I didn’t sleep very well last night. The work issues kept me up from about 3 for a while. So when we got up at 730 i really wanted a bit more sleep. But no time for sleep….There were things to do!

We went downstairs for breakfast just before 8. We had decided to have a buffet breakfast this morning so ate in the hotel. They served a western and a Japanese style breakfast. So we helped ourselves to a number of serves and were all quite full when we left. We planned to meet just before 11 to check out. I spent the next hour working while Kaoru got our bags organized.

For today we had packed my backpack as anovernight bag and put all we could in the small suitcase. We left this at the hotel when we checked out, and walked to the station. We went back to Dimarau and bought bento boxes for lunch. We killed the remaining timehaving a drink and snack at mister donut, and walked to the bus stop, where Kaoru checked us in for our tour.

There were about 20 people on our bus. We were easily the youngest, and the only non japanese. We left at 12.00. The bus was half full but the organizer had given us reserved seats so we were all up the front. My backpack wouldn’t fit up top so it was at our feet. We ate lunch and admired the scenery of outer sapporo.

After about an hour we made our first stop ata rest area with lots of food stands. So we made our way through them getting samples. Back on the bus we were told we can move so took the back where we could stretch out.  A couple of other people moved too, but not many.

We drove for about another hour and reached our next stop – i had a power nap onthe way. It was similar to the first stop but less samples. I bought a bottle of milky sake (for tonight) and a can of nikka whisky and soda (for the last leg). Michael and Leila bought a bottle of the local beer. So we enjoyed them for the last leg for the day, and arrived at our hotel in Sounkyo Mt Daisetsu.

We drove for about another hour and reached our next stop – i had a power nap onthe way. It was similar to the first stop but less samples. I bought a bottle of milky sake (for tonight) and a can of nikka whisky and soda (for the last leg). Michael and Leila bought a bottle of the local beer. So we enjoyed them for the last leg for the day, and arrived at our hotel in Sounkyo Mt Daisetsu.

We had a wander around the hotel – both inside and outside. We learnt there is a sisterhotel up the road and a shuttle bus connectsthem so we caught that and checked out that hotel too. It was much nicer! Oh well…

We caught the next shuttle back to our hotel and made it right on time for our dinner sitting – our tour group had been booked for 5.30. A little earlier than we would have liked but nothing we could do.

We overate… Lots…There was plenty of food,all japanese style, buffet. After a buffet breakfast we really didn’t need a buffet dinner. It was all we could do to stand up.

We went across the road to the 7-11; which is really the last thing you’d expect to see in a place like this (well, in any other country anyway). We wanted to buy some nibbles forthe morning as we have a tour at 6.00 am but breakfast isn’t until 7.30. It was amazing how crowded it was. There was even a “tax free” line, meaning people were buying over ¥5000 to take home with them. We didn’t buy much at all.

We all went back to our room for some sake and a chat. Then Kaoru and i went to the onsen. Michael and Leila wanted to go later. The men’s one wasn’t too crowded (the women’s was though, Kaoru told me) – there might have been 10 other guys? At first i wasa bit uncomfortable about getting nude in a room full of strangers but once i was down there and washing i felt fine. I had gotten used to it on our March trip and the feeling came back.

I went in the 40 degree one. But even that was too hot for me. I lasted maybe 10 minutes. Once out i decided to have a shave since they supply a razor, shaving cream and my skin was soft from being in a hot, wet room. I dried myself and returned to the room. I met Kaoru at the elevator which was a surprise as she normally has long baths.

Back in the room we were both really tired soi set my alarm for 5.30 and we were lights out by 9.30.