Stuart McGraw wrote:

> Anyway, I am really looking forward to Yamasa, and hopeful
> I might actually be able to learn a little Japanese. 


No need, none of us do. Ryan is a translator and gets his wife to 
explain all the kanji. Louise uses altavista for her 
translations. Mike drives truck and uses an electronic navigator 
(he knows left and right in Japanese). Declan just nods and 
grunts at the appropriate point. Bryan takes his daughters 
shopping "read this to daddy". Mr Sumo teaches English. Jeff has 
forgotten everything he ever learnt. Eric is Japanese so he 
didn't need to learn. I do an elaborate patomine to explain what 
I want.