update nikko page

Signed-off-by: Robert Günzler <r@gnzler.io>

1 files changed, 75 insertions, 27 deletions

diff --git a/src/inc/nikko.md b/src/inc/nikko.md
index 2312645..f0cf98d 100644
--- a/src/inc/nikko.md
+++ b/src/inc/nikko.md
@@ -6,9 +6,9 @@ toc: true
 <!-- TODO: header picture? -->
 
 Before leaving home I had gotten myself an international Drivers License, that
-gives you a permit to drive in many countries (outside the EU) for up to 3 years. 
-It only costs 15 EUR in Berlin and I had set the soft goal of driving in Japan
-at least once.
+gives you a permit to drive in many countries (outside the EU) for up to 3
+years. It only costs 15 EUR in Berlin and I had set the soft goal of driving in
+Japan at least once.
 
 <aside class="notice">
 The international Drivers License, as it will turn out later,  was entirely
@@ -16,9 +16,9 @@ unnecessary for me.
 </aside>
 
 For my first destination I chose [Nikkō], another common day trip destination
-from Tokyo that I had not done and conveniently located along the Tōhoku 
+from Tokyo that I had not done and conveniently located along the Tōhoku
 Shinkansen line. My plan was to take the train to Utsunomiya, rent a car from
-there and continue towards Nikkō, with the eventual goal being a hotel at the 
+there and continue towards Nikkō, with the eventual goal being a hotel at the
 shores of Chuzenji-ko.
 
 [Nikkō]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikk%C5%8D
@@ -31,25 +31,23 @@ down as I leave the station building. Luckily I have my umbrella from the last
 trip with me, so I quickly orient myself and find the tiny Toyota Rent-A-Car
 office not far from the station.
 
-<!-- TODO: look at line spacing when using footnotes -->
 At this point my biggest fear is the interaction with the staff there. I am
 very much aware that I don't speak enough Japanese^[hardly any tbh] and they
 won't be super competent in English^[unless you are lucky, which I will be
-today] for us to be much of
-any help to each other, should there be issues with my reservation or
-documents.
+today] for us to be much of any help to each other, should there be issues with
+my reservation or documents.
 
 So I enter the store and approach the woman at the counter with my phone in
 hand to show her the reservation code. I was not aware at the time, that Toyota
 also has a version of their website in English, but because I booked through
-the local version the emails I received were all in Japanese as well.
-She confirms my booking through her computer and asks me for my passport and
+the local version the emails I received were all in Japanese as well. She
+confirms my booking through her computer and asks me for my passport and
 license, so I confidently give her those, including the International license.
 I know immediately that something is wrong. Her expression of confusion when
 she sees the admittedly pretty retro looking license says it all: This won't
 do.
 
-She goes to the back and after some back and forth she returns with another 
+She goes to the back and after some back and forth she returns with another
 woman, who I interpret to be her superior. She asks if I have a translation of
 my drivers license into Japanese. Now it is my turn to be confused. I simply
 point at the International license she is still holding, but am well aware that
@@ -68,11 +66,12 @@ Japanese issued by the JAF[^jaf]. This costs ¥4000 and takes up to 2 weeks
 [^jaf]: https://english.jaf.or.jp/driving-in-japan/drive-in-japan/about-dltas
 
 <aside class="notice">
-I applied to receive a translation on the same day from that Starbucks and
-received the notification the next week. It seems that 2 weeks is a very
-conservative estimate. A curious details is that you don't receive a PDF, but instead a button to
-issue 7ELEVEN "Net Print Service" codes (that are one-time use only), which you
-then take to a convenience store and print out on their printer.
+    I applied to receive a translation on the same day from that Starbucks and
+    received the notification the next week. It seems that 2 weeks is a very
+    conservative estimate. A curious details is that you don't receive a PDF,
+    but instead a button to issue 7ELEVEN "Net Print Service" codes (that are
+    one-time use only), which you then take to a convenience store and print
+    out on their printer.
 </aside>
 
 Now that I am dependend on public transport my schedule is a lot more
@@ -84,18 +83,67 @@ today's destination: [Tōshō-gū et al]
 
 ## exploring nikkō
 
+<!-- TODO: write until i am on the bus -->
+
+## hotel
+
+The bus ride to the hotel is a little event in itself. From the main tourist
+area around the temple grounds there is quite the elevation difference to Lake
+Chuzenji. The narrow road winds itself up into the mountains as fog envelops
+the bus. I sit right at the front next to the driver and am baffled by how much
+we block the road when taking the serpentine turns, I dont' think oncoming
+traffic (once they even see us coming) would have anywhere to go.
+
+Up on the lake plateau the fog lifts and I get another sunset over the water
+this time. If the bus was already empty when I got on, when I reach my stop I
+am the only passenger left. The hotel bus stop consists of just a sign next to
+road and a driveway up into the hills.
+
+Since I spent all day sight-seeing I had not had dinner, the first thing I do
+after getting into the room was checking out my options for food. The hotel has
+a menu, so I order Gyu-don^[a rice bowl topped with braised beef], which is
+supposed to be delivered right into my room.
+
+While waiting for the food, I get changed into hotel attire. I really like that
+this is a thing. You really feel like changing pace when getting out of your
+own clothes.
+
+Since this is an Onsen hotel, the thing to do after dinner is obviously the 
+bath. I always like to go late, this is less effective when going to Sentō in
+the city, because lots of poeple seem to go after work or going out, but here
+it really makes a difference. I have the place for myself (at least for a bit).
+
+The indoor bath has a huge window out to the forrest but since it's dark and
+the room is lit up, that is not really useful.
+
+<!-- TODO: try to recall more about the bath layout -->
+
+There isn't really much to do and I have a long day ahead of me tomorrow, so I
+decide to just go to bed early.
+
+After getting up, there is obviously breakfast first. The room fee includes a
+full course Japanese breakfast, so rice and various side dishes
+<!-- TODO: breakfast picture? -->
+
+At this point I still don't know how to get to my planned destination for
+today, the Senjogahara wet lands, 10km from the hotel.
+<!-- TODO: ??? -->
+
+The other problem I am faced with is how to make it back to the station in time
+for the train back to Utsunomiya and eventually Tokyo. At the front desk I get
+told that the hotel provides a free bus back to Nikko at 11:00, but that is not
+helpful, since I have already seen the sights around there and want to explore
+the area in the exact opposite direction.
+
+
+
 <!--
-- check diary (i think i kept one around that time)
-- pouring rain
-- wanted rent car
-- german international drivers license doesn't work in japan
-- ordered japanese translation from starbucks in uchinomiya?
-- decided to move on with trains
 - explored temple grounds in nikko
-- last bus to hotel
-- ordered dinner into the room - gyudon
-- bath looking onto drive way
-- simple japanese breakfast
+- beer next to the bus stop
+x last bus to hotel
+x ordered dinner into the room - gyudon
+x bath looking onto drive way
+x simple japanese breakfast
 - didn't take free bus to station
 - senjogahara (lol monogatari)
 - walked along lake shore