Right, It's the next day and I'm still in Hachinohe so this will probably be a short one (or at least short on sense) as I haven't done much since the last entry.
Right, well as I suggested I spent the night in my excessively expensive hotel (not the most expensive I've stayed at though) which really wasn't worth it. For the extra money I got a mini-bar, a slightly larger than average room and a nicer bathroom. It seems bathrooms are a major variable in hotels in Japan. Having a nice bathroom carries a significant premium.
So, I'm back at Hachinohe train station, this time with a rail-pass (had got so used to buying tickets I got a ticket to here without even thinking about it, luckily the fare here was only 180yen so not too great a waste of money).
I think I'm going to go get a Shinkansen to Morioka in a while, doesn't really matter when though as I don't think I'm planning on going anywhere special and it only takes 30min on the Shinkansen. There seems to be a bit more to do round Morioka than Hachinohe and it's in the right general direction (South) so it seemed like a good next stop. Will probably spend tonight in Morioka (slow day today) then do something more interesting tommorow.
Hmm.. Enything else of importance? Or unimportance? Not that I can think of right now. Gonna go write a couple of e-mails. Will add more after that if I have any ideas.
Oh, just remembered the title and thought I might as well explain. I just bumped into another couple of missionaries on the way to the station. I seem to be meeting somewhat surprising numbers of missionaries. Not sure why. Just though it worth mentioning.
Right, your getting frequent updates now as I'm really not sure what it is I'm actually doing at the moment. As I thought I would I got the Shinkansen to Morioka where I have now reserved a couple of nights in a Minshuku. I think I'm probably going to do some walking on a platueu tommorow, though I may decide to do something else as it's quite a way to go (It takes nearly 2 hours by bus, and I don't like buses). I'm thinking I may do a loop out to the coast the day after that, passing through Tono and maybe staying the night there before either returning to Morioka and heading towards the west coast or re-joining the Shinkansen to head further south.
Posted by Haifisch at June 4, 2003 04:15 AMAre the missionaries trying to convert you? If so, to what? (Presumably they must be talking to you or you wouldn't know they were missionaries - unless they go round with badges saying MISSIONARY.)
Posted by: graham at June 4, 2003 08:47 AMWell, today at least I guessed in advance they were missionaries since they were both wearing badges saying "sister such-and-such". The most common form of missionary out here seems to be for The Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints but I don't beleive they were all the same. Just I've met two groups (they tend to travel in pairs) who identified themselves as being from that church where as I'm not sure about the others.
Posted by: Haifisch at June 4, 2003 09:23 AMI didn't mean to upset you,
oh well
'The Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints' = The Mormons of course. I wasn't aware that they were big in Japan - are they Japanese missionaries or Westerners? BTW in between those two sentences I just answered the door your parcel.
Yes, your thermals have arrived. I hope it hasn't been so cold at the tops of all those mountains that you wish you had kept them.
Posted by: graham at June 5, 2003 08:07 AMMainly westerners. And too cold? Didn't I mention I ended up sunbathing half way up Asahidake? It was wonderfully sunny and I found a nice hot black volcanic rock to lie down on.
Posted by: Haifisch at June 5, 2003 11:33 AM