Hello Japan! (part 2 - other areas)

In this second set of my vacation pictures, I will be introducing some sights from places outside of Tokyo. I planned for a two-week Japan trip on purpose so I can not only fully-explore Tokyo but also spend some time out of it.

This is the view of the sulphur hot springs from the cable car in Hakone (1.25-hour train ride from Tokyo). Yellow bits of sulphur and the smell of rotten eggs filled the lightly-snowing air that afternoon. Hakone is a good place to visit for a day trip.

At the open area of the Ten-Zan hot spring in Hakone after a really relaxing few hours. This onsen is a little out-of-the-way but it is very authentic and is highly recommended. At 1200 yen per visit, you can't go wrong. There were so many naked see-no-touch hot young muscular guys around and they got me so bothered that I had to visit some see-and-touch establishments back in Tokyo that very night!

This is the famous Nishiki Market in Kyoto (2.25-hour bullet train ride from Tokyo).

Visiting markets is one of the must-do things during all of my holidays. Having lots of free samples available for tasting is just one of the many reasons why.

Things on sale at the market can be as intricate as carved root vegetables (top picture) and as unknown as the stuff shown in the middle picture.

The wonderful thing about these market stalls is how specialised the goods on sale are, be it pickled vegetables, tea, seaweed or steamed egg rolls!

Kyoto is the old capital of Japan and these (refurbished) streets have been done up in a way to mimic the olden days—definitely a different feel here compared to the oft-claustrophobic metropolis we call Tokyo.

Monks seen at a Kyoto subway station. What you can't see from this picture is how disciplined their actions and movements are (think military precision).

Don't be fooled by this huge Christmas tree at my Kyoto hotel lobby. Japanese are not big with this Christian holiday—them taking down the festive decorations before midnight on Christmas Day is a dead giveaway.

The nice little creek that runs through the city gives Kyoto a very peaceful feel. And where else can you find seat cushions at a bus stop?

In the top left you can see queueing directions on the small floor area of an ATM booth (how uniquely-Japanese) and in the bottom left a solution borne out of a lack of space. Top right shows a little garden that pops out of nowhere in the shopping district and bottom right shows mannequins found nowhere else but in Japan, the most polite country in the world.

If you want to see the most temples and shrines in the shortest amount of time, Nara Park (1-hour train ride from Kyoto) is the place to go. Deers roam wild there and create their own little problems, both to the visitors and the cleaners.

It was a rainy night when I was in Osaka (0.5-hour train ride from Kyoto). This is Doutonbori, one of the hipper places. The transparent umbrellas are the flavour of the day and I bought one too.

The longest shopping street in the country (Tenjinbashisuji) can be found in Osaka. 2.6-km of pure retail joy and some of the things on sale have really misleading labelling!

Love hotels are quite commonplace in Japan and this one in Osaka is very aptly-named.

Due to a lack of space, a lot of businesses (particularly bars) set up shop in apartment blocks and thus a block can house a lot of bars (note: "2F" means 2nd floor), some of which can only have 5 or so people in them at any one time. The one pictured above is from Osaka (straight joints) but I have been to the ones in the Tokyo gay area (Shinjuku Ni-Chome)—they are a must-see for all gay visitors!

Hello Japan! (part 1 - Tokyo)

Late last month I spent almost two weeks in Japan, a land I have never stepped foot on and two of the biggest unfounded fears I had before the trip (ie. it is going to be expensive and it is going to be difficult not knowing Japanese) can now be laid to rest. I urge every one who has not been there to take that journey for it will open your eyes to a new way of life, one that works and works very well. Even an Asian person like me from a highly-urbanised and efficient country was impressed with this seemingly-perfect balance of traditional and new, as well as spiritual and commercial. Lots of pictures and videos were taken during my much-needed vacation and in a series of weekly posts, I will share this most wonderful experience with you.

Akihabara is a place where all things electronics are sold. The entire street was freed of traffic the night I was there.

Winter in Tokyo is really mild and I had many perfect days there. My day at Asakusa was one of them.

Asakusa is touristy but I love the long shopping streets as they are the best places to learn about the culture of the land. Those umbrellas in the form of samurai swords are cute, aren't they?

Cute kittens that stay perched at the same spot for tourists to pose with and interesting modes of transportation in Asakusa.

High-end shopping in Ginza. Thankfully I am not one who seeks branded goods otherwise I wouldn't be able to enjoy the nice outdoor atmosphere. Once again the street has been freed of all traffic.

This is Harajuku (Takeshita Street pictured), where Japanese youth culture and commercialism exude from every corner. And then you chance upon this quiet shrine right in the heart of the bustling shopping district which totally transforms your perception of the city.

