Thursday 20 September 2007. Day 31: Tokyo to Utsonomiya

Get up, pack, have breakfast – our usual, we didn’t fancy the restaurant options of roasted seaweed/seafood etc) and head round the corner to search for car hire place. After their initial surprise at our appearance (despite a pre-completed form clearly visible showing our booking details plus car type) there was a considerable wait whilst we were asked what type of car etc, before a debate over the cost (we’d been quoted ¥7000 more) which required a lengthy telephone conversation to resolve (the conversation between us and the operatives was all conducted in a language not yet known to man as neither party could speak the language of the other).

We set off in our unidentifiable 4 door air con silver Toyota, we load in our belongings back at the hotel and set off for Utsonomiya, the time about 11am. The GPS is in Japanese so completely useless (although at times highly amusing), we estimate that a couple of hours will be sufficient to travel the 150 or so kilometre journey. Two hours later though we are still sitting in traffic in the greater Tokyo area, a further 2 later and we’ve still only reached the outskirts of the city, things aren’t quite going to plan. The speed limit on our roads is rarely above 50kph and most of the roads run though busy built up suburbs with numerous busy junctions and sets of lights. Forced to stop at McD after 4 hours due to lack of other options. The GPS then starts announcing via pictures and Japanese that there is sailing nearby, this despite the fact that there is no water in sight, stranger still are the announcements in Japanese accompanied by picture of monkeys (this occurred twice at least during the trip which we felt was a fairly high incidence of monkey attractions).

During the trip we also notice that roadworks are succeeded by a sign with a picture of a man bowing to thank us. We eventually arrive, assisted by happening on a high speed piece of road that isn’t marked on the map (speed limit was 70kph in places), hotel is very nice, 2 big double beds & a sofa in our room, although a cabin like bathroom again. Go out to look for restaurant, but there’s nowhere that has an English menu, so end up eating at the hotel, Lou has lasagne & Ieuan has Teriyaki beef with rice, not so good. Car is secure for the night, it was driven into a cage which was then sent remotely into the car park.