Saturday, February 10, 2007

Alaska and Sushi!



Finally back home - 36 hours after flying out of Los Angeles! (Los Angeles to Tokyo to Singapore to Brisbane).

Between LA and tokyo, I decided to lift my window shade to see what we were flying over (expecting it just to be cloud or water) and I saw a little island. It had a mountain with snow on it. I lifted the shade all the way up, looked ahead, and saw the Alaskan Peninsula spreading out before me! With snow covered rugged mountains as far as I could see, and after a few minutes, one HUGE volcano. Subsequent research revealed that it was Mt Veniaminof (Google Maps Here)- an active volcano. It was surreal to think that I was flying over Alaska to get back to Australia from the USA...

In Narita airport in Tokyo, I had a big walk around the airport and found a GREAT sushi place near Gate 33... anyone else know it? I guess I can't say I know what 'genuine' sushi is having never been out of the airport in Japan, but this seemed pretty close... you sit at the counter and there is a row of old Japanese sushi chefs yelling at each other and cutting and rolling sushi so fast that it's a wonder they don't cut off fingers. I ordered a whole plate - and it was a little bigger than I'd pictured, but I made it. It was surely the best sushi I've had ANYWHERE... (well, out of Brisbane, Vancouver and Singapore, which are the only places I've had sushi that I can remember). I found out though that they tend to hide lumps of wasabi in the sushi itself. I now have what I would call a 'Wasabi Headache'. I wear it as a badge of honour.




Wednesday, February 07, 2007

San Francisco!


Spent the last few days in San Francisco on a last minute work trip. Sort of nice, sort of weird (since there were things I felt I should have been home for...)

San Fran is definitely one of those cities you feel like you know - even though you didn't realise it. The Golden Gate bridge, Alcatraz, the car-chasing steep streets, the cable cars... I only had a had little video camera with, so photos are only of mobile phone quality...

Worked with some bus guys for a few days with our technology. They took me out for seafood at the wharf at a place that was VERY San Franciscan. They love their city and their history. It was nice to hang out with them! To top the evening off, we saw the Queen Mary II - largest ocean liner in the world exit the harbour.

Ooh - I saw the latest Gilmore Girls LIVE on the WB too!


(Sort of cool how this photo of Alcatraz came up more like a painting)