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Letter 55
Saturday 05.10.13 75,17 km
When I arrived yesterday the owner was there and received the money. He left
just after and left the responsibility to Shioli, a girl, that doesn't speak
much english. Later in the evening yet another staff member arrived. He was a
bit better.
They were waiting for 3 more guests, who were supposed to arrive around 8pm.
When I went to bed at 10pm they had still not arrived...
But this morning they were there. When I saw the first one, I thought, is was
another member of the staff, and asked if they had a toaster, they usually have
in these hostels. He didn't know much about that.
Now they've gone and left me in an empty and cold house. It's really becoming
autumn. If I'd been home, I would have turn up the heating. I lock up and leave.
The Castle in Matsumoto - the oldest in Japan
When I've gone out of town to the north and turn left, they're there. The Alps.
As a fortress they rise 3 km up. Nothing small in between, just right up. The
sun is shining on those a little behind. Breathtaking.
It's a long straight road that goes along the high mountains. At last there's a
distance on a sign. It's only 63 km to Hakuba.
The road starts to incline and once we go through a tunnel to get to the other
side of a lake.
A lonely fisherman
After the high mountains have been pushed backwards by some lower green ones,
the road goes through a number of tunnels, and then quite surprising (to me at
least) comes a descent to Hakuba. Not bad on a day where I haven't been worth
much.
A Road Sta. comes up and there I use the opportunity to study the road to K's
House. Fortunately, because it's not from Hakuba Sta. like I thought, but two
stations before, that the route is shown. I find it without problems, so now at
2.30pm I'm already inside.
It's to late to take a lift up to hike a bit in the mountains, thinks the host,
and I wouldn't have been able to it. Now I take the bike and to take a look at
the area, before I go for the supermarket on my way home.
From far away you see the ski jump towers. Nagano hosted the winter olympics in
1998 and ski jump apparently took place here. I must check this olympic stadium
out.
The two ski jumps
As it isn't winter it's just some artificial surface on the lanes. And there are
actually someone jumping. I never saw it before in real life. From where I stand
there's half a second where you see them flying against the sky. I try to get it
with the camera, but I don't think I succeed.
Who finds the ski jumper?
Hakuba isn't a town in the usual sense. It's just starting point for skiing in
the winter and hiking in the summer. It's covering a vast area but there are
only shops at Route 148.
But there's no big buisiness now. Not in this hostel at least. I book'ed via the
net yesterday, when I had arrived. But I had to wait for an answer. That came
later in the evening. No wonder I now see because there aren't any other guests
but me and there can be at least 100.
The hosts have a 1½ years old daughter. She's so cute.