Went to Kasatu today a 3 hour train ride to the most famous Japanese Onsen. It was pretty good, I had an Onsen and stayed in it for about an hour which was long enough as it was pretty hot. Took some photos of it and they are attached. I was on the train heading to Kasatu and an elderly Japanese lady got on and had the seat in front of me. As she got on she had this heavy bag, so I got up and offered to put it up on the rack, which she was very happy about. She then reached into her hand bag and took from it an apple which she offered to me. No amount of me protesting about taking her apple would stop her so I thanked her took the apple and sat down. I then had the instinctive feeling I had to eat it in front of her as she would continually turn around and watch me. So me being me, I ate the apple and it was pretty good. I thanked her again and she had a smile from ear to ear the next stop her daughter got on the train [ I found this out later] and the conversation was pretty hectic with pointing and waving, the daughter spoke a little english so it wasn’t a one way converstation. I spent about 4 hours in Kasatu and I’m glad I went, but I left early to catch an earlier train. I could not get my first class ticket, as they were all booked out, so I had to go back to the commoners section,,stink. But if I had not of I would not have had the chance to talk [pidgeon japanese] with another older lady who I offered a potato chip to. In the no reserved seats you just get in quick as you can and get a seat or its standing up all the way. I had the seat and the elderly lady sat next to me. Nothing was said between us, until I offered her the chip. She smiled accepted and took one only, then she reached into her bag and offered me a manderin. I must be the fruit guy today, but it opened a conversation all the way to Tokyo. Each time I offered her a chip she would only take one, and they were the stick chips as well, but that manderin was bloody nice. Turns out her father was a retired Police man and her home town was Gunma where I had just come from. She loved the Beatles, new Tom Jones and Elvis. she pulled out her ipod and all english songs it was quite hard work communicating but it was pretty good fun. I enjoyed today.
