Yokohama Epic for Rich

OK this is a shout out to all the fantastic England fans who've made the journey out here. I don't know what made me do this labour of love but (somewhat manically I know) answering the questions, helping you all and booking stuff and being a general fixer has really been fantastic for me, very humbling and cheered me up to smooth out your Japan experience or add some extra value to it.

I will keep doing that. I'm lucky I work from home, type and read fast, know Japan very well and seem to think outside the box a lot which makes a lot of things happen, like now.

I'm not poor but far from rich either (except in name LOL) and I really appreciate your help and also hesitate to ask a bit but if it persuades wife and helps me join you all on this unforgettable journey then let's do it. I'll keep helping until the end of the tournament (and probably beyond! LOL!) It's fun, no one makes me do it, I enjoy it. In practical terms, crowdfunding this trip helps my persuade my nearest and dearest to let me go.

(it's not that easy because I have a newborn at home 2 months old and a special needs son aged 10, Leo, who is lovely but very demanding. That combination without me at home isn't easy but... you all understand I am sure.

So in friendship, and rugby. Practically, I put 300 Euros which is about 35 000 yen. The shinkansen is 15 050 each way from Shin Kobe (now you see, we subsidise the JR pass to an eye-watering extent) and a little extra for incidentals like food and drink.

I'm not going to look beyond Yokohama for now but for now, thanks a million, Tina and all of you. To make this work, I had to promise to come back on the last train home after the game but I'll try and see as many of you as I can. If we surpass the total, I'll think of some charity or maybe we can give it to the lovely lady Lynn to remember her son.