actually no one cares that I will do this, but I want to, and this may help keep me to it!

44 hours! YAY! Only 8 hours left of work til JP! :D :D :D Oh, and in 1 week today I will have just had the supremo lunch at Iron Chef Sakai's restaurant in Shibuya! SO EXCITED.

one week from now I will be out with Eriko and Reiko in Gifu, Japan - soon to head back to the hotel to get ready for the wedding tommorow!!!!!! :-D

quick update

Work is going well and my health is good.

It is only one week until I will have arrived in Osaka Japan! I am getting very excited, I cannot wait. I am using all of my spare time working out the agenda and budget for the trip! It will be so good to visit Japan - I have always wanted to go - and especially to see Kayo's home, wedding and to visit the wonderful friends I made at university. I still need to work out how to prioritise things to see and do in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka - if you have been and have advice, please email me! I have worked out what I need to pack, and trying to decide what luggage to use - i think either a small wheeled bag, a large backpack, or a hybrid. Oh, I am also trying to watch as many Hayao Miyazaki films (from studio Ghibli), in case I end up visiting the Ghibli museum in Tokyo.

Otherwise what is new.... I will meet up with all of the graduates in my program this Saturday for a boozy dinner, that should be good, and cousin Jono and family are visiting on Saturday lunch time. Can't wait.

Tonight I made a white miso sauce that also had sake, mirin, sugar and mustard in it. It is great, but I think its best as a marinade or baste - too strong to use as a regular sauce as i did tonight. Still, one more to add to the repertoire.

Anyway, will post before i leave for JP, and during or after trip - hopefully with pretty pictures of the Sakura (cherry blossom).

mattgranger.com update

Hi all, having just had to pay the subscription renewal on my personal website for domain and hosting, I am going to make more of an effort to get it up to date and worthwhile. I have just posted the first journal entry in a long time.

http://www.mattgranger.com

enjoy.