We leave later for 10 days in Japan. I have heard many amazing things about this modern cutting edge yet brazenly traditional country. We initially spend 4 days in Tokyo with a side-trip to either Nikko or Kamakura. Then we get the bullet train to the ancient capital of Kyoto and visit Mt Fuji. I hope we can also cram in a visit to the rebuilt but historically bruised Hiroshima before returning to Tokyo.

The flight from Chicago direct to Toykyo is 14 hours but then we gain an incredible 14 hours by the time we land. Tokyo is 8 hours ahead of Wolverhampton mind, so I calculate that Saturday night I will be enjoying some Shōchū whilst keeping a close eye on my texts!

Depending on what kind of state my body clock is in, it might be asking a bit too much for me to find somewhere to watch the rugby, but to be honest after what has seemed ages since the World Cup began, I have become a 'Johnny Come Lately' to the competition, so although I am convinced I would've been swept up in the groundswell of patriotism if I was back home, it has been hard for me to follow here and the Japan trip will probably put the kibosh on me seeing what will hopefully be a victory to St George.

Back to Charlton, I'm actually away for three of our games. Plymouth and QPR on the telly (drat) as well as Wolves. It might be a bit quiet on What was the score for 10 days, particularly since AT&T told me today that browsing the internet on my Blackberry from Japan is about a million dollars a minute. However hotels will have computers, maybe in Japanese, so I might be able to post something. Keep having a nose back. Sayonara.