Chicken Sashimi

The daily entries for 1983 will begin today, although the running part starts tomorrow, June 11. I have scanned a number of photos and newspaper articles to include with most of the daily entries. Unfortunately, the quality of the photos and articles are not top-notch due to exposure to the elements. Things don't keep well when your house gets trashed by a number of super-typhoons that frequently visit Guam. I've made some digital enhancements on the photos for better clarity. Entries from 1983 are in italics. Here goes:

June 10, 1983, Friday
Traveled directly to Kagoshima on the Air Nauru flight earlier today. I had heard stories about this airline, about how the flight schedule could change any time if the President of Nauru needs to go somewhere. The flight had only about 3 passengers. I settled into my seat and after take-off, looked around for the flight attendant to ask for a drink. I couldn't find one, so I just kicked back in my chair. I felt a little shove from behind my seat, so I turned around and found a flight attendant with her feet on the back of my seat, reading a paperback book. No problem, I thought. I don't really need a drink.

After landing in Kagoshima, I was greeted at the airport by Mr. Shimizu, Mr. Iizuka, and Mrs. Kouno of the Kagoshima Running Club. Mr. Mito of Goldwin Co. (distributor of Champion Products) had also flown in from Tokyo to meet with me before the start of my run. All were very kind and I felt very comfortable in preparing for tomorrow's start. We all traveled to a hotel at Shiroyama, which has a nice onsen with a huge window facing the Sakurajima volcano. After settling in, I had a short meeting with Mr. Mito who gave me some running equipment and provided instructions if further assistance is needed in getting more running equipment. I took a nice, long bath at the hotel's onsen and ate dinner with the running club group. Had chicken sashimi for the first time in my life. It tasted pretty good--not like chicken, but more like fish sashimi. People from the Kagoshima running community kept arriving at the hotel to wish me well. Kagoshima is such a beautiful place and the runners are super nice. They keep telling me about their marathon in January. I'd like to run it sometime, maybe next year.

Now I am really looking forward to the 9:00am start tomorrow at Kagoshima City Hall. I called my mother, who lives in Sasebo. All she had to say was, "Be careful."