Day 2 – The Fun Never Stops

I woke up early (7:30) and was out of the hostel by 8:00. I decided to take a casual stroll down to the pier since I wouldn’t have any real time to spend in Kagoshima. Along the main road, the city had erected innumerous statues and plaques commemorating the important historical events that happened in the city. Most of it centered around the Meiji Restoration. For those of you not fluent in Japanese history, this was about the 1800s, when the Japanese Shogunate abruptly came to an end and a new monarchial parliament was put into place.

When I arrived at the pier I took a few pictures of Sakurajima – the volcanic island that never stops smoking. Once I gave up on trying to get something decent I strolled into the ferry office to discover it had left at 8:30.

Frantic, I confirmed that my ticket was still valid for tomorrow then meandered back to the inhospitable hostel trying to figure out what I would do in the city I had completely written off. I also worried about my hostel bookings in Yakushima and how well I would be able to change them.

Course, I stepped into the hostel and was abruptly asked for my reservation. I tried to explain my situation but the owner didn’t care, telling me that the hostel was completely full. I thought this was odd, since my booking last night had been last minute and when I was there only two other people were in my dorm.

It also struck me as odd that a hostel would be full on Christmas day when, presumably, most people would be visiting their families.

God damn it.

I pulled out my Lonely Planet and went searching for the next cheapest hotel. Wandered around the block about three times before giving up (having no desire in repeating the previous night). During my walk I pieced together all the disparate information I had gathered about my travel.

I was caught off-guard by there only being one ferry because there was no listed time on my ticket. I had read in my travel book that the ferries had a tendency to cancel at the first sign of a dark cloud in the sky and that catching the next ferry was usually a simple task unless you traveled during Golden Week or the summer. I also found out that the ferry ride was 13 hours!

I then realized that I had been confusing the JetFoil and ferry as one and the same. I had assumed the difference in my ticket prices was because Mary found me a holiday deal and not that I was taking two different types of boats. When I was planning my holiday, I still needed to prepare for my climb on the day I arrived in Yakushima and I wouldn’t be able to do this if I took the ferry.

So, I decided to just swallow the $40 ferry ticket and purchase and Jet Foil ticket. I sat in the Jet Foil lobby, waiting for my boat to arrive (there was an amusing mix-up between the two companies and my ticket and instead of trying to sort it out I just decided to take a later boat with the same company as my return ticket).

There is one other white couple in the lobby but otherwise I’m surrounded by a bunch of old Japanese. I’m also beginning to suspect that Yakushima won’t be as green as these videos are suggesting.

…

Nope, Yakushima is green. And a little rainy.

I had a brief run in with the couple from the ferry when I rushed outside to take pictures of Sakurajima exploding. However, I haven’t seen them since landing. Finding my hostel was easy enough. I just had to walk down the street and turn left. It’s a small, unremarkable building pressed up against some sea rusted factory. The proprietor is miles friendlier than the Kagoshima dirty one-sixth dozen and he communicates to me mostly in Japanese. Whether this is out of consideration or necessity I’m not entirely sure.

I stocked up on supplies before hunkering down in the hostel for the rest of the day. My first human contact was with a small group of Australians who weren’t very outgoing. I focused on packing my food, showering one last time and not reminding myself how alone I was. Also, I had to avoid the proprietor who is trying to tell me my path is snowed in. Obviously, if he can’t discuss the situation with me, the snow won’t be there when I arrive tomorrow.

That’s how things work right?

My roommates began to arrive later in the evening. The first was a very friendly Japanese man from Saitama with acceptable English. His sunny disposition lifted my spirits and his forthright attitude helped break the ice with my other roommate.

Though likely just starved for company, I chatted up the young Australian for quite awhile. He, too, is an ALT working with Interac. He’s placed somewhere near Kagoshima in two junior high schools. This is his second year teaching and he hopes to continue for several more. We share a similar taste in fiction though his taste in movies and music leaves something to be desired.

Translation: he likes noise.

Though, I have a small confession to make. While traveling in Japan I don’t like to admit that I am an ALT working here. I don’t know why, perhaps I feel it makes for a good excuse why my Japanese is so terrible. Also, it avoids the awkward “marry my daughter” moments with Japanese parents. Why I tell other ALTs that I’m just traveling is likely just to maintain appearances. Also, it spares having to do the same song and dance about my company, work and the other tired conversations that often come up between co-workers.

Dammit, I’m on vacation! I refuse to discuss Interac for the rest of the week!