søndag den 22. juli 2007

Thursday Nov. 16 - Shocking The Japanese Journalist







Despite my 24,000 yen ergonomically perfect earplugs, traffic noise wakes me up after five hours of sleep, and I work my way around the motorcycles on the ground floor. Start using the wrong leg, and 5 steps later you’re stuck and have to go back to start. Then breakfast, the bobber gets washed just in time for when the journalist/photographer shows up. It’s a mainstream magazine, somewhat relevant questions, Crazy Pete translates both ways. The usual shock when I tell them about Danish taxes (I’m low-income, and in the 52 % tax bracket, all imported vehicles get app. 200 % slapped on them etc., etc.), and the usual shock when I tell that I think the tax level is fine, considering what we get for our money. Then more pictures, and after this I just have to wait until the magazine arrives in Denmark.

I use the same toll road network through Greater Tokyo on my way to Yokohama, where I have arranged to spend the night at a small family’s home. Besides, I also want to check out a ‘Mooneyes’ hotrod shop in the area, and talk to the shipping agent there, who is supposed to send the Nimbus back to Denmark. After a few detours I find the train station where host Yoshiko Obe meets me. In Japan it is always the last 500 meters that are difficult, thanks to a weird way of marking streets and house numbers. Anyway, we drive to her home, and after mutual introductions she tells that she takes in guest this way in order to a) keep up her English and b) so that her three-year old son gets used to being around foreigners. Which I find very admirable. Like about half the women over here she quit work after having her first child, but she hopes to get a job again soon.

Ingen kommentarer: