On Guard! Challenge Australia FIE World Cup Tournament

Every year the world's best epeeists (and the Kiwi team :) gather Down Under for the annual Challenge Australia World Cup tournament. Being the furthest Grade A competition from Europe, this is the one place where the minnows of the sport have the opportunity to foot it with the big guns, with many of the top European nations turning up their noses at the prospect of sending their squads on a trophy hunting mission to this musty corner of the fencing world. Nonetheless, the field that did show up was formidable - from the giant members of the US Olympic team who wouldn't look out of place in an NCAA basketball team to a trio of classy Czech competitors and a highly rated Bulgarian. Oh, and how could I forget the legendary double Australian Under 20 Champion, on a mission to reignite the form that saw him dominate last millennium...


En guard... pre... allez! The action begins! And... er... ends, with this fine shot of up-and-coming Aussie Martin Camerilli pushing eventual men's champion Seth Kelsey to the limit, despite over a foot height disadvantage. For those that what the full story, check out the full tableau here. Rock ended up 23st after losing an excruciatingly close 14-15 contest to Feng of Singapore, whilst Jared placed 31st after being ousted by Soren Thomson (USA) , the 7th place-getter from the Athens Olympics.

The master coach surveys the field of battle with a seasoned eye, and quickly spots the pub across the way.

Sigh... why do I bother? Galley shugs off another disappointment as his charges bow out. Hey, it could be worse. You could be stuck in the freezing cold Hutt Valley High Gym...

Rock wonders what it will take to get that one crucial touch, after being eliminated for the third time in a row by a single hit. Unfortunately the coach, despite being imported to Australia for just such a purpose, appears devoid of answers.


Tired of seeing losers? Here's a real champion! World number one Sherraine Schalm-Mackay of Canada stands proudly as the maple leaf is hoisted aloft to the strains of Oh Canada. Yet another World Cup triumph for the Canadian legend.

Next up, AFF #2, coming to you live from Adelaide in a week's time. Tune in again soon.

Japan 2006 Days 9 & 10: Lost in Translation

Tokyo! What a fitting finale to bring this blog to a close. If one had to distill Japan down into one image, one final picture to sum up everthing that makes this country so unique, I'd cast my vote for the blazing neon lights of the Shibuya crossing. Reputedly the busiest intersection in the world, the famous crossroads just outside the Shibuya train station is a magnificent kaleidoscope of neon signs, giant video screens, screaming j-pop tracks and a vast throng of Tokyo's youngest, hippest citizens, all rushing to be somewhere important five minutes ago.

But before we get to Shibuya, a few shots to set the scene. First port of call on our whirlwind tour of the mega-metropolis of Tokyo was Shinjuku - the business and financial district. Here Rock admires the distinctive architecture of the monolithic twin towers of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building.

More architectural appreciation from Shinjuku, this shot looking straight up in the NS Building, a unique hollow skyscraper. The skybridge spans the vast atrium, while glass elevators give panoramic views of Shinjuku as they whisk viewers to the upper floors.

Nope, this isn't a freeze frame from Lost in Translation. Here we are, about to... well cross... the famous Shibuya crossing. With the rain falling heavily, the neon glare dances across the slick pavement, while the crowd of humanity merges into one seething mass under the countless black umbrellas.

Rock - having struggled in vain to find the camera's manual exposure settings - has to settle for a more rudimentary method for trying to capture the frenetic blur of motion that is Tokyo...

But all good things come to an end. After 10 awesome days in the land of the rising sun, it's time to sign off. Thanks for reading, thanks for commenting, and make sure you sign in again later on this year for a whole new set of adventures in Southern China. As the ads say... Shinkansen tickets to Tokyo, 16,000 yen... yakitori in a sidesteet in Kyoto, 3000 yen... ryokan in Kamikochi, 109,000 yen... standing under the neon lights on a rainy night in Shibuya, priceless... There are some things money can't buy, for everything else there's Mei's bank account ;)

Sayonara.

