Day 67- 1st January 2015!!

So we decided to give training a miss today because we didn't make it home until just before 4am. 

I still had to get up after just a few hours sleep though because we are going to the shrine with Sensei today! 

It was SO busy! But there was such a wonderful atmosphere! 

So you follow all the ques of people and wash your hands at the fountain then carry on up towards the shrine where you  pray for a healthy and happy year and throw the coins into the box. Then you move over to the next area where you have to eat a pinch of salt and drink some sake - to purify you ready for the year. 

It was an amazing experience in a wonderful place. One which I was lucky enough to share with Sensei and Miltos. 

I'm the way back down they had lots of food stalls where we had some beef skewers which were very nice!  We got to have some flavoured traditional doughnuts too! 

Then Sensei took us back up to his house where we met James and we cleaned the dojo. We gave it a proper clean. It looks amazing now- and we replaced the prayer for the year. 

Then we went up to Sensei's for lunch, we had some Amazing soup and sandwiches and fruit- followed by a traditional new year dish that everyone has on New Year's Day. 

I am SO lucky to be a part of such a fantastic group of people here who are giving me experiences and memories that I will treasure forever. 

I'm exhausted now so I'm having a nap! 

We are back to training first thing tomorrow! 

Day 66- New Years Eve!!

So we made it to day 6 of the workouts and I managed to knock 30 seconds off my hill climbing time! Can't say it pleased me that much so early in the morning but as the day has continued I've become happier about it! 

I then went up to benno dake (sp?) it is up near shuri- but slightly higher, from there though you can see both sides of the island, it is beautiful!! 

I spent a lot of time looking down when climbing up the hill to the top! Apparently snakes live here- and they are actually poisonous so have to be careful!! 

I can't believe it's the last day of 2014 and it is SO gorgeous here. 

Then off to work at the bar for the most fantastic party I've had at new year in a long time!! 

Yea, I've got boob muscles- the press ups are working! ;) 

So we were playing spin the bottle, ate vodka and tequila jelly shots then drank shots of habushu with champagne for new year. 

This year is the year of the Sheep. 

We discovered that I am a year of the monkey (a monkey who can't climb a rope!) instead we all practiced monkey faces. 

The highlight of my night was getting to speak to my papa. Literally minutes after new year here. I am living my dream and I feel SO loved. 

I am having the time of my life and making memories and friends that will last a lifetime. 

#happiest

Day 65

Day 5 and the workouts continue. I'm still being tormented by a rope and it's still dark and early at 6am. 

I did see a slight improvement with stretching today, maybe if we continue like this we will be able to do the splits in one month! 

After crazy workout we were going to do some karate but I think all of us were just a little bit too tired! 

Instead I spent the morning playing with bubble guns, watching Spider-Man and having cuddles with this little cutie. 

James made the most amazing pancakes too. They were cinnamon and with yoghurt and honey.... Om nom!!! 

We can actually have something that resembles a conversation in minion language too. Banana, kampai, blerrgggggjhhh. 

Works for me. She is actually THE cutest thing, made me laugh a lot this morning, and to get cuddles mean I must be doing something right! Makes me miss Jay.

I cycled home where I had noodles, I seriously could eat everything, I am SO hungry the past few days!! 

Sent mumma this picture of my sore legs- I've got mosquito bites, bruises and a rope burn! So we basically discussed what shapely knees I am developing! Must be the bike riding! Such a shame I will always have grandads Fat calves!!!! 

On the plus side- there was a time when these pyjamas didn't fit me at all- now they are huge! Hard work is slowly paying off! Hopefully in a month I'll have those ripped arms I've been dreaming about for the past 2 years. If not I can carry on dreaming. 

Dinner tonight is rice rolls with salmon. 

These were nice, I'm getting used to the seaweed, it's the worst bit! Got to  have edimame beans on the side- my favourite. Nice. 

My days currently involve a lot of eating, exercising and sleeping. With some other stuff thrown in the middle. 

It's the last day of 2014 tomorrow! 

