Irreverently irrelevant.
Sysadmin, developer, web dude in a science research organisation. WordPress, Japan, planes, trains, Arduino, Raspberry Pi/Pico, puns, dad jokes, etc
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Gono to Tokyo
When in another country it’s important to try the local cuisine. But sometimes it’s hard. I love a Malaysian breakfast, but Japan… It depends. Fortunately Funofushi Onsen’s breakfast was served as a buffet. So I could leave the slimy brown guts (I’m guessing) and select dishes such as grilled fish, miso soup and salad instead.…
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Gono Line, Juniko and Furofushi Onsen
Yesterday was amazing! We boarded the Resort Shirakami 2 at Aomori for a ride down one of Japan’s most scenic rides. Rice paddies and apple orchards with snow-capped Mount Iwaki as the backdrop. At Goshogawara a couple of musicians boarded and treated us to a shamisen and traditional song performance. It was the perfect soundtrack…
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To Aomori
Obama apologises for Hiroshima and the rubbish bins at the train stations are closed. Police are everywhere and he (and the other foreign dignitaries) aren’t even in these cities. Once again fear trumps reason. No matter, we’ve got better things to do anyway, like sort out with the hotel that we’re changing our booking and…
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Japan in 2006
Our 2006 trip to Japan remains as one of our favourites. Three years before we had made the first of what is now many visits to Japan, but hot and humid September weather and the dreary grey urban expanses had left us largely unimpressed. Then in 2005, at the end of a big holiday in Singapore…
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Ironfest
Jedi and medieval knights, armoured tanks and giant steam tractors, steampunks and blacksmiths, Nazi soldiers and cosplay characters. Where would you find all of these in one place? Ironfest at Lithgow nominally celebrates the birth of Australia’s steel industry in that city. As one of the two remaining blast furnaces in Australia stands in receivership…
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A little local history
It’s astounding how much history can be buried right beneath your nose. Illawong has the feeling of a relatively recent suburb. Most of the houses are probably thirty years old or less, though there’s the odd single story cottage, a remnant of its farming days. Late last year one of the last farm estates was…