Shaky

TV picture from the broadcasting after the earthquake that woke us up half an hour ago. Magnitude 6.7 with epicentra outside of Japan just north of Tokyo. We live somewhere between the 3s and 4s in the middle-low part of the image.

Sand hot spring

Today, on the last day of our mini vacation, we left Yakushima and went back to Kyushu. We took the train from Kagoshima to Ibusuki, as far down south as you can go on Kyushu. Here we spent another half day by the sea but instead of going swimming in the ocean we tried the local speciality sunaburo, sand hot spring. They basically bury you in sand that is heated by the underground hot springs. After thirty minutes I promise you are all done. Because of the weight from the sand you can feel the blood pumping through your warm body. Maybe something like getting a light beating in a sauna. Very relaxing indeed!

No hike

This morning the sun was shining and our backs were aching. After a not very long discussion we decided to skip the third day of hiking and just relax. We've been stralling around Anbo (a small place by the sea on Yakushima), sleeping on the cliffs in the sun and even taken the first swim for the year. Tonight we're having a BBQ dinner on the porch of our hotel. The owner of the hotel was by the way sure she had seen me on TV, but the only TV I've been on is SkellefteTV watching a baseball game in Skelleftea I think she was mistaken me for someone else. Tom Cruise?

Big trees

This is what's left of one really big tree and it's called wilson's stump. We have been hiking for two days, yesterday in perfect weather and this morning in pouring rain, and all the time in wonderful nature with some huge trees. We are now on the way from the mountains to the youth hostel where we will stay tonight. We will try to find an onsen by the sea and then we will eat a steady dinner!

Arrived Yakushima

After a flight to Kagoshima, down south on Kyushu, and a 2h jet ferry trip we have now arrived Yakushima, an Island famous for beautiful nature with a few thousand year old trees. We will stay here for 3 days and mostly do hiking in the mountains. Tonight the plan is to stay over in a cabin in the mountain and we are now waiting for the bus that will take us to the starting point for the hiking. It feels nice to have left the big city for the nature. The only thing that makes me nervous is that my backpack is so much more heavy than Maki's!