Saturday 14th May 2016 (updated)

And time to move on once again.

We have breakfast at half eight, this time featuring something we recognised; omelette.

After packing, we send the cases onto the destination after next, as we where we were going, we would be there just one night.

We got the shuttle bus to drop us at the pier for the ferry, we were driven half over the mountain, down narrow and winding roads, some featuring deer looking for food for some reason in the middle of the road, before arriving at the pier 5 minutes before the sailing. We had a panic as we realised we had to find our rail passes to get on the ferry. Jen finally finds hers at the bottom of her bag, so we were able to walk along the linkspan and onto the ferry, which with no schoolchildren in faux military uniforms on board meant we could find seats on the deck, so once underway we could watch the island slip away.

It is another glorious morning, perfect with clear blue skies and no wind, so we enjoyed the breeze created by the ferry's forward motion until we arrived on the mainland where it got several degrees warmer. In the inlet, there appeared to be fish farms; large wooden structure stretching for hundreds of metres just above the service of the water. All that seafood must come from somewhere I suppose.

A walk to the railway station where we had a 20 minute wait for the express into Hiroshima, and from there we go seats in the bullet train to Okayama. Being so hot, and with so much travelling to do, we decide not to visit Hiroshima at all, deciding to include when we come back, as we so want to return as soon as we can. And once again I run around taking shots of the bullet trains, although with almost every train looking the same, it really was beginning to fail to thrill. But hey, BULLET TRAINS!

We have no idea where in Okayama we might visit, and the thought of wandering around the city in the afternoon sun didn't thrill us, so we made the decision to travel all the way to Kurashiki to the next hotel, and look for lunch there. I am away at the far end of the platform once again, when our train pulls in, so panicking once again I might be left behind, I scamper down the platform only to find that the train is going to wait 20 minutes before departing. So there had been no hurry.

We arrive in Hiroshima, and follow the signs to the local trains, and work out on which platform our train will arrive on. One pulls in, and for a moment we stress that it might not be going to Kurashiki; we ask on the train in English and it is confirmed we can get on this train. It is standing room only, but that's fine as we only have a 20 minute run.

We pass through endless marshallling yards, then onto a fast line that zips us through the suburbs and over endless drainage canals. Each town looked the same, and all pretty modern, and I did begin to wonder why we had asked to come here. I hope Jools and Jen were not going to be disappointed.

We arrive in Kurashiki, and get the only taxi waiting to drop us at the hotel; he seemed happy enough, but it was less than a mile away, the meter in the cab hadn't ticked over to increase the basic price. Two uniformed members of staff spring from inside the hotel, hold our doors open and carry our bags inside. Inside it is all gleaming glass and marble, and looke every bit a modern western hotel. We are allowed to check in, even though it was only just after one in the afternoon.

Now, earlier in the day I had said what with land in such short supply in Japan, all houses and hotels have such small rooms, therefore once we pulled up at our next one, we though it would also feature tiny rooms. Once inside, it was like a palace, with gilding everywhere, once checked in, we took the lift to the top floor, where both the single and double room were huge. Also a feature was a huge marble walk in shower which featured no less than 8 nozzle jets, which would nearly do for me later in the day. But best of all, the room has the finest air conditioning known to mankind; it was like a fridge in there, and we just laid on the bed, cooling down.

But once settled in and cooled off, we go in search of the old town and lunch. As I said before, there must have been a good reason for us coming here, and when I looked at the tourist map, I saw there was a canal and what looked like historical buildings just over the main road in front of the hotel.

We were here because it was an old pottery town, apparently, and featured old merchant houses beside a canal. In fact the whole area seemed to be reclaimed land, criss-crossed with canals and drainage ditches. But the old town in Kurashiki is well worth any visitor's half day.

We walk across the main road, and right away into a Japanese tourist area, full of shops selling trinkets and gifts, mixed in with restaurants. It is so hot, the air seemed so heavy, and as well as being hungry, we needed a drink.

And best of all, we seemed to be the only westerners here, which is always a good thing, not having people complaining about the heat, or the tea, or the beer. A way down the canal, we come to a place that looks good, so we go in and find it specialises in buckwheat noodles, which is unusual even in Japan. Turns out they are well yummy, and we have a fine feast and ice cold beer and tempura, which is floating in the broth with the noodles.

Buckwheat noodles must be very tough when raw, as the chef has to use a tenor saw to cut through a bunch of them in getting them to the right length.

After that, we walk round the old town, looking in the craft and tat shops. In the end most of the shops sold variations of the same things. I did find a beer shop so buy a couple of bottles of craft ale as gifts. It isn't that crowded, which was nice, but the road was hot even through my shoes, and even though it was interesting we walked back to the hotel to chill out and have showers.

It was during the shower that yours truly nearly boiled himself with the shower controls, as each pair of nozzles had a controller, but each had its temperature governed by a main controller, and the main head a controller under that. After a long and pleasant shower, I went to turn the water off, but instead turned the temperature to over 40 degrees. The door to the shower opened inward, and even with the main head pointed fully over, I could only get out the door by going back under the spray of the boiling water.

I screamed.

I got out and was pink like a boiled lobster.

An overweight lobster, clearly, but pink.

However, my first aid knowledge meant that I realised they were just 1st degree burns in the same way sun burn is, I soaked the areas in cold water soaked towels, and soon I could laugh about it.

We go down to the cellar bar for cocktails, where it was possible to smoke, which was a surprise. I had a white Russian, which was felt very decadent at those prices. Jools had a frozen Margarita and Jen a gin and tonic.

When we had drunk, it was dusk outside, so we made our way to the canal area where I took loadsa shots as the sun turned pink and then red, whilst bats wheeled above our heads catching bugs. Some others had tripods, cable remotes and all the rest of the equipment that photography seems to demand. I hand hold my shots, and all come out. Jen tried with her i pad, which also produces good results.

A short walk away was a nice Italian place where we had splendid pasta and a very nice bottle of Brunello. Most others seemed to have pizza, but we have fine pasta and garlic bread, and all is washed down by what is a quite expensive bottle of Italian wine.

We wandered about after, remarking at the amount of police on duty, seeing as there was a G7 Education conference or something. As we walked past the Italian restaurant again, the manager of the Italian place we had eaten was waiting, and he shouted "camera, camera", whereupon, he came back out clutching Jools' compact that she had left on the seat.

And that, my friends, is Japan in a nutshell.

Cards and beer to see out the day, as usual.