Cue the Montage: Part 2

We are not, so to speak, the types who would traditionally do this sort of thing. But we both agreed on the ride over, that we were perhaps, the types who would like to have done this sort of thing. The poster proclaims boldly "Hell Ramen", and presents the would be challenger with a hand-drawn representation—a tower of noodles poking out from thick tonkotsu broth, the kind made from marrow, ringed by pork slices. Green crayon curls of spring onion, and a plump cherub, crossed eyes and bursting belly, complete the picture. And yes, all this could be yours for a paltry 2000 yen. In fact, if you can manage to eat it all in 25 minutes, we'll give it to you for free.

I would like to say, that the noble gaijin sallied forth, spoons and chopsticks in hand, and vanquished the lofty foe. But here's what really happened. "It's a holiday, and we're really busy, but if you want to wait an hour..." Well...a whole hour? I guess, there are always other trips. Afterward it was agreed that we would have died, and painfully, had we attempted the feat. I still think, someday, we will.

The day continued with a drive along the coast, through kilometers of one lane mountain roads, laced with blind-corners, and cleverly concealed rain ditches lurking in the undergrowth. The sea flashes out between gaps in the trees as we fly along. Our destination is irrelevant. We're just driving to see what's out there. But then...

Some of you may be familiar with the perhaps unfortunate Bond film which took place in Japan? In English: "You Only Live Twice" but in Japanese the much catchier moniker of "James Bond Dies Twice". Oh yes, dear readers, it was filmed in Kagoshima. The scene where James Bond flies out to find the evil island hideaway in his gyrocopter? Cross it off the list. Been there, seen the plaque, photographed the evil island hideaway.




We returned to home base, secure in the knowledge that we had entered an elite group of gaijin.

I really did intend to get caught up tonight, but whoever coded flickr has some sort of horrible vendetta against humanity, and the 30 minutes I just spent jerking that god forsaken program around, begging it to let me sign in, has sapped me of precious sleep time. Tomorrow is Dai-ni middle school. My 2nd to last first day. Gotta keep the energy up.

So tomorrow you'll get to read about:
truly epic, booze drenched, tugs of war;
my life as court-jester in a middle school, laying down the entertainment, and saying the hard truths because I'm the only one who can without getting beheaded;
and the evolving oddity that is Kikai island. It continues to delight and surprise.