Japan 2006 Days 6, 7, & 8: Snowballs, sushi and sashimi in the Japanese Alps

Time to say sayonara (temporarily anyway) to the neon lights and frenetic bustle of 130 million people crammed into an area 21 times smaller than Australia. Time to get back to nature. That's right folks, it's time to hit the road for the Japanese Alps. Or, this being Japan of course, hit the rails for the four hour haul to base camp deep in the towering snow-capped peaks of the Alps.


But let's not get ahead of ourselves. There's always time for a quick snack on the way. And by snack I don't mean those shrivelled dried squid chunks that Mei and half the country seem to think are a suitable substitute for potato chips. Keeping an open mind is important when travelling, but so is carrying a piece of home with you, like a nice non-green tea, non-soy, non-miso flavoured vanilla icecream... This shot from the half way point on the journey into the wilderness - the quaint mountain village of Takayama.


Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? I'm sure it's just around the next bend... Are we there yet? Shut up and go back to gnawing on your dessicated squid! After more than a few hairpin turns and tunnels, the bus finally rolls up in the breathtaking valley town of Kamikochi. Town isn't really the right word though - the settlement is really just a collection of mountain lodges and ryokans nestled among the beech forests along the banks of the glacial blue waters of the Azusa river. Photos don't really do the magnificence of the scenery justice. Nor do my words. Jutting up on all sides of the river valley are the jagged peaks of the Alps, still capped with their winter snow. The lower slopes give way to first scraggly pines and then lower still beech forests, still blanketed in pockets of snow. Here and there the still naked branches are wrapped with shawls of light mist. The air still has a crisp winter freshness that makes the welcoming lights and log fire aroma of the waiting inns an enticing sight. As the weary travellers rush for their ryokan lodge, they pause just long enough to capture their first mountain shots. Above is the famous Kappibashi suspension bridge, a kind of focal point for the whole valley.

With the sun setting, and drizzle falling, there was just enough time before dinner to take a quick hike up the valley to the myojin-ike (myojin pond), about 40 minutes by foot. Now I'm not saying the pond wasn't picturesque and all, as the picture above will attest, but suffice it to say the travellers were more than a little shocked to find a ubiquitous ticket hut charging 300 yen for a look at the lake. Well, they shrug, that's not that much, and according to the pamplet the pond is sacred and the the fee goes to helping the monks look after it, so fair enough, right? Well, that's what they thought till they spotted one of the monks in question reclining in the back of the hut, feet up with a warm cup of coffee, about half way through watching a Return of the King DVD on what was undoubtably a very late model Sony LCD tv!

Been there, done that, paid 300 yen, and all I got was this crappy photo.

The good thing about staying in a mountain ryokan in the middle of nowhere is that dinner and breakfast are included. And what a dinner it was! A steaming plate of succulent tempura-ed prawns coated is a wafer thin crust of golden batter, a hearty bowl of miso and mushroom soup, a delectable assortment of sushi, a tender stewed pork leg... I could go on, but that would make me way too hungry...

Around noon on Day 7, the persistent drizzle began to subside and the sun finally started to roll back the blanket of fog smothering the valley. Just the opportunity our mountaineers needed to explore more thoroughly the valley. Full of confidence in man's conquest of nature, they strike up a pose for the cameras before plunging into the unkown.

The long march finally pays off when they discover a secluded pond that doesn't require 300 yen to enjoy. On the downside, there's no opportunity to be inspired by King Theoden's inspirational battle speech in full dolby surround sound glory at this pond.

A local refuses to let the sight of four giant intruders disrupt his lunch, dismissing them with a nonchalant shrug. He (or perhaps she) was the first of many snow monkeys to scurry across the path.

The sun slips below the craggy peaks as Day 7 comes to an end. But not before another photo opportunity on Kappibashi Bridge.

And another. This time looking back west towards the mouth of the valley, were the sun has just slipped behind the mountains.

