After we were legal, Nastja suggested a little jaunt to one of the local islands with her mates. This turned into an accidental 10 mile hike round Russki island (after about 4 hours of being told it was '3km', we gave up and flagged a lift, to find it was another 8 km to the campsite) to find the group of friends who turned out to be a stag party camping on the island, and who were not expecting us, but nevertheless made us increadibly welcome (as only drunk Russians can!) as we crashed their party at about 11pm. We had an amazing time, stayed the night and most of the next day with them, discussing everything under the sun and laughing a lot. It was a really special, money-can't-buy-it time, and we were really privileged to be there.
After getting back to Vlad (about 30 mins on the ferry) and cleaning up we spent the evening with Nastja and packing before leaving for Japan the next day. I recommend that before leaving for an unknown country with a decidedly different culture to your own you should consider 1) Getting a guide 2) getting a phrase book 3) getting some local money and 4) getting a map of where you are going. Thankfully a quick internet session in the hour before we left provided minimal versions of 1), 2), and 4), but after a very smooth crossing, interesting for the variety of wildlife and behavioural ecology found in the 'international ferry' microhabitat, we arrived in Fushiki on the west coast of Japan on Weds morning. We played Munchkin a lot to while away the hours, Andy is currently winning 12-5, devious and cunning player that he is. Grrrrr. We also didn't get hit by any North Korean missiles, but it was about halfway though the journey before we realised that we were in the rough area they had been using as target practise recently. Hmmm.
Having decided previously that Japan is insanely expensive, once at the port we immediately hitched into the local town to get money and supplies. The lovely man that picked us at the port might have been a port worker, but he certainly knew better than we did what we needed! He showed us photos of other people in his small truck (we're there drving along asking ourselves 'are these previous victims......?') He took us to the post office to get money and then proceded to drag us protesting around the supermarket while he picked up lots of food we didn't know we needed but was really useful. We must have made a great comedy, as there are these two lunking great westerners following a little old Japanese man around, all expostulating loudly in Russian, and helplessly protesting in the face of his determination that we were going to be bought X, Y and Z whether we liked it or not!
Eventually we figured out where the tills were and gently blocked his way anywhere else! Even after the tills, he left us packing the bags while he ambled off to buy us more things in the little concession shops. After an exhausting 30 minutes (for us, not him!) we were packed back in the cab of his truck with enough food to almost last us to Hokkaido. This was our first experience of 'kidnap hospitality', but we were extremely grateful to him the next day! Eventually he dropped us at the train station, where we managed to find tourist info and a lift to the main road north.
It has taken us 2 days and 2 nights to get to Hokkaido. We have had about 10 lifts from very kind Japanese people in a variety of cars, one man even took us to Motsuji and Chusonji temple and museum complex he was visiting in Hiraizumi, which was totally amazing and awesome place. We saw lotus flowers for the first time and all sorts of amaxing Japanese cultural heritage. Japan is a Faberge egg of a country - exquisitely crafted in all aspects, even the pine needles look handmade and placed for the most aethetic effect. We slept in the service station on the highway one night and the port on Hokkaido last night - about 11 hours in 2 nights, and we are going to try our luck hitching towards Asahikawa today, but it is drizzling - not good for hitching, so we may end up catching the train - 18000\ for unlimited train travel in Hokkaido for 5 consecutive days - about £90 each. Ouch! Our ferry journey cost us 10 days money each for a 2 day trip, which we want to make up, and that's not going to help. Oh, and the food is fantastic - even at train and motorway service stations
Much love to you all, we are having a great time, but time to answer emails has been limited, so apologies if I seem a bit rushed!