Friday was here and it was time to get serious and get ready. So after our usual two hour morning practice (which was the first time in three weeks all five of us had a chance to do the form together), Martin, Joe and I went searching for a Laundromat.

Our efforts were rewarded when we found a hole in the wall coin-op, staffed by two of the most surprised Taiwanese I have seen so far. Apparently most patrons of the Evergreen Hotel don’t make it very far down the street. But the two guys, once they got over their shock, were very helpful and we successfully started the wash cycle. (This was made much easier by the fact that the washing machines were identical to the ones back home, complete with English instructions.)

Martin stood guard over the clothes while Joe and I ambled around the block. We found a small health food store where Joe bought some tea and I bought an algae drink of roughly the same consistency as the agar we used to grow paramecium in in 9th grade. But it did provide me with my recommended daily allowance of kelp.

We returned to the hotel for another hour or so of practice together and then had a birthday lunch for Joe complete with a suitably decadent cake. We were joined by Shihan David Zarb from Australia, a wonderful martial artist and a lot of fun to be with.

We returned to the squash courts for more practice in the afternoon, followed by a quick dinner and then it was time for Hiromi was off to the main Taichung dojo to get the lowdown on all the logistics for the competition.

Only a few pictures today…