After a long, cold day of tramping, there's no better way to unwind than with theraputic dip in a steaming onsen (a hot tub, remember?). Unfortunately, even in this secluded mountain valley one can't escape the paparazzi and their prying cameras. Just when Jared discards the last of his garments and slips into the soothing warmth of the onsen, they strike! Unfortunately for the female readers of tabloids around the world, a puff of steam at the wrong moment obscures what might have been... though some might argue, that's no big loss, there's not much to see anyway ;)

Having recovered his poise, Jared takes full advantage of the free coffee on offer in the ryokan's lounge. With the valley having opened only last week, we had the place to ourselves. Which is just as well, given Rock practically ran the coffee machine dry.

J and R model the latest in men's fashion from the Orient. This season's collections wow the discerning public with their innovative sash-tied-on-the-left feature. Tied on the right is soooo last year.

Why is it the weather is always perfect on the day you're leaving? Day 8 dawned crystal clear, allowing a few last photo opportunites before the bus rolled the adventurers back to civilisation.

Another angle on the Kappibashi Bridge.

And finally, one last shot of our ryokan lodge, nestled among a beech grove on the other side of the river. Definitely the coolest accomodation of the trip. Now, it's back to the bright lights of Tokyo for the final leg of our epic adventure. Join us again soon.

Japan 2006 Day 5: We storm the keep at Himeji-Jo!

Before we get into the real action of Day 5, we pause to offer these exclusive behind-the-scene shots of life in a ryokan (traditional Japanese guest house). In the days before the multinational glass and concrete boxes of the Hilton and Shangri-La began to dominate the Japanese skyline, in the age before McDonald's began peddling their Teriyaki Burger and Fries Set from every street corner, weary travellers would kick up their feet after a long day at the local ryokan where a soft futon and steaming onsen (hot tub) would be waiting. Thus a ryokan was the natural choice for a bunch of travellers who were definitely weary from too many 7 am starts, definitely too poor for the Hilton or Shangri-La, and definitely would rather die of puffer fish poisoning that be caught within 100m of a golden arches. And what an experience. From the moment one enters the warmly lit lobby, where the subtle scent of incense wafts through the air, it's a different world. Rooms are elegant in their simplicity - simple bamboo mats line the floor and the walls are all wooden. Beds are a merely a futon laid on the floor. Minimalist yet comfortable and welcoming.


Following in the footsteps of Ziyi Zhang and director Rob Marshall, your photographer chooses a convenient Chinese substitute to model this traditional Japanese yutaka (robe).


Another shot from the catwalk. Rock struts his stuff in his yutaka and, uhm, yutaka shawl (and in the process runs into the limit of this three word Japanese vocabulary).


But enough shots of domestic bliss, lets get back to the action! And what better way than another shinkansen shot? This sleek machine rolls up right on the second as usual, ready to whisk the eager adventurers to their target Himeji-Jo (Himeji castle). Located about 45 minutes south of Kyoto, the castle is widely acclaimed as the most spectacular in Japan.


Don the armour, string your bows, sharpen your arrows, it's time to storm the keep (or commit hari-kari trying)! The main keep looms over the town of Himeiji, defended from the foreign invaders by a maze of lower courtyards, a gaping moat, imposing battlements and... a ticket gate.


A well-aimed pot of boiling oil will wipe that stupid grin off your face chief!


As the arrows rain down, the seige continues. The defense is resolute, but will inevitably crumble once the udon noodles run out.

Ok, maybe it won't. Might have to wait till the soy sauce runs out as well.

Surrounded by enemy samurai, Rock's katana moves so fast even the camera can't capture it's flashing blade.

Hurling down their swords, the attackers draw bows as reinforcements try to flank them from below. Fortunately, the fat tourists below are an easy target, even for Jared. In the end, victory is swift. Any doubts about the castle's authenticity are quickly quashed when the victors realise there isn't even the requisite coke maching at the top of the keep.


After wiping the blood from their swords, it's time for the warriors to enjoy the tranquility of the palace gardens. You won't be flushing these goldfish down any toilet!

Amazing how bonsai trees make even the shortest of the group look tall (naming no names, of course...)

Back home in Kyoto at Ryokan Shimizu. After a steaming onsen to recharge the batteries, it's time to hit the old alleys of Kyoto for a feed, as dusk sets in.

