We began our Japanese tour with a 3 day stay in Hong Kong on the way over to get used to some heat and humidity as we will be expecting in Beijing. We had no hockey specific training but rather three days of interval running on the treadmills and some weights sessions. Due to the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong life there was nowhere we could run outside so we pounded the treadmills in the gym. It was also an opportunity for some team bonding over some different restaurant experiences and also some shopping days at the markets. I must say I was disappointed with shopping results as I could not really find anything to buy......that really is very different for me not to spend some money on shopping!

We then flew into Osaka and drove to Tenri University where we would be staying for the next 10 days. There was a hushed silence as we walked into our rooms to find our mattress on the floor and the pillows filled with rice.......mmmmm...where had the creature comforts that usually greet us disappeared to?  Where was my TV with plenty of channels, my fluffy doona and soft pillow and more importantly my room service? Ok time to adjust to a different culture. We slept poorly the first night on the mattress on the floor but then we slowly got used to it.....although every morning I still take a long time to roll onto the floor and stand up and stretch my back out.
 
It has been exceptionally hot and humid which is fantastic for us to get used to as it will be even hotter in china next month. The first couple of training sessions were very tough and we suffered in the heat. We were pushed very hard and everyone felt pretty tired and exhausted but at the same time we know we are getting a lot out of it both physically and mentally.