Kyushu Japan. Day 3

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Day 3
54 miles. Ave speed 13.1. Ascent 1450m. Temp. 15-22
One thing I did not mention earlier was that Japan is a country that is founded on respect. Not just for your elders, or those in higher authority, but respect for each other. When you meet anyone the tradition is to make a small bow with your hands by your side and keep looking straight ahead at that person. The Onsen also have rules of respect. At the hotel or Ryokan you are supplied with a kimono and a jacket with a wrap around belt and you trot off to the Onsen and strip off you kimono and put it in a basket with the large towel. The small towel is then used to cover your objectionable body parts to provide some sort of modesty for you and others around and you then walk into the Onsen area where you put the towel to the side whilst you shower on one side sat on a stool so not to splash anyone or get suds in the Onsen. Once you get to the Onsen and before you get in the water you take the small towel and put it on your head to keep it dry whilst you soak in the 20 degree C water up to your neck. You get out just before it has put you to sleep, turned you into a lobster or rendered your hands into the likeness of a piece of tripe in Yated and Thoms’ window. You then take the towel off your head and discreetly cover your parts on your way to the basket of clothes. Amen. After our 7am breakfast we packed our bags and got away at 8.45 and up into the hills with a 7-9% gradient until lunchtime where we had risen to 1330 metres. The scenery was very different to yesterday being more open and large mountains with more scrubland and grass. The hills were pretty relentless and very alpine in nature with winding hairpins for mile after mile. Being a Saturday the traffic was much heavier with loads of motorbikes roaring around the mountain passes giving it plenty but not posing any risk to us. Unlike a couple of yellow buses which passed by far too close. Our hotel was on the outskirts of Aso and was complete with Onsen, although a bit cooler at 39 degrees today. It also lacked beds and had 40 mm thick mattresses on the katami mats. When Martin wasn't looking I pinched two extra ones from the cupboard to provide a little more comfort. The evening meal was up to the usual standard of fish with just about everything. Martin and I were exhausted and after several yawning sessions I succumbed to sleep at 8.15pm.

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