And today was my turn, big time. When I started on the 120 km to my next destination the sky was clear, but within 5 minutes it had clouded over, 10 minutes later I felt the first drops, and half an hour later I was soaked to the bone. The three hours that followed could very well be described as the worst ride of my life (but then again there was that time in Northern Vietnam when I got caught in a monsoon rain, in an underpowered scooter, and crawling uphill behind a heavily loaded diesel truck that was spewing soot directly at my face).
But I digress. What should have taken me two and a half hours took me close to three and a half, trying to take the curves carefully so I wouldn't skid. I was due at my next accommodation at 1:30 pm (good that they would let me check in early), and I only kept going with dreams of a warm onsen.
On the other hand I didn't want to have to acknowledge that the day had been a total loss, so when I got to Nachikatsuura at 12:30 pm, I figured I still had an hour to kill and I might just as well visit the Whales Museum. It is a strange museum (y como lo raro es pariente de lo feo ...), of the type of Natural Science Museums of the Victorian Era, with lots of bones, and organs and fetal specimens preserved in large flasks of yellowing formaldehyde. They had some full skeletons of Right, Sperm, and Orca whales, and hanging from the ceiling was an enormous model of a Right whale, and a full-size replica of a boat and crew in hot pursuit. Turns out that the Tajii port, where the museum is located, was the home port of the whaling fleet of a 1,000 years ago, when as many as 60 boats, each with a dozen men, would go battle the giants of the sea with spears and hand-thrown harpoons.
Had it been a sunny day, I could have gone out and looked at their collection of life whales and dolphins, but by the time I had gone through the exhibition I was starting to shiver and figured it was time to go home.
For the next couple of days "home" will be a full apartment, all for my little self. I quickly unloaded my soggy possessions (but my backpack is water-proof), and then mounted my steed one more time to run to the supermarket to buy stuff for lunch and dinner. With the onsen clearly imprinted in my mind, I decided to buy a bottle of red wine to enjoy the full experience. A French Vieux Papes, Cuvée Réservée, for only US$ 6!
I hurried back home, peeled off every stitch of wet clothing, and sank mercifully into a piping hot bath. Ahhh!
I spent the best part of the afternoon looking at the map of Japan, figuring out the route I want to take, and booking 2-day stays all over the place. I hope I have not overstretched myself with very long motorcycle legs.
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