Fate? Destiny? Coincidence? You be the judge.

Question;
   What is the link between the image on the top-left (the Tonsils) and the image on the bottom-right (CATEYE's INOU)?

Tonsils

CATEYE's Inou

 Answer; 
   About 40-years.

Confused?

                                                                                                                                                                      To explain, I shall begin at the end - the present day.

Location.

  These two images were taken at a picnic-spot/rest-area along the Kizugawa River cycle-way. It is about an hour from where I live, and I often stop here for a refreshment break before completing my ride. On this particular day, as I was about to consume my last bread-roll, another cyclist arrived, gave me a quizzical look (I often get that. I don't know why) before approaching me asking; "Are you the guy that goes by the name of theoutdoorholic"? After confirming that I was, Philip went on to explain how he heard about me; a friend of his, who has an "Everytrail Page", told him about a guy who goes by the name of  "theoutdoorholic", and has posted a lot of rides in this area. Cool aye! But what makes this encounter even more amazing, is that I wasn't planning on stopping at this spot (I only did as, if I arrived home too early, I may have been given a chore to do - cook dinner or wash-the-dishes). And Philip wasn't planning on cycling this far either - he felt energetic and thought he would add an extra few kilometers to his ride.

Still Confused?

   Are you still with me? Well Philip administers a "Facebook Group" called the "Nara MTB and Road Cycling" Group. A member of this group is a Company Rep' for CATEYE (they manufacture products for bicycles - lights, cycle-computers e.t.c.) and this guy wants to gift me one of their new products on the market - The Inou. This is a combination G.P.S./photo/video device that allows the user to record their trip, as-well-as photo/video images and then uploaded onto your computer.  Whats so amazing about this is that, for the past year-or-so, I have been pondering with the idea of investing in a Hand-Held G.P.S. Device which would make uploading my outings more easier & less time-consuming ( drawing a trip can take a few hours).

Finished Yet?

   Now lets return to the summer of 1973. I was living in Christchurch City and, on this particular day, I was sitting in the clinic of an E.N.T. specialist. The gentleman had just taken a look down my throat and was telling me that my Tonsils needed to be removed a.s.a.p. (My god, I could have told him that, after the suffering I had been-through the previous 12-months) and provided me with three hospitals I could have the operation performed at - Christchurch Public Hospital  (as this was a public hosp' I would have to wait for a few months). St Georges Private Hospital  (as this was a hosp' that specialized in Pediatrics, I may not appreciate sharing my ward with screaming kids). And Calvary Private Hospital. Five days later I was discharged from Calvary Hospital with a clean bill of health, minus my Tonsils but, as a bonus of my stay, I had a 4-year relationship with one of the Nursing Staff. Two years into our relationship we moved to Nelson City where, after Kitrina left me to do her big O.E. to Australia, I lived until 2005. 

   Then, one day in June of 1998, I was sitting in my room at Franklyn Hall ( the halls were used as student residents attached to the Nelson Polytechnic) when two young Japanese girls arrived. They were in the country on a 12-month Students Visa. One of the girls met & married my friend and I married Sueko-san. Then, in early 2005, we arrived in Japan to live where, in my spare time, I hike and mountain-bike around this very-beautiful region. 

   

   Okay. You've read this story. In your opinion, is it Fate, Destiny , or just a Coincidence? But, ask yourself this question; what would have happened if I went to a different hospital for my operation? Or I went to Australia with Kitrina? Or I returned home so I could cook dinner? A lot of "What if's".