Preface

In the year of 1996, an American friend of mine, let’s call him Norman Wayne Karo (his identity shall not be protected), asked me if I would like to come on a trip around Japan with him and he would act as my interpreter. I only had a few weeks to organise tickets and visas etc.

As I didn’t have any holidays left at my job, I asked the Production Manager if I could take time off without pay. A week before I was due to leave the Production Manager went on holidays for two weeks. The owner and manager of the company asked me about my holidays. He felt that it was unfair to take the time off. I didn’t see that it was unfair to anybody else as I wouldn’t be getting paid for a month. Nobody else had to suffer. Anyway, he gave me an ultimatum – go on the holiday and leave my job or stay and keep my job [author’s note – best decision I made]. Ended up quitting my job and was sick for the week before I left. That way I got to stay home and was paid for my last week of work without having to do any work. I did have a doctor’s certificate telling me not to work for a week so I wasn’t bludging. Nearly didn't make the start of the trip because I was sick.

Exchange rate was about 94 Yen to the dollar and somewhere around 800 Won to the dollar.

My camera was an ordinary camera and some of the photo quality will bear that to be true.

- posted by Hammy @ 8:48 am