It has been amazing. I've done some incredible things and I am SO looking forward to what 2015 brings me!  

Day 64

Day 4 of our early workouts. I woke up in THE grumpiest mood imaginable- in fact it was because I didn't want to wake up. I wasn't ready at 6am when it's dark and cold (ish). Again, on my bike- I did manage to get so nearly to the top of the rope when I tried before doing the rest of the workout- shame it was still dark so didn't take a picture! Then we did it in the workout and I made it halfway up, then at the end of the workout when I tried to do it so I could take a picture I was just Too tired!! 

Maybe tomorrow Eh!! I mean there's plenty more days to practice! 

It's just a STUPID ROPE!! I don't understand why it scares me so much! I'm not particarly scared of heights so I have no idea! 

Still, then I went with James and his girls to a park with giant slides and a huge climbing frame. I basically had another workout following Kari up and down and around the entire thing! 

It was a lot of fun though. 

Then we climbed up to the top of the urasoe castle remains- 

It was a really nice day today. 

We can see the 'umi' (sea)!! 

Today I had my first experience of a sushi  carousel! It was fun! You take what you want to eat and they count the plates at the end! 

Yea, we can eat. 

I had a really fun day- James' three girls are very cute. 

Now I've just finished personalising my room a bit. 

It's going to be another early night ready for my ridiculously early alarm. 

 

Day 63

I made it into day 3 of the workouts. I was 30 seconds quicker on the hill climbs too. Although I think I need to change my strategy of sprinting down the hill in a 'phoebe' fashion and basically walking back up it! 

Yea- the boys give me the Rachel look too. It's a fast way down the hill though! 

Then we move into the rest of the workout. I am a complete wimp when it comes to climbing the rope! I make it nearly to the top and completely freak out to the point where James basically has to lift me down. It's becoming my nemesis. I'm feeling climbing it first thing tomorrow before the actual workout while I have energy- just to face my monster and show myself I can climb the rope to the top. 

I feel it's the next step in my progress, or maybe I'll just be a complete wimp forever. 

Then I came back to the guest house. Had my afternoon nap. This is going to become part of my life for the next month or 2- especially when karate begins again. 

Then James, Sanae, Emilie, Yoshie and I went to the cinema to see the hobbit.it was a really good film. I liked it. It was the first thing that was in English with japanese subtitles! So I understood the whole thing very easily. I may go to the cinema a bit more often now! 

I nearly fell asleep but didn't- saved myself for the early night I'm going to have tonight so I'm ready to attack that rope in the morning. 

Bring on day 4. I'm ready. 

Day 62

This morning I got up at 6am, dressed and headed off on my bike in the dark to James' house. Hopefully the bike ride will get easier the more I do it, I'm not really enjoying myself currently! On the plus side, the musics good and there's not really any cars to worry about at this time of day. 

So, it took me 40 minutes to get to his house. I got a ten minute rest before the workout began. We are doing hill climbs, hammering tyres, weightlifting, press ups, box jumps into burpees, makiwara and bag hitting, pull ups, rope climbing and ab crunches. Then we finish with a 10 minute stretching session. 

We have 45 minutes to do it in. It is hard work but I think that's the idea! 😓

Then I got breakfast, cereal with banana, Mikan (satsumas) and rose hip tea with lemon. Yea- I'll do that workout every morning for that food. It was amazing. I love cereal. 

I have the cycle back to the guest house- it's 3.5 miles either way so I'll be cycling a minimum of 7 miles a day (just to work out!) for the next month. 

I did all my laundry, sweaty workout clothes etc! And then had a nap before the bonenkai at the bar tonight! It was a LOT of fun. I didn't get to see or take part in much because I became head chef for the evening and considering it was nomehodai and tabehodai (eat and drink all you want) it was crazy! 

I think we did okay though! 

Got home around half 1- haven't got long to sleep before the next workout. 

This month will be one of the biggest challenges that hopefully I can say I made it through the entire thing and reach my goals by the end of it! 

The mosquitoes are loving me. 

