Last weekend we took part in the annual “Car Rally”. Fifteen teams descended on the south of Fukui, dressed to the 9’s in all manner of outfits, from Kill Bill characters, to gangster rappers. A set of clues and a disposable camera were given to each team, who then had around seven hours to tear around Fukui in their cars collecting points, answering the questions, taking photos, and completing the various challenges along the way. Five bonus points were awarded for each school child that appeared in photos in addition to the prime target.

All aboard the Jolly Wagon “RRRRR” our Anglo-American team set sail complete with daggers, swords, stripes and monkeys. We drove south, deciphering, snapping, and solving as we went. Full respect must be awarded to cabin boy Brandon who stripped off and ran into the high seas of Japan right up to his neck, winning us the maximum available points for the submersion challenge. Despite crossing the finishing line first, we were far from coming in number one overall, due to a few wrong answers and general lack of school children in our pictures, and we were pipped by those pesky Spice Girls (www.mamfainjapan.blogspot.com).

However, the event was a great way of seeing some beautiful parts of the Fukui that most of us had never laid eyes on, and a good time was most definitely had by all. Next year, we’re going for gold.