Steam

The Shinkansenride lastet only for 40 minutes, then i had to change for the relay zubame (so the line to hakata is definitely not finished yet). And i forgot my book during the unexpected change. This time i didnt have the whole dorm for me alone in the youthhostel i stayed. Having left my luggage i hopped on the next bus up to Naka Dake, once more an active Volcano. No hiking up there, as "for safety reasons" you have to go by your own car along the tollroad or take the ropeway, so the operating companies have the safety of a steady source of income. In fact the steam ascending up from the bottom of the caldera really is awful, put all chemistry experiments together and you get it. Nontheless it was an exciting experience!
As i needed to walk a bit i hooked on a path further down, leading to the next peak, promising once mor 360° view. But as it was rather steep and icy, i decided to stop halfway, as i could see most of the valley and the neigbouring cones, from where i went.
Aso Fotos!

Thanks to a hint from a guy i chatted with over supper, i took the bus over to Beppu rather than the train the today. This took one hour more, but the view of the ever changing landscape was great. We went over a mountain pass, and it snowed heavilly! Glad to have safely arrived i checked for accomodiation and everything else i needed, then started to visit the "Hells" Beppu is famous for, it's a variety of natural hot-spring phenomena, put up for mass tourism, there's a small geyser and various pools of steaming hot spring water, i only really liked the "Pool of blood"-Hell, the water coloured red by the clay ground. As I'am at the very Onsen mekka of Japan, no way avoiding the hot springs, i tried Hyotan-Onsen, offering Rotemburo, Steambath and a Waterfall bath, very relaxing climate there.
Tomorrow, since i have time until the ferry at 4pm, I'll go for one or two more hells, try the mud-bath and hope to visit the infamous sex-museum (not covered in official tourist information;-)...

Beppu-Fotos.