Tokyo Bay on yet another clear day. Although there aren't many interesting sights other than malls and game arcades in Odaiba, this picture alone is worth the train ride there.

The famous crossing at Shibuya (not as impressive at ground level and in the day). This place boasts endless criss-crossing streets of shops and eateries where you can spend hours on end to explore.

The day/dusk/night view of the Tokyo skyline atop Mori Tower in Roppongi Hills. I recommend spending that extra 500 yen to go on the Sky Deck for an even more awesome experience.

The famous Tsukiji Fish Market and a sample of the seafood on sale.

Although the tuna auction is closed to public this time of the year, the out-of-this-world crowd at the outer markets will blow your mind. You can't really shop with this many people but the electrifying local atmosphere was what I was looking for that day.

This is another crazy market called Ameyoko in Ueno. It is less crowded than the Tsukiji Fish Market and sells much more than seafood and produce (replica guns for example).

Ikebukuro is a major metro interchange and it has 43 exits! Can you imagine how many exits there are in busier stations like Shinjuku?

I was fortunate enough to experience New Year's in Tokyo. Ikebukuro seems to be where all the action is.

Other parts of the city were practically ghost towns on New Year's Day. It was a breath of fresh air to see Nihonbashi (Tokyo CBD) and Ginza void of the usual sea of people and the cacophony that comes with it.

Musical journey (42)

Hey hey I am back! It has been almost a month since my last post and boy has it been a crazy month. The stress of work over the last week has more than used up the relaxation points I have earned over my three-week holiday (two in Japan and one in Singapore).

To add to this, several international opportunities have popped up over the horizon, namely China and UK. The latter is my first choice but I would need to waste no more time and quickly apply for a spouse visa (my partner is a UK citizen) to enhance my chances of getting picked. The competition is really fierce as work is scarce in Melbourne right now and every one is clamouring for the glamorous UK opportunities. I just got off a phone conversation with the manager of the London office and it looks like an interview is in the works in the next two weeks or so, which might be the time when I have to confirm if I am going to take up the China gig for sure or not. Nothing is concrete at the moment and I seriously don't think I will be lucky enough to be in a situation where I am given both positions but still fingers crossed.

If I get the London role, it will be yet another huge move for us but it will be an extremely happy one as I have dreamed of living in Europe for the longest time (think of the amount of travelling we could do!). I think it is also a case of been-there-done-that with regards to Australia and it is time for a change in scene I reckon. It is an exciting time for us indeed.

I have tons of vacation pictures and videos to sort out before I can post them here so in the mean time, let me share with you a cover I did during my recent holidays at a bar called Shuffle in Singapore. I lost my voice from a lack of sleep over the "gruelling" holiday period (still hasn't gained it back yet) and it is obvious from the clip that I was struggling with the already-reduced high notes. Nevertheless it felt so good to be on the stage once again in front of an audience, something that I will never ever get tired of.

When two become one

I have not met anyone who makes me feel the same way I feel about you.

When we first met, I was already a complete person.

But I slowly discovered over the years that there is this other part of me that I didn't know existed.

And now after seven years of being together with you, I am still a complete person yet you make me feel so comfortable and at ease that I cannot imagine living my life without you.

I don't really know what that makes me other than a really lucky person, someone who is actually physically more than complete.

That is what you make me, more than complete.

And for that I want to thank you.

I know today's ceremony isn't much and is also kind of rushed but every thing that happens here today is not any bit less important or true.

And I want us to remember this moment forever.

I love you so much.

And I promise I will continue to love you this much for the rest of my life.

Musical journey (41)

Can love ever be wrong?

Can loving ever be a sin?

This month's musical journey attempts to address these questions with a song written many years ago when I was in a long-term and long-distance relationship with a married man. We had that going on for close to 7 years. We still keep in contact now and he sends me birthday greetings and emails now and again to see how I am doing.

Thinking back, it was 7 years of very intense emotions (almost daily emails between us) through a time when I experienced the most dramatic mental-growth. This relationship brought me through a very difficult period when I was struggling with my sexuality and lack-of-father-figure issues. It made me stronger and gave me clarity in terms of what I want in this life and what is important. It transformed me from a boy to a man. I will never forget this love as I certainly would not be the same person or as well-adjusted if we had not met. This relationship also made him realise that he needed to end his marriage with his wife and not live a lie any more (he did that only after our relationship ended). Once he started embracing the truth, he could finally move on to the next phase of his life. I am very glad he did because he now has a very loving partner and they are extremely happy together.

