Another mountain …

6am … searching for accommodation …

It’s the first day of ‘Golden Week’ … I’m sorry but I can’t share the love – every spare wifi minute has been seeking accommodation.

John: ‘we could stay in a Love Hotel’

Sue: ‘yeah – book it!’

John: ‘it has breakfast, spa and sauna’

(My mind wanders … a love hotel with breakfast … umm … at least it is sort of affordable)

Our day starts with very threatening clouds thankfully they were going away from us. A tottle down by the river with mountains around, then a lefty towards a big mountain – did I forget to refresh the profile on Komoot?

‘Hey, John I don’t mind these hills, just a steady grind … look at the hills around we are getting really high.’

I’m on a hill high, soaking up the surrounds and loving it! Meanwhile John is very quiet behind me … perhaps he’s suffering – we’ve had no breakfast or coffee this morning.

Nearing the top of the climbing with brilliant views of the valley and the township we had left, we go through a series of tunnels.

After an hour of climbing, the last tunnel was 800m then the landscape changed – we were through the pass and the temperature plummeted to 9°C and we enjoyed farming areas. Rice paddies were being worked, green houses and fields of onions.

A Family Mart sign … the good thing about hills … a custard pastry and a coffee scroll washed down with coffee and seats available inside.

‘I thought it was going to be a flat ride today!’, said John

We passed small neat townships then bigger cities before heading to Takamatsu.

What an impressive city, the railway station precinct is thriving with very modern buildings and hotels.

The covered arcade area also modern with international shops and eateries.

We take our time as check in is 4pm … it’s 3:35pm – it looks like a tour group is in the foyer … the receptionist looks sour and officious shouting out orders as she hands out keys. Meanwhile Miss 2nd in charge receptionist equally as sour has trouble finding our booking – all good but you have to wait until 4pm unless you want to join our Hotel Club for about $20 and your check in is 3pm at our hotels …

‘no thanks we will wait in the foyer for 30 minutes, thank you anyway’