My toe is still fat and sore but I'm getting used to the pain now and eventually I'm sure whatever I did to it will heal. 

Day 61

This morning we started our morning workouts. They will be a couple of hours earlier than today but because it was our first day and we hadn't made the workout plan yet we started a little later. 

We will be training every single morning until the end of January. The plan is to take our fitness to a whole new level. Either that, or die trying! 

We have hill climbs, press ups, pull ups, weight lifting, hammering tyres, climbing ropes, makiwara and bag hitting, box jumps and burpees, ab crunches and finishing with a ten minute stretching session so we can hopefully do the splits by the end of the month. Oh and for me, there is a 3 mile bike ride to and from James' house.

This will be as well as karate and cycling everywhere I want to go. 

If this goes to plan and i make it to the end I should be the fittest I've ever been. 

All I have to do is give it my all for a month. 

As much as I hate getting out of bed- it is pretty beautiful here in the mornings. 

And as a treat to myself and for my 3 mile morning bike rides I have downloaded imagine dragons' latest album. With that and iced lemon water who wouldn't want to be up at 6am! 

Day 59

So it's Christmas Eve and nobody cares about Christmas. I can't say i do really either- I enjoy the family time and films and food but I'm really not into the whole religious side of it! 

So, today was a day as usual here! Calligraphy class this morning- I'm really happy with how today went! Learning a lot and got my first monthly book and the kanji to practice for the month. I think I have to put in a few hours out of class- exactly like karate and everything else in life- you reap what you sew! 

This is my best yet. The first one im happy with and very proud to say I did this all by myself! 

Lunch today was Japanese Soba- different to Okinawan- the noodles are thinner. It was realy nice. 

Then considering it was a beautiful afternoon we went to the beach, made a sandman, paddled in the sea and ate ice cream while singing Rudolph the red nose reigndeer in japanese. 

It was a Christmas Eve I will never forget- thank you Sanae! 

Then off to karate where it was my last training session of 2014. 

This has been a lifechanging year. It really has been incredible. 

I am SO lucky to have so many people in my life giving me experiences and memories I will never forget. 2014 in my karate world has been epic. I can't wait to officially begin 2015 training. 

#dreamcometrue 

#trainingwiththebestintheworld 

Day 58

My mornings will be completely changing Soon but currently they involve me and Jeff curled up under blankees snoozing while the rest of the world Wakes up. 

Once I managed to roll off my futon and get dressed i headed off to the market to find some more spinach and veg for my pasta I was going to make for lunch (I slept through breakfast today). 

I cooked a HUGE pot of pasta and sauce with nearly 10 different veg in it- tomatoes, onion (spring and normal) peppers, carrot, peas, sweet corn, broccoli, green beans, asparagus and spinach. 

I should have enough for the next week at least! 

Then off to the language dojo where  I worked with kazu for 3 hours on all things English! 

He gave us a surfboard too. I don't think I want to get in the sea until it warms up a little bit it could be good in summer! 

Sanae brought this amazing cake in today too! I've seen a guy in kokusai making one of these, I came last again 2 hours later and he was still working on it- they're actual masterpieces! 

Tasted pretty good too!! Ended up being dinner, James got me from the bar and we went off to the budokan to do some training. I'm in a mood where everything is annoying me today. The fact I couldn't do the applications in Gojushiho annoyed me, the fact I couldn't get my calligraphy practice right this evening annoyed me and the fact I can't get my sore fat toe into my toe socks is annoying me!! 

I wouldn't say I'm unhappy or had a bad day because I haven't- in fact it's the opposite. However I'm feeling frustrated and stressed today. Small things are winding me up and I could happily hit somebody, In the face, With a blunt fork. 

Day 57!

Today I recovered from the run yesterday- it completely took it out of me! To fall asleep in the car on the way back home is rare! Not even just a nap kinda sleep- a actual completely asleep sleep! 