As the sun below the horizon on another day, the twisting alleys of Kyoto come alive, transforming into a labrinth of almost haunted nooks and paths, punctuated by the welcoming glow of restaurant lanterns, beckoning diners into the cheery warmth of a noodle house or sushi bar. Occasionally a geisha glides past, seeming to float over the rough cobblestones as she moves to her next appointment.


One of the things Japanese love is these cook-your-own joints where they slap a glorified bunsen burner down in front of you along with a pile of meat and veges, and then leave you too it to create your own culinary masterpiece. Unfortunately, bunsen burner is apt a term here, given that with Rock at the helm things quickly began to resemble a chemistry experiement from Mr Biddick's class. In other words, a disaster. Oh well, it had to be tried, or so one rationalises as one departs with a hefty chunk of yen for... well... a bowl of boiled cabbage and a few chunks of over-cooked beef. Thus ended Day 5.

Japan 2006 Day 4: Nara and Surrounds

From base camp in Kyoto, Day 4 was set aside for a day trip to the town of Nara, about an hour outside of Kyoto. Now I know I've been hyping up the temples in Kyoto, but believe it or not, Nara's plethora of ancient shrines makes Kyoto look like... well... Jared's medal cabinent...


The party has barely hit the first temple hotspot before a giggling group of school kids rushes up to practice their English. Here Jared puts on a brave face as his yankee drawl is exposed for the primitive string of grunts that it is, as the eager pupils breeze through the conversation with immaculate pronunciation...

First stop on the Temple Tour, the un-poetically named Five Storied Pagoda (pagoda names are definitely an area the Chinese have the edge - which sounds more inspiring, the "Thundering Mountain Pagoda" or the "Five Storied Pagoda?). This forms one flank of a big temple complex. So big in fact that it contains the largest wooden building in the world at its centre (see below).


Here's the monolithic wooden structure. Through a clever trick, the cameraman exagerates its size by placing a shorty in the foreground ;)


And now you see why they need such a big building - to house this friendly looking chap. According to our cultural expert Dr Zhu (who paused her detailed analysis of the local cuisine long enough for a rare interview), this bloke's job is to guard the big man himself - no not that bloke trying to slink past in the shadows - but Buddha.


Here he is. It's hard to appreciate the scale in the photo, but in real life he's at least tall stories tall. The statue that is, I'm assuming the guy himself wasn't quite so imposing.


Now here's a challenge for someone who's packed away a few to many Katsudon already. The word on the street is that crawling through this hole gives you lots of luck. It certainly worked in Rock's case - he was lucky enough not to get stuck and suffer the humiliation of having to get pulled out by the local fire department (a fate not unheard of for podgy westerners if Lonely Planet is to be believed).


"Yikes! My shorts are getting left behind!"


Having all squirmed through the hole, and confident that luck was now on their side (especially Rock who just managed to avoid discarding his pants on the way through), the group set forth for the next temple on the map. This one had a lot of lanterns. I believe the translation was something along the lines of "The Temple with a Thousand Lanterns". (What did I say about utilitarian Japanese naming conventions? Or perhaps the subtleties are just to complex to be translated into crude English).
Temple hopping can be tiring business. So what better place to relax than a traditional Japanese garden, with its precisely crafted aesthetics? In theory anyway. It's hard to relax when a demanding photographer keeps yelling for one more pose as he seeks the perfect shot.


See what I mean?


Feeling much like the faithful readers of this blog (all four of them), who are no doubt thoroughly sick of reading about temples, the adventurers headed back to a temple of a different kind - the awe-inspiring architecture of the recently completed Kyoto Station. Here, on the the 15th floor, with the cavernous atrium stretching to infinity below, Rock prepares to deliver his very best "No I am your father" line...

Another great day in Japan comes to an end. Even Rach's zipper has gotten into the neon lights mood.


But wait, what's this? Is it a flying sushi platter hovering over Kyoto? Is it Megatokyo? It is George Lucas once again getting carried away with gratuitous CGI? Or is it some clever reflection photography by Miss Zhu? There's no answer too weird in this country of contrasts...