Beppu not so nice

Today doesn't start well. The station assistant sold me the wrong type of train ticket yesterday, so I have to exchange it. Then I have to take my heavy suitcase up and down the staircase again. In Beppu, I meet with a friendly tourist information employee. However, once I arrive at my hotel, I am made to feel quite... unwelcome. They clearly don't want a foreigner at the hotel, and they try to do everything they can to discourage me. This includes stating I should carry my suitcase in the rain until 4 PM, instead like every other hotel I have been to, I could leave it at reception. I go back to the station for free wifi, cancel my reservation and find a different hotel.

After this, I try to stay in high spirits, but it is a bit difficult. Finally the rain lets up, I get some food, and try my first onsen. It is a very nice old house, but there is just a tiny bath to use. There is again a friendly older lady who helps me with the ins and outs if the bath (there is a definite pattern of friendly old ladies on my trip). And after I get out of the bath tub, it seems I have reacted quite allergic to some contents of the water. My legs are bright red and stay that way for about 20 minutes before the effect subsides. I hope this was just something in this onsen, and will not be repeated in all the other resorts. I have been fine in onsen before, even in the sulfur kind. However, the second onsen I try in the evening brings the same result. The brochures state the water is rich on Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate... baking soda. I don't think I am allergic to that, but we will see.

I check into my new hotel and start shifting through the information I collected. Sunday will be spend on a bus tour to Kunisaki peninsula. Saturday will be spend at the hells and the onsen surrounding them. Then I have one day for the ropeway and further away onsen.

Pictures Beppu