Had a really good nights sleep and then went shopping for food. After seeing yesterday's picture I've decided no more crap. That is the last place in the world I want to go back to and so I need to recompose myself and start eating properly. I don't think I've gotten fat here yet purely because of the excercise but I really need to give myself the nutrients my body needs to be the best it can. 

One thing fat club taught me was that a frittata is quick, easy and can have anything and everything thrown in! 

Lots and lots of veggies. Spinach is popular here. I'm gonna be a Popeye soon. 

Had work tonight. I'm not really sure you can call 'this' work lol!! I loved it until I started cleaning the kitchen and the obsessive me came alive. If I had my way and more degreaser I would have spent the entire night fixing that kitchen. 

There's still time. 

The cheese plate is dish of the week at the bar with all the cheese we got from John the cheese man when we went to see him and the cows. 

Yea, a cow thinks I taste good. 

I would have SO taken this baby home. 

Think of all the free milk... 

Day 56

Today we ran the Eki Den. The Dojo Bar Team ran the marathon in 3 hours 46 minutes. We came 39th out of 64 teams. 

I saw this picture today of me exactly one year ago in the worst place physically and emotionally that I have ever been: 

It's been a difficult yet incredible year in making the decision to change and build myself up into the person I am very proud to say I am becoming. There is still a long way to go but I am headed in the right direction. 

You know if you are one of those people who have been there with me every single step of the way, I couldn't be more grateful to those who believed in me when I didn't believe in myself and have helped in all the ups and downs to get me to here: 

I am SO proud to say that this is me today. 

GO DOJO, GO!!!! 

Me and my incredible running partner- Sparky. 

I am SO lucky to be where I am and to have come so far in a year. I'm excited for where the next year will take me. 

Day 55

This morning was dramatic! The doors got stuck at the guest house and to get out I had to climb out the window! I made it to karate where these three lotte cuties graded. I had the privilege of being part of the grading panel. 

Then I got all my laundry done and Gi washed ready for next week and went shopping for some sweets for the karate kids back in England. Then off to work. Tonight was the Arakaki Dojo Bonenkai and Santarchy. 

James presented Arakaki Sensei with a copy of the book and then we were invaded by Santa's. 

There were more that squeezed in too!! 

I finished a little early tonight because the tiredness is catching up with me and we have the Eki Den in the morning and I have to meet James at 07.45 at Akamine. This means getting up before the sun. That is rare in Becka world. 

Day 54

We went to Yomitan today. Cape Zanpa is beautiful. The Castle is amazing and I am very lucky to have James. I have my own personal tour guide and it is so fantastic, I'm learning a lot! 

I'm working my way through the list of world heratige sites. 

This is the castle that last years 100 kata event was held at. I am SO ready for next years one- I will be here in Okinawa for it. It's going to be incredible. 

Getting to walk along the top of the walls of the castle was fabulous. The view of everything was amazing- I like this castle. 

The pine trees here are amazing. Everything is perfect. 

We went to a local bakery right near a really huge old tree (I forgot the name of it!!) but the trunks and roots were incredible- all intertwined, something from a fairytale, where the pixies and tree urchins live!

In reality there's probably some huge spiders in there!

We had some good pizza for lunch, got to spend some time with Chris who is the other half of the Karate Masters Portraits Book- he is very cool, and his dog Bear is very very cute. 

Look at that ickle face!!! 

We were supposed to do one of the shoots for the next book but Sensei didn't finish work until late so we didn't get to do it today. Hopefully next week though and it was definately not a wasted trip with what we got to see and do today. 

Cape Zanpa had a few waves -but I hear they can get spectacular enough to wash people away! 

We saw Shinzato Sensei's shrine too. 

Another to add to the list- I didn't even know this one existed!! What a bonus Eh! 

I saw a dojo that is probably from the films. It was SO traditional and so beautifully built. 

This is looking out the dojo towards the exit. 

This is outside looking in! 

I got arty tonight- discovering sides of me I never knew I had! 

Today was SO much fun, very worth the early start! 

Sleep now as I'm sure another manic day awaits tomorrow! 

#livingmydream