Half of April was taken up with our trip to Japan and we won't repeat anything about that here (see our three previous episodes for that). But even in the latter two weeks of the month, there has been a lot of Bond action, including our preparations for joining His Majesty's Secret Service (the Coronation and the new novel by Charlie Higson) and our big fundraiser for the year: Donate Another Day. We talk through the event, including what to expect, what to drink and (courtesy of Bond food expert and author Edward Biddulph) what to eat. We also discuss the importance of Bank Holidays and Bond - and Antony finally commits to watching Never Say Never Again after years of David trying to persuade him.

The Japanese assignment continues with a mission report from the world’s busiest train station. Antony and David relate their remaining Tokyo adventures, including cherry blossom viewings and visiting a location from The Wolverine (2013). 

Their next report comes from aboard a ‘Romance Express’ (like the one referred to by Tanaka in the novel of You Only Live Twice) travelling from Kyoto to Osaka. Before getting there, they share what it was like to stay in a traditional Japanese inn (as Ian Fleming did when researching Thrilling Cities). They also talk about how they found Kyoto, including its gorgeous temples and gardens (not of the poisonous variety) and ‘all the shrines in the world’.

After all of these spiritual experiences, they head for the extreme contrast: Universal Studios in Osaka. While queuing to buy lunch in Super Nintendo World, they talk about different fandoms and speculate about what a 007 theme park might be like.

Finally, they discuss public bathing Japanese-style (as in, completely naked), the Japanese musical of Casino Royale, a visit to Himeji Castle (the ninja training school from You Only Live Twice), taking the fastest bullet train back to Tokyo, finding the best Martinis in Tokyo Disneyland and how they managed to have a Bondian adventure on a reasonable budget.

Recorded live in the reception area of my hotel in Osaka, Japan this is a conversation with Eisuke Ochiai (@inspiredbybond on Instagram). We talk about Bond's place in Japanese culture before launching into our experiences with 'Casino Royale - My Name is Bond', a unique theatrical experience: not only is it the first stage musical of a James Bond story but it is performed by an all female cast, Takarazuka Revue, entirely in Japanese. How well did I (not a Japanese speaker) understand the story? What were our favourite elements? What were the completely bizarre parts which we never saw coming?! Listen on to find out!

Recorded in Heathrow airport and two very different bars in Tokyo. Starting off their trip to Japan (for both their wedding anniversary and Antony's birthday), Antony and David sip Negronis in the departure lounge while giving their perspective on Bond travel, including how to do it on a budget. After arriving in Tokyo, they have more cocktails in a key location from You Only Live Twice and finish their first night at a women-centric bar called Gold Finger, where they interview the owner about her love of James Bond and what it's like to be LGBTQ+ in Japan.

David and Antony discuss Michelle Yeoh's Oscar win, the 70th anniversary Fleming controversy, the first 007GB Club meet up, 40th anniversaries of Octopussy and Never Say Never Again, bumping into Aaron Taylor-Johnson (and THAT Calvin Klein photoshoot!), seeing Bond alumni in Jumpin' Jack Flash. This month's cocktail (which they make live) is a new one: the Wai Lin, which is one of the cocktails featured in the 2023 LTQ UNICEF fundraiser, Donate Another Day.

It has never made logical sense for Bond to choose a train over a plane, but that hasn’t stopped the 007 series making sleeper trains synonymous with romance and excitement. Why fly when you can travel by rail?

David relates his and his husband's recent experience on a sleeper train (The Caledonian Sleeper) and compare it with Bond's experiences in the films and books.

In this informal chat (while they make Sunday lunch and cocktails), Licence to Queer creator David and his husband Antony reflect on the previous month and all the Bond-related things they have experienced. It's been a busy month! Discussion includes developments in 007GB Club (David is the Editor, Antony a member), the re-release of GoldenEye 007 on Nintendo Switch and Xbox, booking tickets to a Japanese staging of Casino Royale, a(nother) visit to Dukes in London, a sleeper train visit to Edinburgh supporting the release of Bond author Kim Sherwood's new book and the third international Jim Fanning Friday. They finish with a chat about the Bond tangential stuff they've consumed, including an appearance from Pierce Brosnan in 80s X-Men comics and Bond Girl Martine Beswick's appearance in a Hammer Horror film.

This month's cocktail is a 'Honey Ryder', a classic daiquiri with Blackwell's rum, substituting sugar syrup with honey.

Diamonds Are Forever may be one of the more bizarre Bond films but the early drafts by Richard Maibaum make the finished film look quite sane by comparison! Granted access to the Eon archives, film scholar Tom Mason shared with me what he had uncovered: possible versions of Diamonds Are Forever which are, by turns, ahead of their time AND positively deranged. You're not going to believe what Diamonds might have been!

We always wanted to have Christmas in Cuba! On the final full day of our holiday, we look back on the experiences we've had in Havana over the Christmas period, make several Bond connections and share some of the funny things that have happened along the way.

There's no intro or fancy editing for this episode as it was a nightmare just getting the computer to work in any way with the state wi-fi. So it's just the audio, recorded from the balcony of our hotel overlooking the sea.

No shade, but is M's death supposed to be... funny?!