Japanese Sports Drinks

The last week has seen a change of season. Last Saturday night we had guests and turned on the air conditioner for the evening together. Today I have socks and long pants on. Yep, the season has changed. 

The seasons are definitely more distinct here than where I grew up in southern Queensland. And they are shorter, especially summer. For me, it seems that summer feels hotter, because the winter is colder. Does that make sense? It is harder for the body to adjust when you are dealing with 30+ with high humidity in September then down to single figures and low humidity by December. And the reverse from February to July. 

I find the summers harder here than in Brisbane, even though they aren't a lot different, apart from being shorter. The one difference Brisbane has is that it tends to experience heat waves and then periods of cooler weather (high 20s, for example). Whereas Tokyo turns the heat on in mid-July and remains (for the most part) that hot – day and night – until mid September. Although this year the hottest period did end about the 18th of August with a short cooler spell, and though it did get very hot again, the nights, thankfully, remained below 30.

Anyhow, I didn't really mean to go on so much about the weather. I wanted, instead, to mention Sports Drinks. I've not been one who's really gone for Sports Drinks. I remember after the birth of our middle child, someone brought me one when I was in hospital. It was either Pokkari Sweat (yes, it really is called that) or Aquarius – these are two of the most popular brands here. It tasted awful, like some medicine that I was given as a teenager. So I really haven't drunk any since. 

However during the hottest days I was struggling with headaches and other symptoms that made me think that more than just water was required. I went on a quest, therefore, to find a Sports Drink that tasted a bit better. I found a couple of brands. This Postonic Water I found in a vending machine just down the road from our house. It had quite a nice flavour, especially just after a sweaty workout at the gym. Don't you just love the name of it?