Onsen in the Alps

To see the monkeys we had to head into the mountains, and took a beautiful train ride to Nagano. The site of the 1998 Winter Olympics, its now just a sleepy town in the mountains with a pleasant atmosphere.





This is my geographical face - im on a geo-thermal high. Just look at the Geyser go!






This was a seriously hot natural Onsen, part of "Hells Springs". There were massive Coy Carp swiming in a stream just next to the Onsen - very idylic, very nice.





We don't know who this was.

These guys were, as Justin says, "bugging out" in the train station. Dancing is a common sight in train stations across Japan - usually of the hippidy-hop nature, break dancing like mad.


I'm writing this post in the most surreal location: an internet cafe. But its not as you know it (were spending the night here). We each have our own booths in which we can lie down, use the internet and watch TV. We have all the free sugary drinks we can consume and its all cheaper than a night in a hotel. Its something you have to experience in Japan, while young, like spending a night in a capsule hotel. But there are downsides; Im sitting on leather and its warm, and we probably wont get the greatest sleep. But it is very amusing all in all. Have a look, try and imagine...