quick update

We stayed in Hiratsuka for two nights because I thought it would be a good place to base from for various ideas I had. In the end we did spend Saturday going to Hakone, via Odawara -- we stopped off and had lunch there and saw the castle, then continued to Hakone, where we basically rode trains -- to Hakone-Yumoto, then we rode a crazy train up a mountain to Gora, and from Gora we took an incline up a steep hill to Sounzan, at which point we got on a gondola to Owakudani. The thing is, we were supposed to originally go all the way out to Togendai and see Lake Ashi, except well, it was windy and foggy and rainy and stuff -- not so much rainy but at Owakudani we got caught in the middle of a cloud. Literally. And there was no time to go all the way out, so we stopped there, walked around a bit, and then basically headed back. In Hakone-Yumoto, Mike got a wooden puzzle box which he was really happy about, and then in Odawara we ate dinner -- this time at a Watami izakaya because I figured we could find some things he'd like. Then back to Hiratsuka for the evening.

Sunday, we went to Enoshima -- JR to Fujisawa, Enoden to Enoshima, wandered up and down the island all the way up to the lighthouse, fortunately could go outside despite the winds, it was sunny but windy as all hell. Saw many cats and turtles, ate snacks, and then took the Shonan Monorail to Ofuna, which I love because it is a badass suspended monorail. Then we just sat on another train back to Akabane, and went to get yakiniku for dinner here.

There is more detail about the various places we went but I think a photopost will be forthcoming.

In other announcements, after all the other shit going on with things, I believe that I am leaving Japan for good pretty much right at Christmas. I know I'd said some mumblings about this summer, but no, it'll be Christmas after all. I will, however, be back in Seattle for several weeks over my summer vacation from school.