If so much good could come out of something viewed as wrong and sinful by many, who then is right? Surely choosing to be blinded by a lie is as bad or even worse, isn't it? To me, truth can never be a mistake because in the end, even the ex-wife benefitted from this for she now knows the truth. I understand that some people might be unable to fathom accepting this conclusion and I am not saying that they should. This is simply another one of life's little lesson that we all have to learn something from otherwise the suffering would have amounted to nothing.

Well even if nothing was achieved, I would have this song. It has one of my favourite tunes and I have had quite a number of compliments for it over the years. It is also the composition that has been earning me royalties for about five years now and counting. I still don't know who bought this song but I am glad it found an owner.

My favourite line is "If loving you is a sin, let me repent with these three words—I love you." What's yours?



[不会]

词 / 曲 : 锦泉

你的呼吸让我入睡
你的体温是让我取暖的被
我闭上眼你才能睡
不管你有多累
你的胸膛是我堡垒

你用心跳将我抚慰
你的眼让我看不见夜的黑
仿佛世界所有的美存在于你双臂
你让我懂爱何谓

若我爱你是个罪
告诉我什么是对
除了你， 我还能爱谁
千山万水没有所谓
只因有你带我飞
泪光也能折射成璀灿的光辉

若你爱我是个罪
就用 "我爱你" 三个字来忏悔
我找不到更好的词汇
花儿会枯萎， 星也会坠
我们的爱却不会
但愿下一世我们能再爱一回



[Never]

The sound of you breathing lulls me to sleep
The warmth of your body wraps around me like a blanket
You will only close your eyes after I have fallen asleep
No matter how fatigued you are
Your chest is my fortress

The sound of your heart beating soothes me
Your eyes make me not see the dark of night
It is as if all of the world's beauty exists between those arms
You let me know what love is

If loving you is a sin then tell me what is right
Who else can I love other than you
The distance does not matter for your love takes me on a flight
And makes my tears refract light into sheer brilliance

If loving you is a sin, let me repent with these three words "I love you"
I just cannot find more suitable ones
Flowers wither and stars fall but our love will never
I wish in our next lives, we can love again

10 lessons from the road

10 lessons I have learnt and pieces of advice I can offer gathered from my recent road-trip travelling in a caravan for the first time in my life:

1) Things will move violently when the vehicle is in motion. Secure EVERY single thing, including yourself. The victim in this hard-hitting lesson is my phone, which I can only service during my upcoming Singaporean trip as it is not released in Australia.

2) Equip yourself with a good cook and a good driver. In this case, we had a 2-in-1 model. Convenient as!

3) Do not assume that the heating system will work because it is something that's hard to verify at the rental office during the start of your trip. Prepare for the journey as if there will not be any heating available ie. brace yourself for the numbing cold when washing the dishes (thankfully there were shower facilities at the caravan parks). I also advise the same for cooling (air-conditioning) systems.

4) Nights can get pretty boring on the road so do arm yourself with plenty of entertainment in the form of movies and games, unless you can find people interested to engage in "nocturnal activities". I had someone from Grindr as my caravan park neighbour but nothing happened as I wasn't really in the mood and I didn't find him that hot. Anyway he was more interested in my straight travelling buddy!

5) For the driver, it can be quite challenging maneouvring a large vehicle such as the caravan especially when you want to reverse. Engage a good rear-view guide even if there is an available rear-view camera.

6) The toilet receptacle (they call it "cassette") fills up REALLY fast and has to be emptied at least once a day. If not, even people with scat and watersports fetishes won't be happy with what back-flows into the cabin.

7) Do not over-plan your itinerary as there is just too much uncertainty eg. closures of certain attractions that have not been specified on their websites. Just go with the flow and enjoy what the road throws at you.

8) Even though you might save some money with a caravan compared to staying in a hotel, you don't actually get to save that much. The caravan itself costs a little more than $1000 to rent for five days and that excludes the diesel it gulps down, which adds more than $200 to the total bill. Oh, and I almost forgot the caravan park charges which pile on a further $200.

9) The post-trip vehicular inspection at the rental office isn't as thorough as you might think. You may actually get away with quite a bit of collateral damage sustained on the road (we had some)

10) Since you would be spending a lot of time with your mates in very close proximity, make sure that you only go on such trips with really good friends. I sure did and had an awesome good time. I have the pictures to prove it!

Re-defining travelling in style

 

Various views of my home for those five days

Found the panoramic function on my phone and boy was that appropriate for the landscape

Having a field day with my phone

More breathtaking shots along the Great Ocean Road

A fully-stocked fridge is the only way to go when you have an avid cook on board. This is just a sample of what we got to savour on the road

As they say, great food is nothing without an appreciative audience. I am glad I could fill those shoes (and my tummy!)

