Up after a fitful nights sleep for a buffet breakfast and to pick up the car from the stacking parking lot. Head off to Motegi to the GP circuit – journey is ok and we get there in less than an hour. Park and get free bus to the entrance, get in and immediately purchase 2 heavy programmes which we then have to lug round all day! Watch the morning practice, Ieuan spot's a cool phone being used by the Japanese man next door, he asks the man what type of phone it is and ends up chatting to the man for a while.
Buy some Esso Drops (sweets) from the GP shop and a few tshirts (Ieuan) in the Honda shop, and Ieuan befriends a mad couple who have bought 2 thin dogs in a shopping trolley, dressed in Ducati racing outfits, by joking with them about how the dog would beat some of the riders on a ducati bike – ha ha ha!. Walk round to our seats, which are pretty close to the track so we should have some good views of the riders. Ieuan spots a dragonfly of mammoth proportions overhead, estimating it to be “this long” (outstretched arms!) and compares it to the size of a bike rider in the distance.
Ieuan then insists that we complete a full circuit of the outside of the track on foot, in the searing midday heat, so we duly set off in 33 degrees. Walked past loads of new Toyota Hi Aces all set up for camping round the top end of the track, and then came to the end of where we were allowed to walk, so forced to double back on ourselves arriving very hot and sweaty and tired back at the “food court” area. Got drinks (Lou had to do further 10 min walk back in direction we had come to obtain diet coke, and plain mineral water couldn’t be obtained anywhere – it was all this sports water stuff with electrolytes and things in). Ieuan had a portion of melted cheese for lunch – there was apparently some pizza bread in there somewhere but that was only a rumour I don’t think was substantiated. After the initial horror at the cheese pizza, Ieuan was surprised to find he actually enjoyed it. Lou has fruit for lunch (she has been ill with a cold / cough so trying to get some vitamin C).
Afterwards, we watch afternoon practice / qualifying, before catching the bus to the Honda Collection Hall, where we whiled away a happy hour wandering amongst the old (including a real Honda 6) and new model Honda bikes, and purchasing pictures of the same in the Honda shop. Headed back to hotel and went to look for internet a half hour walk away. After a long and complicated “joining” process, we were allowed access to the private booths with computers in, complete with free drinks. Went home via Haagen Daaz and could tell Louise really was ill when she was unable to eat her ice cream!
We need to fill the car up with fuel but are currently unable to decipher if it is diesel or petrol (sounds like petrol, but don't want to have to call out breakdown and deal with that in a language where the only words we know are hello and thank you).
Buy some Esso Drops (sweets) from the GP shop and a few tshirts (Ieuan) in the Honda shop, and Ieuan befriends a mad couple who have bought 2 thin dogs in a shopping trolley, dressed in Ducati racing outfits, by joking with them about how the dog would beat some of the riders on a ducati bike – ha ha ha!. Walk round to our seats, which are pretty close to the track so we should have some good views of the riders. Ieuan spots a dragonfly of mammoth proportions overhead, estimating it to be “this long” (outstretched arms!) and compares it to the size of a bike rider in the distance.
Ieuan then insists that we complete a full circuit of the outside of the track on foot, in the searing midday heat, so we duly set off in 33 degrees. Walked past loads of new Toyota Hi Aces all set up for camping round the top end of the track, and then came to the end of where we were allowed to walk, so forced to double back on ourselves arriving very hot and sweaty and tired back at the “food court” area. Got drinks (Lou had to do further 10 min walk back in direction we had come to obtain diet coke, and plain mineral water couldn’t be obtained anywhere – it was all this sports water stuff with electrolytes and things in). Ieuan had a portion of melted cheese for lunch – there was apparently some pizza bread in there somewhere but that was only a rumour I don’t think was substantiated. After the initial horror at the cheese pizza, Ieuan was surprised to find he actually enjoyed it. Lou has fruit for lunch (she has been ill with a cold / cough so trying to get some vitamin C).
Afterwards, we watch afternoon practice / qualifying, before catching the bus to the Honda Collection Hall, where we whiled away a happy hour wandering amongst the old (including a real Honda 6) and new model Honda bikes, and purchasing pictures of the same in the Honda shop. Headed back to hotel and went to look for internet a half hour walk away. After a long and complicated “joining” process, we were allowed access to the private booths with computers in, complete with free drinks. Went home via Haagen Daaz and could tell Louise really was ill when she was unable to eat her ice cream!
We need to fill the car up with fuel but are currently unable to decipher if it is diesel or petrol (sounds like petrol, but don't want to have to call out breakdown and deal with that in a language where the only words we know are hello and thank you).
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