Today we arrived to Hiroshima after a four-hour bus trip which was mostly spent asleep. As last night was our final one in Fukuoka, we were supposed to go to bed early, BUT. We had gotten to know several wonderful people and in the end we just kept pushing the whole going-to-bed part later and later until we didn't sleep at all. And we kind only realized that by the time the sun had come up and the reception had opened.

We were just hanging around in the lounge room until about three when we had this inspiration to go to the local 24-hour Konbini. Our newly-found friend decided to buy several alcoholic beverages and we bummed a packet of ham to be able to make an omelet. So we were back at the hostel by half four and Mia and I started to make our omelet without actually knowing if it would be our breakfast or a really (and I mean really) late dinner or something.

We also ended up tasting umeshu and asahi and hanged around on the rooftop area since about when the sun started to come up. Fooling around with the cameras had some interesting results (this is from about 2am?) Sadly most of the pictures were taken not by our camera so we don't have them (yet, at least. Facebook is my lover).

And when we started thinking about it this whole thing started with POPCORN which I had accindentally thrown to my suitcase and as we were going through our stuff we ended up wanting that popcorn and decided to eat it as an evening snack or whatever (iltapala).

After the fun night we ran to our bus which left at 10.20 and made it just in time (we had thought they'd leave about once every hour but there would've been an five hour wait for the next one...) and ended up sleeping pretty much the whole way. (Y)

When we got to Hiroshima we realized we once again hadn't gotten the information about the hostel (J-Hoppers) we were going to stay in and had NO IDEA WHATSOEVER how to get there from the station. So we went to the local bus-info and tried to confirm where we should go and they were so helpful. It was actually an info for those using the bus lines and trying to find the right one but they printed out maps how to walk to the hostel, drew the hostel to us on the map and then a woman left the info area to walk us all the way to the tram stop... ONLY IN JAPAN. And just afterwards when we got off from the tram and tried to find our way from the stop to the hostel, several people stopped and and asked us if were lost, were we fine and would we find our way, confirming we were going to the right direction. A passer-by woman volunteered to lead us here (as she lives close by) and walked with us until we found the door of the hostel and got in. I repeat: only in Japan.

But other than that, I'm hungry and tired but very, very happy right now. If I get something to eat and some good manga to read (eg. the first volume of Death Note I bought) I'll be totally content.

And I'll be adding those promised pictures of Fukuoka when I get by to do it, hopefully it'll be soon. (~*w*)~

Onsen + FUKUOKA

Today we were SUPER ACTIVE and woke up at 6 o'clock local time. Like, JEEZ, what's up with that? But we wanted to go to the natural onsen, which meant an hour-long trip one-way, which meant an early wake-up.

Well our check-out was at 11 and we wanted to to and fro said natural onsen (in Myoban) so we were at Beppu JR Station by half eight. And walking uphill an hour later. After walking up for better part of an hour we found a lovely natural onsen (hot spring), but I couldn't take actual pictures of the spring because a local came by and after peeling off his clothes -walked right in butt-naked. So you try to go there, take pictures of a hot-watered pond while a random naked man is sitting in it. Maybe not?

We did get Roland (who we met at the hostel and who came with us) to take a picture of us while we soaked our feet in the hot water *---*

I think it turned out quite nice n__n

After coming back to the Beppu Guest House we began our journey towards FUKUOKA. I've been waiting for this, like, since AUGUST OF 2008.The bus trip was supposed to take two and a half hours. But. There was a block on the road/ traffic jam/ I don't even know WHAT but it took us four hours. Four. Like come on, Japan's busses and trains and all that are supposed be on time all the time. 

Like I'll believe anything said to me about these things anymore.

So, we arrived to Hakata Station and I had it mixed up with the Tenjin area, which is actually 1-2 km away, and there we were, riding the bus up to the third floor (the bus went up there. It was seriously w e i r d when a bus is going up those little tunnels made for cars to get to the uppermost levels of a parking lot...) in total blackness of the tunnel, wondering where in the name of all those seven hells we were. And when the bus started playing this "thank you for using this line" explanations-tape we were freaked as we realized this was the last stop and we'd have to get off here. The driver was unceremoniously dumping our stuff to the side of the bus and we were just gawking around, still not knowing where we were, where the hostel was and HOW TO GET THERE.

The driver left us there (being already over an hour late he was probably quite tense), wondering which floor the exit was. It took quite some time to get ourselves in order and out of the building, but when we did we ran into a girl who practically saved our lives (or at least two hours of our day in unessential search) by telling us where our hostel was (she had this little Japan-guide with all basic-and-not-so-basic info in it), where the info was and then lead us to the info even as she herself waas already in a hurry. You whose name I never learned: we will be ever grateful.

In the end and after a lot of fumbling around, stalking with maps and meeting a guy from our hostel in Nagasaki, we found the hostel Khaosan Fukuoka and checked in.

After snooping around for some info on Fukuoka and where-to-go guides we went to the supermarket. and cooked and omelet (Mia did, I poured the milk and dropped the eggs). Then we were on our laptops. Socializing. Then..... we're going to bed. Sorry I'm tired and just can't think of a good, flowing end to the entry so Iäll just stop here kthxbye.