The world wants to see so I shall deliver. Hor hor hor

A road-trip is nothing without great pals and plenty of cam-whoring

Chasing all our woes away with the sun, sea and spectacular view

More cam-whoring a la Kim ie. with as little clothing as possible

My Jetstar moment for the trip—it had to happen! 

Musical journey (40)

I will be 35 in 30 minutes' time and I must say I have not changed much over the past several years except becoming really settled in my relationship. In comparison I don't think I am as settled residing in Australia. Perhaps this is because of my work, which constantly challenges where I regard as home. My boss just told me that there is a very high chance of retrenchment in January next year as the projects in Melbourne is drying up really fast. Whenever this happens (which is once too many), I would have to rethink the possibility of relocating to another place where there is work. This is really not a good situation to be in (I have put my intention to buy property on hold because of this). But we all have to try our best to make do with what life gives us and I will continue to plod along like every one else.

The other thing about being half-way between 30 and 40 (40 being the next turning point in my life) is that you become not as energetic as before. After a heavy night of partying, I would need a much longer time to recuperate. I guess this is why people tend to remove themselves from party circuits as age progresses—it is simply out of biological necessity. However I must still stress (time and again) that I would never for a second contemplate exchanging my old body for a younger one because with age comes maturity and learnt life lessons. I would pick being a wise old man over a tight clueless thing any time.

On the eve of my birthday, I shall make a short musical post with a rendition of one of my favourite KTV-songs. The thing that impresses people (including myself) most about my voice is my falsetto and I like songs that can accentuate that quality. An example would be this one from Jay Chou, one of my most-admired song-writers at the moment. I have been inspired by different singer/song-writers in different phases of my life, starting with Panda Xiong, who really helped to kick-start the whole creative journey. I hope to be inspired by more people as I grow older for I intend to keep up with my writing till the day I die.




PS: Starting tomorrow, I will be off on a 5-day road-trip with my best pal visiting from Singapore on her honeymoon with her husband. This is our first travelling-in-a-caravan experience and I am sure it will be a blast. That is what I call an awesome birthday present!

Jockstrap and gumboots anyone?

I have been really busy with work recently as I am in a project with an impossible scope and an impossible schedule. Fortunately I still get paid for all the overtime that I have been doing so at least it is not wasted hard work. This project will be handed over to the Lagos office in Nigeria at the end of the year, an office that is currently under-resourced and they are trying their best to encourage people to work there despite it being really unsafe. Every single attempt by management to sell Nigeria fails miserably, as they cannot even convince themselves of what they are saying. I am also working with Korean clients at the moment (sorry, none of them are cute) and I overheard one of them saying two of his engineer colleagues recently got kidnapped in Nigeria but the ransom was paid and it was business as usual the next day! How can anyone go there unless they desperately need the work experience (more than their lives)? They are not even paying that much more to draw people!

I am SO looking forward to my long break starting December for 6 weeks (that is when I will say bye-bye to that crazy project so there is definitely an end in sight, I think—the project deadline has been delayed a few times now so fingers crossed!). I have not really planned my year-end trip (like I usually would, down to the smallest detail) but I do have a rough idea. It will begin in Singapore and then a short tour of a nearby country with a friend (exact person still yet to be found) or by myself. Then it will be back to Singapore to show another Brisbane friend around for a few days followed by a 12-day virginal Japan trip (itinerary roughly fixed but nothing has been booked yet). Every thing is pretty much still in flux at this point, which is making me a little anxious. But like I said, work is keeping me pretty occupied now plus there might be an impending property-purchase (I will see how that pans out). Because of all this, my photo shoot and busking plans might have to be shelved for the moment, perhaps till next year when I am back from my vacation. This is exactly why a hobby remains just a hobby until you decide to pursue it full-time and it is only then can you really make something out of it.

So that is the update portion of this post done. As you might have already noticed, I always have a monthly musical post and a bi-monthly photo shoot entry on my blog. This month will be no different and I will be sharing pictures from a shoot I have done a few years back in Carriage Works, Sydney. Yes it is Carriage Works again—it is just too good a location not to use repeatedly! This series was originally meant to be published in a fund-raising calendar but plans later went awry. I gather that the calendar is never going to come into fruition at this point in time so why waste the pictures when I can post them here? The theme of the calendar was this tartan-like motif that every model must sport (I totally forgot what the fund-raising objective was). It was also the first time I had a shoot in jockstrap and gumboots. Interestingly the photographer is a Kiwi doctor who does this as a hobby. As he is very busy with his day job, he outsources his post-shoot editing. However those edits never surfaced and I had to do my own. A fair warning—it was a no-frills shoot from the start so don't expect too much!