Diary of an Estate Agent: Family trip to the Rugby World Cup ended with a typhoon finish
John Horton flew thousands of miles to Japan to watch rugby with his two sons and have a few pints of Asahi. Was that too much to ask? The weather said yes…
A holiday is (or should be) a good time to recharge the batteries, rest, relax and recuperate. But throw the Rugby World Cup in Japan into the mix and the well-earned time away from the day job was shaping up to be a real family adventure for this Dad.
Our family trip to Japan proved to be an epic holiday with my two boys as we watched three games of rugby – England vs Argentina, New Zealand vs Namibia and Scotland vs Russia, soaked up the remarkable culture and the history of Japan. And what you read was true – the Japanese rugby team “The Blossoms” had the country bubbling over with world cup fever. They did their country proud.
My two boys were almost blown over meeting their hero and England captain Owen Farrell. My boys also made up making the big screen pre match entertainment at rugby stadium and being interviewed by the local Japanese TV crews. There was never a quiet match day moment.
My fear of getting lost in Shinjuku station or in the Shibuya Crossing crowds – or even the boys not eating the sushi I ordered – did enter my mind. But thanks to smartphone maps, a translator and the pedigree of being a seasoned London commuter we had nothing to fear in the busiest city in the world.
The beauty of travelling somewhere, home or away, is about the new experiences. The differences in the language, the people, cuisine and scenery… finding yourself outside the usual comfort zone is all part of the fun.
And for us, two weeks and thousands of air miles flashed by in a blink of an eye.
After all, it’s not every day you find yourself in the eye of deadly typhoon Hagibis. Not only did the storm cause a significant amount of damage and the tragic loss of life, it also had the knock-on effect of creating a logistical nightmare for the family. Thankfully, we emerged unscathed and only missed one rugby match and a few days of tourism. I’m so happy to be back in west London, but I admit that my love of Japanese food has also blossomed!
With Horton and Garton’s imminent office move in Hammermsith to distract me, as well as back-to-back half marathon weekends, the holiday is already feeling like a distant memory. So, let’s hope we see England in the final on Sunday November 2!
BUT first there is a big match this Saturday morning (October 26) at 9am. So if you are at The Cross Keys or The Black Lion in Hammersmith, or the George IV in Chiswick High Road, I may see you there… Swing low sweet chariot!
Onwards and upwards.
