Katy Perry!!!!

On May 26, dad, my friend from soccer Rio and I went and saw a Katy Perry concert! Rio loves foreign music so I invited her to come. The venue was in the big city Osaka, so it was about a 4-hour drive. But the arena seated only 2000 people, a tiny amount for such a big star like Katy, so it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that we couldn’t miss!
Dad and I took off in the morning in the car, and stopped off to collect Rio. We then made our way into Osaka. We had a bit of time to kill once arriving, os we had a quick look around the city before checking into the hotel.

After some relaxation and Getting Ready, and brandishing our special Katy sign that Felix made for me (see below), we departed.

The gates to the place we scheduled to open at six, and the concert to start at seven (so it said). We got there at a bit part five, which we were very proud of. We got dinner while waiting, in the rain, for over half an hour; when the clock struck six we were right up the front and ready to run in and wrestle our way to the front (it was standing only, which was both good and bad)……until the guys with megaphones starting letting us in. By the number on our tickets. Out of 2000, we were numbers 1642 to 1644. Yep, that’s right. So we had to wait for another whole hour while the guy called in 10 people at a time: …..”Ok, now numbers 570 to 580″ ……. “Numbers 1320 to 1330″……. and so on. NOT good. So, in the end, we were kinda up the back, but it was ok (well, when I could see Katy herself).
Oh, right, the concert itself! Miss Katy’s actually not bad live, and the show was amazing <3 10 costume changes in 1 song, gigantic beach balls flying out into the audience, movies, enormous brownies…the lot!

Walking home was VEEEEEERY painful though in my super-heels bought specially for the event….I wouldn’t even call it walking. Not even hobbling. :/

After crashing into bed at just before 12pm, well, I slept. Next!

The next day, we cleared out of the hotel and had a look around Osaka (the Namba district). It was really cool! We also stumbled across…none other than…. YOGURT-LAND!!!!!! SERIOUSLY!!!!

It’s the coolest thing EVER! There’s all the yogurt lined up and you put in whatever you want, including 5000000 toppings…:P

Here’s some more pics:

We then headed off home, and Rio stayed the night again at my place.

All in all it was a great experience!

Ruby

xoxo

PS Birthday post coming soon!

Tess on Tour!

***view the full album here!***

That’s right guys! At the end of April to early May, one of my very best friends, Tess (she’s the one who always writes crazy comments generally related to inside jokes) came all the way to Sunami Heights, Japan on a plane by herself to visit ME! We both had a fantastic time and Tess (Tiwi) was able to experience lots of Japanese culture and fun stuff. For those who would like a copy of the hilarious, touching modern masterpiece that is the Tess on Tour DVD, please contact me, or if you know Tess, ask her for it!

I’m going to do this day by day to make it easy on the eyes. Enjoy!

Day 1: Tess arrives!!!!!!!! She had departed in the morning from Melbourne, changed over planes at Soul in Korea, and now arrives in Okayama airport, a 1 1/2 hour drive away from our home, at 8:10 pm. Dad and I greet her at the bustling airport (lol jk). She looks not so well, and we find out she threw up numerous times on the plane We then drive over to the hotel we will be staying at, and crash into bed.

Getting excited waiting for Tess at the airport (notice the masses of people milling around?)

Day 2: Osaka! We rouse from our beds, exit the hotel (not before a nourishing bath in the traditional ancient hot springs), get back in the car and commence the 3-hour drive to Osaka, one of Japan’s biggest cities. (This is why we stayed overnight at a hotel; Okayama is right on the way to Osaka.) Tiwi is feeling a little better, but not that well. Once we arrive in Osaka, we check into our hotel and then have a bit of a look around the outskirts of the city, which are actually pretty deserted. We hop on this MASSIVE ferris wheel, which claims to be the biggest in the world (I wouldn’t be surprised!). Then we meet up with Mum and Felix, who came straight to Osaka by bullet train (much to Felix’s joy). Then, we all go into this incredible aquarium that has 8 floors of fish/sharks/whales/crabs!!! It’s amazing, though super tiring!

Tess having fun on the ferris wheel and some aquarium shots

After a hard day, we trudge back to the hotel. Speaking of hard days…read on!!!

Day 3: Universal Studios!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yup, we go to Universal Studios Japan!!! It’s like Osaka’s version of Tokyo Disneyland, only waaaaay better (and far less pink and cutesy, thankfully). The rides are new and amazing, there’s hi-tech attractions, and it’s altogether Fully Sick Bro! We even have Fast Passes, so we barely have to wait in line for anything! Tiwi still isn’t 100%, so she takes it easy and doesn’t go on the full-on rides. Me, Dad and Felix however…we go on pretty much everything!!!

Jaws and the amazing Water World show set

Mum and Tess go home early on the bullet train so that poor Tess can get home and into bed early. Dad, Felix and I go on some more rides, then headeoff and drive home. In the end, we have so many fast passes that we can’t use them all, so we give them away to some VERY surprised looking mums near us! I know, right?! So we depart Universal Studios with a warm rosy feeling in our hearts. It truly was an amazing place!

Day 4: We chill. Unfortunately, Tess is not feeling well at all. We get some medicine, set her up in bed, hug her a lot. Tess and I skype our good friend Siggy. And that’s about it!

Chillin’ after having washed our hair

Day 5: While I go to soccer training an hour away (the norm), Tess accompanies the family to a flower exhibition in neighbouring city Fukuyama, where a flower arrangement by Mum herself is being exhibited. A lot of windy roads. Uh-oh. Poor Tiwi! Sadly Mum’s masterpiece has been knocked over and so has been reconstructed without her knowing, which leads to a little suspenseful mystery – Who Moved Mum’s Flower’s and Why? Turns out it is Head Flower Arranger with the Hands in the Exhibit Room. (Get it?:D)

Tess at Fukuyama Castle, near the flower exhibition

Day 6: Jazz concert for Dad, Felix and I. We are in this adorable band! More windy roads, so Tess doesn’t feel much better. I have some solos; so does Felix! We also go to a nearby flower garden. It’s veeeeeery windy, and not many flowers are in full bloom, but it’s still pretty.

