I want a kei-car

When you're living in a more provincial part of Japan, you suddenly notice a lot of things about the geography. Firstly, things are more spread out, and the buildings have far fewer storeys than in a big city like Tokyo. Suddenly you start to realize why games like Katamari Damacy look the way they do. Here in Sukagawa, the folks pride themselves on living in a garden city, so there's a lot more greenery and fewer dull, grey concrete skyscrapers. Good for the eyes and the soul, really.

The thing about relatively lower density living is that everything is a little further away, and that even a simple shopping trip to the local strip mall entails a 15 minute drive. Sure there are stores within walking distance, but you really need motorized transport to get to those places that offer cheaper groceries or work clothes. Walking 2-3km to the mall in 33 degree heat and maximum humidity is more than a little harsh on the feet, not to mention my nerves.

Which is why the townspeople have kei-cars (I forget the full name). These are tiny cars that run on a 1000cc engine or less, and look like loaves of bread on wheels. They don't travel terribly fast, but are perfect for a quick trip around the neighbourhood and getting the kids off to school on time. Sure they lack the firepower to go on highways, being little more than glorified motorcycles, but what more do you need if you're living in a relatively self contained town? Apparently they're also fuel efficient and less likely to wreck the air quality, so it's mostly a win-win situation. I kinda wish they'd twigged on to this concept in the Sydney metro area, being full of little one way side streets that are completely rubbish for manoeuvering around in, and where gas guzzling 4WD tanks run rampant.

I must say though that nothing can replace a regular car for intercity trips. Kei-cars aren't allowed on highways probably because they have a top speed of under 60km/h, and they'd seriously stuff up traffic if they broke down. Besides, they wouldn't stand a chance against larger cars, though having a speed limit of 60km/h even on arterial roads means that any accident isn't likely to have deadly consequences.

Yep, everyone drives more slowly here compared to the maniacs on Sydney streets. It's mostly because of this that my confidence in getting a licence here has increased considerably. I'm still more than a little bitter about not being able to accumulate enough hours to take the DART before I came here, but at the very least I won't be a complete beginner when I start learning again. Hurray for automatic transmission as standard! Now I won't have to deal with changing gears or working the clutch when I'm driving. Multitasking is so overrated.

So here's hoping I'll be able to drive legally at some point during my stay here. It sure would help in getting me to my schools without blisters on my feet or pedalling my my pants off. Meanwhile, there's the combini next door for most of my food and drink, and a couple of modest supermarkets 15 minutes from my apartment on foot. Life is grand here.

I hear Kitty has settled in quite well in Canberra. Well, that's a load off my mind, but I still miss him a lot. Every time I see packs of Kal Kan on store shelves (that's what Friskies are called here) I cant help but think of the fat bastard. *sigh* Maybe I'll go visit if I make a trip back to Sydney. Would be really nice to see him again.