Beppu

We went to Beppu for one reason, we could get accommodation there.

Finding Hostels in Japan isn't an issue of finding the ones which like or can afford, its an issue of finding any at all. Capsule Hotels and Internet Cafes are always a backup option but as these aren't often listed online it can be a pain in the arse to find them once you reach a city.

Beppu however was a happy little find. A small city, about the size of Hull, it is famous for hot springs and Onsen. It is kind of like Blackpool, not as big, or frankly as awful, but still it is damb packed with casinos and amusements.

Me and Steve stayed two nights at a pretty groovy hostel. On the first night we drank whiskey, stumbled into a great little family ran restaurant (They gave us fantastic home made miso soup, we gave them Whiskey, naturally) and then retired to the hostel to watch Back to the Future II with some dudes form Canada and America. Me and Steve also had a good chat about the fall of Yugoslavia with a Slovenian guy. All in all a success.

Other noticeable highlights of Beppu include:

Battered Fugu (He's Scottish he can't help it)

Steve getting deep fried Fugu in a restaurant. It was to pricey for me for what was essentially five bits and really nice scampi. Steve had four and his mouth went numb, an apparent side effect. I was fine but I only one bit and have an extraordinary curryesque pain threshold, if I do say so myself.

A women lost her dog.

We went to the Onsen (Japanese Volcanic Hot Spring) district of town and were directed to a particular Onsen, the apparent favorite of the guy working in the hostel, by some nice women. At one point however the women's dog broke free from its collar and escaped down the road. Me and Steve gave chase. We never caught it but were assured it had headed home. Anyway its the thought that counts.

The Onsen itself.

It was very basic, a hot pool and some showers. Well apart from one thing. It had a straw sauna. Now this isn't to say that it was a sauna particularly susceptible to from rather large, rather bad, wolves. It was was however a sauna with a straw floor that you had to sit on. It was the hottest thing either me or Steve had ever been involved in. What made it even worse however was the fact that we should have rented Yakata for about 300Yen(almost 2pound). we didn't to be tight and as a result had to go in in our t shirts and boxers. Now saunas are hot, we all know this, even small children are aware of the fact. The hottest sauna of you life however, that smells heavily of straw in clothes, now that was an experience. The sweat pored off us. I pity the poor sods sat next to us on the bus back.

Night came, as did more Whiskey.

We went to see our friend at the restaurant. He was just about to close but reopened especially for us. He looks so Japanese its stupid, I'll upload a pic and point him out later. Anyway we gave him Whiskey and he cooked ace food for us.

What a Leg End.

The morning would bring Nagasaki, Football, A-Bombs and a raft and disappointment...