Rosemary Godley comments

Rubbing vaseline (petrolium jelly) on the nostrils helps...the pollen sticks to the vaseline instead of going up the nose.

As a foreigner in Japan I have to say the cyclists on the pavement terified me at first. Then my daughter told me to not make any sudden moves, just stay on course and let the cyclist negotiate around me. I do think that cycling rather than driving is so much better for everyone on many levels but couldn't there at least be a general rule, like pedestrians keep to the left, cyclist keep right, space permitting of course. Osaka city is a good example; there the pavements are very wide but the pedestrians straddle the whole pavement with bicycles weaving at top speed between them! There is an unspoken rule on escalators in Britain for example; people standing on one side and people running up the escalator on the other side and it works very well.

I've never heard of anyone putting peroxide in their ears...sounds drastic!...I bought a novelty earcleaner with a shark on the end when I visited Japan this year...of course I had to explain what it was to everyone here back home...we use cotton buds...dainty ones so I brought back some of those giant cotton buds they sell in Japan..love your cotton buds Japan...but my husband can't use cotton buds he says they hurt his ears, so he has a special squirt bottle which he uses to squirt warm (not hot) water into his ear...the aroma oil added to warm water would probably be even better...the ear cleaning excercise although gross to some, must be very relaxing like having a facial or a massage, or even just having your scalp massaged when you go to the hairdresser... very therapeutic...I say go for it!.

That should read Thai chicken pie...yumm!

What I wouldn'[t do for a Thai pie from South Africa and bakers biscuits and some simba chips!

I like Yasukuni's comment...in my country we use the word toilet and bathroom but also the term 'loo'', also we have a sanitizer called loo blue....this whole sad story puts a different twist on it...loo blues...I feel so sorry for these kids!

When I was younger I had to learn a foreign language in a country where the language was not spoken and it was very difficult...I took extra lessons in a language laboratory i.e. earphones with taped recordings...this was before modern technology right...well it certainly helped but we were also taken to one of the few places where this particular language was spoken so I believe that the robots will help but you still need both!

Despite my family and friends trying to dissuade me due to the radiation fears, I visited Japan for a month in May this year and it was a memorable experience...for me it was a wonderful experience to visit a country so different from my own...I booked on line and my accommodation was very comfortable and not expensive... I was travelling with my daughter so we benefited by paying for a room rather than 'per person'. The price of food in the restaurants was a bit high but the biggest problem was the language barrier...getting around was very difficult and we didn't see as much as we wanted to. In Kyoto and Nara, which seem to be more tourist orientated, the people were very helpful...so hats off to them!

Porridge...Jungle oats (south African brand) normal or instant...toffee and banana flavour!

I don't think Japanese kids are the only ones who lack common sense blue witch...here in South Africa the kids also do crazy stuff...especially the little boys...if they are in agroup they want to prove themselves and start showing off especially if the others dare them or taunt them to do it...they say young people don't have a sense of their own mortality...that is why they recruit soldiers at a young age...no fear of death...hopefully he has learnt a lesson now

*We saw a video explaining why the twin towers came down...I'm not a scientist but my husband is a mechanical design draughtsman and he agreed with the theory put forward. I personally think that Americans are rather paranoid and are always talking about conspiracy theories...my theory is you all watch too much TV. I believe Al Qaida did it.***