Our week in Japan for MateRock went so fast, and was full-on times a bazillion. I didn’t get time to blog on the trip, because I was lazy and drunk a lot so I’m going to break it down over a few blogs, before I forget everything…

We arrived in Hakuba to meet our host for the week

This is Adrien

He’s an Aussie who’s lived in Japan for over 20 years

MateRock originally started out as a BIG birthday party he was throwing to celebrate his 50th

Then the devastating tsunami happened, affecting everything

He decided to go ahead with the party, but changed it to a fundraiser

With the goal of paying for the education of 20 children orphaned by the tsunami

And taking care of those kids financially for the next 10 years

Pretty cool, huh?

As well as Adrian, we got to meet a shitload of other people on our first night

Mum proved what a jet she is by remembering everyone’s names

While bimbo me continued all week calling everyone ‘matey’ & ‘dude’

This one (below) I will remember though

And not just because this was the beginning of a big old bromance for Dad

This is Dave Gleeson, from the Screaming Jets

He was in Hakuba to be the front man for the The Angels

How’s that for an inspired merging?

Love it!

We were all taken to a great little local restaurant

And even got to sit on the floor and use chopsticks

I made a vow to try all food that was put in front of me – even if it looked like octopus scrotums covered in jizz

Guess what?

ALL the food was amazing

Like, really really yummy

I don’t remember the names of anything though

And not just because I discovered Shochu (funny how I remember the name of that)

Schochu (pronounced show-chew) is a traditional Japanese alcoholic drink, like sake

But unlike sake, that you drink straight up

You drink schochu with a mixer

Like lemonade, or soda

The kicker?

No hangover!

I. Shit. You. Not.

If I can’t find it when I get back to Chicago

You can bet your arse I’ll be finding a way to import this Jesus juice

After our I-can’t-believe-I-ate-all-that-even-though-it-wasn’t-steak-and-veggies dinner

We headed back to the hotel

Where Dad & I got the guitars out and shocked the shit out of some foreigners that had never heard of us serenaded our new friends

A fabulous, fabulous, funny (it’s only day one & I’ve run out of descriptive words & I’m repeating myself) night

But wait, there’s more…. But not right now, ’cause I’ve got a plane to catch

This is my hotel room in Japan for the next few days

You may think it’s a bit brown

Me?

I’m thinking it’s exactly like Mr. Miyagi’s house in the Karate Kid movie

I’m kinda waiting for Ralph Macchio to knock on my door

So I’m doing some “waxing on, waxing off”….just in case!

The Walmart version…

…of a DO NOT DISTURB sign

After the great banjo debacle

I arrived at the the hotel to find that

It’s fucking awesome

For anyone that’s been to Vegas

Think Caesar’s Palace

Times 10

This place is huge

And beautiful

And my shitty photos don’t do it justice at all

But it’s really amazing

It’s like it’s own city

With shops, casinos

And a bazillion restaurants

Very, very cool

And being a girl that’s more than comfy staying in a decent motel when on the road

This place feels very fancy schmancy

The staff are wonderful

But I gotta tell you

In South Africa in general

The people are ultra friendly

Very kind and welcoming

Even to yobbos like us!

And the kicker?

Starbucks in the hotel lobby

They’re going to have to drag my freckly arse out of this joint!