Day 21 A chilled day of work and fielding is emails/calls from guests arriving for the England v France game having found out it has been cancelled due to the expected Typhoon that is scheduled to hit Tokyo during game time on Saturday. If only I could extend my stay in Ishigaki! RWC is coping a lot of flak about not having moved the games elsewhere. They did mention they had contingency plans in place, however, when grilled as to what these were, there was nothing forthcoming! They had clearly hoped, like we all did, that this scenario wouldn’t happen. With Typhoon Hagibis span bigger than the size of Japan’s main island, it wouldn’t have been much use moving the game elsewhere. Furthermore 72,000 fans in Yokohama would not have fitted in 40,000 seater stadium in Oita! Let alone the other logistical issues of accommodation flights, additional cost for fans to name a few. Let’s hope Japan v Scotland is not affected as I can’t wait to see that match on Sunday. Dinner at Maru was superb with some outstanding Sake! I was asked to sign their wall of “star” visitors since Miko had informed the owner that I played rugby for England. A short walk post dinner we found ourselves drawn into a glitzy bar, name escapes as far too much sake had been quaffed by then, we were royally entertained by two overserved young Australian/Japanese sisters who to me my surprise were even much louder than me! The bar staff took the michael by having three beers on me and adding to my bill! When I queried the bill they shiftily said it was Miko that had offered them the beers – she was too well gone to remember! I let it go..I am having a great time and life is just too short. We moved on to another bar where I was welcomed by a completely smashed Japanese local who kept calling me Tyson and feeling my guns! He insisted on buying me a drink so I entertained his drunkenness and Tyson jibes.
Day 22 We are leaving blue sky and 29 degrees of Ishigaki for typhoon Tokyo with the England v France game cancelled! Wish we could have stayed but with new arrivals in Tokyo there is no option but to leave Ishigaki.
Again another disaster of a check in process by ANA at the airport – the worst system I have ever come across! You join a queue to get your ticket and then another to check in an then another to put your luggage in the hold! It took an hour to complete the check in process, an absolute shocker!
It was great to see some regular faces arriving at the Intercontinental. Welcome dinner at the Bistro Vino was sumptuous feast which went down very well and the free flowing 3 hour booze deal was enjoyed to the max! on we wnet to Bauhaus where I was “forced” to down tequila shots…promise..as the guest cont dwindled we went on to Electrik Jinja for a few more then R2, finishing the night at Mogambo Tokyo..a long night indeed!