Further Tales of Ablution

Of course, you realise, this pace of blogging will never last but I have time to chill after having just had breakfast , an interesting combo of Japanese (tasty pork in soy sauce, omelette, Goji berry juice,seaweed,picked ginger,salad) and Western (waffles - with choice of syrup and custard,croissant, bacon,egg and sausage) I must say, the coffee's v good too.

I was able to eat heartily having slept a good eight hours helped by a delightful onsen- the hot spring bath that is in the hotel. Having checked the etiquette- totally naked is the way ( but they are segregated baths,phew) I trotted along in my leisure wear and found,to my relief, that the place was entirely empty. First one has to sit on a little stool in a booth enclosed on 3 sides - although you also face a mirror so you can see every wonderful (!) Inch of yourself in order that you can give them all a thorough clean.

After that you can sit in the hot spring bath and just luxuriate - the large pumice rocks artfully arranged around the edge in Zen groups were rather good for softening the feet too! Occasionally I sprang out and plunged in the coldbath but this time didn't go for the sauna - tonight? As I left the bath house I spotted a masseuse - and there followed forty minutes of foot and leg workout bordering on the excruciatingly fabulous....must have helped the sleep!

So far what strikes me about the Japanese is that they've got everything covered, they think ahead meticulously ( oh Sarah we could have done with that in these last weeks of letting-agent hell) so that if you're in a queue someone is always there making sure you've filled in the right form before you get to the important bit. In a supreme example of forethought, in the hotel lift is a seat which, wait for it, can be used as a toilet - presumably in case you get stuck in there......