If only the road signs had been heated

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In front of Shoyama station

Shoyama from the train

I missed a white Christmas by only 3 days, but after having driven in the stuff in less than ideal conditions I now have a new respect for snow. My train to Okayama (and then on to Takamatsu on Shikoku) left from Shoyama station in the neighbouring prefecture of Tottori. I left home around 5:30am ( -5 degrees, still dark) on the 29th December, giving myself more than twice the amount of time I would normally need for the trip. Thankfully the snow ploughs had been working during the night so I was able to leave in the first place. Snow may be pretty, but it can completely change the appearance of roads - to the point where I thought I had got myself lost driving along a road I had driven along numerous times, both in daylight and dark. Having snow flying straight at you can be almost hypnotising, and vision is better with headlights on low beam than on high. Snow had covered the road signs and I was unable to reach any of them to scrap off the snow to check I was on the right road. As it turned out, I was only a couple of minutes from the main centre of the other side of town. Further on, and roads which were normally comfortably two-way had been reduced to little more than a garden path. Fortunately I had done a dummy run previously because I knew I would be doing this trip early in the morning, and recognised my main turnoffs, so after hitting a top speed of probably 50km/hour at best (with the majority of the trip around half that speed) I eventually made it to Shoyama station with about 30 minutes to spare. I didn't have to buy another ticket and wait for the next train after all :-)

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Photos

Back in Okuizumo
My car waiting to be dug out :-)