Talking Lavatories *

I have returned from my extensive tour of Asia. You’ll be pleased to know that I have now experienced a Shinto Wedding ceremony in Japan, worn traditional Japanese yukata, done the hot spring thing, watched Geisha girls dancing, and much more besides.

This was my first visit to Japan. I think I was expecting flying cars and talking lavatories, and I was therefore disappointed. Actually, the lavatories all seemed to have a control panel and comedy water jets, which was fun, but they didn’t talk. I did find one that played sounds of running water to disguise any sounds that the user may make. Running water seemed to me like the wrong sound to use.

We didn’t get to see Tokyo, which was sad, but we did see Kyoto, which was great, and it’s an anagram of “Tokyo”, so, almost as good. The dragon says there are flying cars and talking lavatories in Tokyo, and robot policeman. Maybe next time we will do that.

We also spent some time in Taiwan of course. I’ve spent so much time there that nothing is really new to me any more. That’s not a problem of course. I still love Taiwan. We did go on the Mao Kong Gondolas again, but not much other tourist stuff. I’ll post some pictures when I have sorted them out. I also ate much fabulous food, both in Taiwan and Japan, most of which I could identify.

While I was away it turns out that Lady Thatcher died. I was a child of the eighties and Mrs Thatch was something of a heroine to me. I don’t care what anyone says, it was a great time to be a teen. I realise that she wasn’t everyone’s philosophical beacon, but the dancing in the street and the “Ding Dong the witch is dead” was in appalling taste in my view. Her funeral is tomorrow. I wonder if there will be any protests.

Incidentally, I was informed of the death of Lady Thatcher by a man in Japan who spoke almost no English, but he deemed the event important enough to attempt to inform me anyway. Nice folks those Japanese, terribly polite.

Anyway, I’m now back at work, very busy, so I’ll write more later, and post some pictures.