Day 7: Breaking News – TIWI FEELS BETTER! Spurred on by this tremendous piece of news, Mum, Tiwi and I head off to nearby island Setoda! It’s gorgeous and makes for great photo opportunies. We walk around a bit, have a look at the cute shops, and enter an old temple, where there is also a white world made out of marble!

On the ferry, white world and a GIANT SAX!!!!

Day 8: A Day in Town! Me and Tess bravely set off on the local bus, largely populated by oldies, and make our way into town. We go to Fuji Grand and Jusco, the two main shopping centres in the town of Mihara. Tess buys cute little gifts for her friends and a poncho, and we do purikura (the famous Japanese photo booth!). After lunch at a lil’ bakery, we head back home on the god ol’ bus, then chill at home. Before dinner we go into town once more and do KARAOKE!

Purikura photos

Day 9: A day in Hiroshima. Hiroshima is the city of the state that we live in (also called Hiroshima, surprisingly). We visit the Peace Park and museum, which turn out to be packed because there’s a festival on!

Pretty cranes

Day 10: I have a soccer match. Now, because everyone is so good here, you’d think this’d be the perfect time to show our guest a full-on match. However, it turns out to be the easiest game our team has ever played (it’s a practice match against some high school team where there are lots of beginners. Now for beginners they are super good, just…way worse than us). So we aren’t able to play that well, because the other team are so bad. We win, like, 20-nil. Very reminiscent of the Good Ol’ Days back home with the the Thunderbirds, thrashing every team we played. Ah, those were the days….back to the topic. We then drive back home and CHILLAX, yo!

Me having fun (hey, I was in defense, no one was coming my way, alright?!)

Day 11: Some more shopping in town @ Fuji-Grand, for no particular reason…Upon returning, Tess and I set to work creating the best masterpiece I you will ever see – a Rebecca Black Friday music video. In case you live under a rock or simply have no interest in viral 13-year-old Auto-Tuned artists, here’s the dirt: Rebecca Black has created the worst song in the world, ever, in SPACE, however somehow her video has more that 200 million hits on youtube, and has created a lot of interest. So……….we decide to put our own spin on it!!!

It turns out to become hilarious fun making it. We film it down at the local park, with my camera balanced on various logs and benches. We get most of the way through it, then have to retreat back to home base. After that, we depart to go have dinner at none other than………SUSHI LAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The sushi and other stuff all comes around on a little conveyer belt and you just pick what you want! You can also order anything (and I mean everything – sushi, soup, fruit, chicken, juice, cheesecake – the lot!) on a handily located touch screen. The food of your choice then comes speeding towards you on a bullet train!!! It’s truly the best thing ever. Seriously.

Grabbing the food

Day 11: Me and Tess get to do a photo shoot! When we bought out camera at some shop, we got a free photo shoot voucher, and the two of us get to use it Turns out we get to dress up in princess dresses! Not usually my piece o’ cake but I can make an exception. We also get hair, make-up…the whole Kit & Caboodle! (Did I spell that right??) Tess picks a gorgeous yellow dress (well, I half-pick it for her, but hey), and I go for a green one, mainly because it’s pretty much the only one that fits me. It turns out really well! We each pick a photo that we can get put into an album. Mine is below:

We then head off to Bingo Park, a really cool park where there’s a giant swing, slides, random climbing equipment and, most importantly, a giant grassy slope that you can sled down! (Or a Jaiant Sloope, as the English sign outside it says.) It’s actually really steep and tall, and pretty darn scary! In the end, because we are wearing short clothes, Felix, Dad and I all end up with injuries! Only Tiwi slides down unharmed.

We also finish the Rebecca Black tribute movie……in the rain. Yup, that’s right. We had to do it in the rain. If you watch the video you will be able to see/hear the downpour. (It’s on the Tess on Tour DVD.)

Day 12: Our last full day with Tess. We go to the famous Rabbit Island, a cute little nearby island that, as the name suggests, is largely populated by none other than RABBITS!!! Seriously; they’re everywhere!!!! We cycle around and have a look at lots of stuff there.

On the ferry, at the beach, cycling around…….

Felix, Tess and I also had a little sandcastle playtime. ;D See below:

After dinner, we  go down to the beach and do fireworks!!! Yes, you heard right; they’re not illegal here! Sorry, it doesn’t make for very good camera footage  so no photos. It was amazing to watch though!

Day 12: Departure. We get up early in the morning, then Dad, Tess and I drive to Okayama airport, about and hour and a half away, to send Tess off. It’s veeeeeeeeery sad saying good-bye after such a fantastical time, but no tears were shed in the end.

One last goodbye snap

THANKYOU SO SO SO SO MUCH FOR COMING TIWI!!!! YOU ARE AN AMAZING FRIEND AND I LOVE YOU HEAPS!!! I HAD THE BEST TIME EVER AND I HOPE YOU DID TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

…Sorry about that See, trusty readers? You too should come visit me. You’ll get your own blog post dedicated to the trip, with a capitalised shout-out at the end! What more could you want?! …Also you’ll get to experience Japan. So do it already! Come visit me/the family! You know you want to. Just like Tess here.

So, yeah, that was the official Tess on Tour recount of Tiwi’s amazing trip. I hope you enjoyed it!

Ruby (who rox)

xoxo