TOKYO'S A WHOLE OTHER WORLD

Tokyo is a big city and this is the best way to start describing it. It has over 12 million inhabitants and over 10% of the population of Japan itself living in Tokyo metro. This means that it is a big city. With this level of sophistication, work ethic and desire it is no surprise that they are a world superpower.

The sprawling metropolis of Tokyo is even bigger than I ever thought real. With one of largest train systems in the world, both underground and above ground systems work to capacity to transport the mass of people living in Tokyo. The system is a maze but surprisingly easier to navigate once you get there. The people are extremely friendly which means that if you are lost, all you have to do is ask. The people of Tokyo are more than willing to help which really adds to the city's charm, as it is never nice to be ignored in a foreign city. Tokyo is rich, this can be seen by the class of people in this technoogically driven environment. Their system of transport from airports to train lines is superior to most in the world. The Shinjuku area is where one would find the tall buildings of Tokyo. Not that they are not prevalent elsewhere in this sprawling metropolis, it is just that they are to be found to vast amounts in this area. Shinjuku also has one of the biggest rail terminals in Japan. Ginza, not too far from central Tokyo, is the most expensive real estate in Tokyo. At US$250 000 per square meter it ranks with the most expensive in the world. Tokyo also ranks as one of the top 5 most expensive cities to live in on the planet.

As Durban winds down from the biggest social gathering on the first Saturday of July, the Vodacom Durban July horserace, the world is largely oblivious of race prestige. Without international participation of any kind, its insular nature means that it means little outside the borders of South Africa.

The one saving grace for the July on the international front is the fact that it was part of the global trifecta, a bet type that had almost the whole racing world betting on the first 3 finishers of the famed race.

For the fashionistas, the event goes far beyond the race itself, with the horses merely dictating a horsey theme at best. Sometimes being at a racecourse is merely a venue for the fashion designers, models and general show offs.

Writing from Tokyo about a race in Durban means that the world has changed. Even though I am miles away, the internet means that I can keep tabs on everything to do with our business. Faxs and expensive long distance telephone are almost a thing of the past; well we try not to use them in preference for the quaility and speed of more modern services. VOIP telephone service, such as Skype, are gathering momentum and with the call cost to most destinations a mere 20c a minute plus 60c for connection, it is almost cheaper to call overseas than it is to call locally. If you are wi-fi enabled its even better especially for the international travel who only needs a laptop, a credit card, earphone with mic and skype to make that call to the office at minimal cost.

In Chitose, near Sapporo City in Hakkaido, in northern Japan, the horse industry starts their JHRA SELECT YEARLING and FOAL Sale on Monday, 8 July 2007. A filly foal realised a world record US$5.2 million at this sale last year. Although most breeders don't believe the market will be that bouyant, they still expect a decent return.