So, I’ve started driving lessons again. Maybe I’ve mentioned this previously already but lessons in Japan take place on a special course off the road. It’s usually an oval circuit with internal chicanes and so forth in the centre. Anyway, I’ve only had my first lesson so far but I’ve found that all the hours I’ve put in back in London have not gone to waste. My body still seems to remember how to start, change gears and control the car. However, the Japanese getting license is a lot more painful than in the UK. You have to first get a provisional license by practising on these off road circuits for a number of hours and then after you’ve got that you can start practising on the roads. Finally, after taking the on-road test, you have to take another course for driving on highways and basic first aid. Within all that there’s the theory test for the provisional and another theory test for the full license. Expensive, time consuming but hopefully worthwhile at the end of it!

Oops, that was a hell of a long paragraph!

Anyway, today was the first time I drank a Japanese favourite, the hot coffee in a can from a vending machine. Unfortunately, the way I imagined I’d be sharing a hot coffee can and my first experience greatly differed. There’s something somewhat romantic about being on a date on a cold day, buying a girl a hot coffee can, warming up your hands whilst talking late into the evening sitting on a bench somewhere. … or something like that.

My granddad told me there are certain things a man must do to truly be whole:

1. Get a drivers license
2. Good money management
3. Photography
4. Be able to use a computer

My brothers view of things to prioritise is as follows:

1. Work
2. Find a girlfriend

My view? Well, I think I respect my grandfather a lot more than my brother, but work and finding a girl cannot be ignored. Ah well, one step at at time!

I finally got around to adding up my expenditure for the past few months. It was ridiculous! I started panicking over whether I would be able to continue to sustain this standard of living. First, I subtracted regular monthly costs, such as rent, phone, internet, etc from my pay. Other costs include, food, dry cleaning, hair cuts, as well as daily lunch. I think I may need to start doing my cleaning and ironing at home, eat combini-lunches and cut my hair less?

Having said that, it’s the sort of panic that is more to do with the lack of savings rather than my expenditure outstripping my income. Though, I do have to be more conscious of my spending.

The last couple of months have obviously included spending for settling in – furniture, tv, phone bill etc. I won’t be spending that much again for a while, but I do seem to end up going on spending sprees for clothes. I need to step back from this “elite” lifestyle…. or a pay raise?

The list of stuff I still want to buy:

• Nintendo DSi
• DVD/Blu-ray Player
• New laptop
• DSLR Camera
• Book case/shelves for my room

I think they’ll have to wait for a bit. Ahhh!!

Family

I met my cousins and uncle yesterday for the first time in ages. I’d met one of them last year when she came over to London but I hadn’t seen the others for over a decade. I was so worried that I wouldn’t recognise them at all. I ended up phoning them up at the station when I was pretty sure the group standing yonder was them… I was right. But yeah, my uncle hadn’t changed a bit. My cousins, I have no recollection of so it was nice to catch up with them again.

But yeah, that family drink A LOT! After dinner, we went to another bar – it was one of those places where they have labelled bottles for each customer… they had one. God, the bartender keeps topping up your drink. I can’t remember the name of the place, very secluded, quiet and regulars only kind of place. Wow, I’m hungover today.

The Break

I’m back from Las Vegas. I guess you knew that as I’m sure you all use Facebook. The question to ask seems to be “how was it?” or “how much did you lose/win?”. At the start of the holiday I didn’t really know why I’d decided to tag along. I wasn’t really in the frame of mind to gamble any money, nor was I excited about being across the other side of the world. Las Vegas didn’t seem like the place to unwind and relax. I still don’t think it is.

I adjusted to the strange pace of life after a couple of days and I started to enjoy my time there. After a mini blip with the jet lag and air conditioning screwing up my body for a day, I played my first whirl of slots and the Mojito Magic started. I still had my moments, the hot weather, the ice cold mojitos and the pool-side tanning, washed away my stresses.

There aren’t really many highlights to talk about; I’m not saying the trip was rubbish, far from it. I’m saying, we did some walking, talking, swimming, drinking, eating and gambling. I guess the one thing worth mentioning is the Penn and Teller show at the Rio – thoroughly entertaining. Although some of the tricks were not that impressive, it still was a nice night out.

Although there were a few frustrating moments, some minor disagreements, some frayed tempers, those moments complement the many wonderful memories of my week in Las Vegas. I’m not sure when or if I’ll ever return to that strange city but I had a great time.

O, I only lost around 20 dollars