Saturday, October 26, 2013

Day 48-51 Sat 26 Oct - Good 5 Days Rest in Muroran Institute of Technology Hostel

Today dist : 0 km        Total : 2464.0 km
Today Temp : 10 -15 C     Cloudy all day
Today spend : 4452 yen      Total : 57210 yen

Getting 5 days rest in Muroran means so much to me. For this I had to really thank Zhen Sheng and the other two roommates for being so kind to let me sleep on their already very small room. And also i am able to enjoy 24 hour of internet and hot shower in the hostel.For the past 5 days, i witnessed how life of an oversea students went thru' daily. Besides the high cost of living, the culture, the weather,the language and the studies which they have to overcome. Back to hostel,they have to do the cooking as to save cost. I don't see any entertainment in the hostel, life here is so busy for them. I am glad that i didn't go thru' student life like them. Hopefully tomorrow i can start to move on again,if weather forecast is accurate as sunny.


The student hostel

The supermarket opposite the Zhen Sheng College

Institute of Technology Muroran

Institute of Technology Muroran

My bed on the small living room

Shopping for dinner

24 hr internet

Kitchen

Kitchen

Kitchen

our dinner


our dinner


Friday, October 25, 2013

Day 47 Tue 22 Oct - Shiraoi Paid Camp to Muroran Student Hostel

Today dist : 77.1 km        Total : 2464.0 km
Today Temp : 10 -15 C     Cloudy all day
Ride time: 5 hr  08 min
Ave speed : 15.0 kmh    Max :47.5
Ave climb: 3 %  Max: 12 %
Trip alti : 261 m    Max: 0 m
Today spend : 416 yen      Total : 52758 yen

By 12.30 noon i already arrived in Higashi Muroran train station where i will meet up with a fellow Malaysian student Zhen Sheng at 4 pm. So i have plenty of time while waiting for Zhen Sheng. I continued to ride to the end of the road where there is a long white bridge called the "White Bird" in mandarin, this bridge connects to the other side of the main land to Hakodate.

Along the coast to Muroran

Guess why this man is lying on the beach?


A Bear and a Salmon on top of a Seafood restaurant

Lunch break


White Bird of Muroran

White Bird of Muroran

White Bird of Muroran


Zhen Sheng 

Dinner time with Zhen Sheng

Dinner cooked by Zhen Sheng

Day 46 Mon 21 Oct - Nibutani Hill Park Camp to Shiraoi Paid Camp

Today dist : 81.5 km        Total : 2386.9 km
Today Temp : 10 -18 C     Cloudy all day
Ride time: 5 hr  01 min
Ave speed : 16.2 kmh    Max :44.5
Ave climb: 2 %  Max: 11 %
Trip alti : 192 m    Max: 70 m
Today spend : 2596 yen      Total : 52342 yen

Yesterday midnight rain which lasted until 9.30 morning before i can finally roll out, and the sky is still cloudy with fog,but not so cold at 11c . The terrain going into the sea coast is mostly flat for me to ride at a comfortable pace of 15-20 kmh. At Mukawa in the Selcomart,i managed to get a free call to my fellow Malaysian Zhen Sheng who further his study in Muroran,which is about 100 km from Mukawa. So arrangement had been made to meet up at 4 pm tomorrow after his class in Higashi Muroran train station. So now i have to rush to find somewhere in the middle to camp in order to shorten the distance for tomorrow. Tomakomai is a big city with very long stretch of street and no possibility for a place to camp, so i continued further until Shiraoi where there is a campsite indicated in the map, 3 km away from the main road. As i was setting up my tent on one of the chalet, one man came and demanded for passport,and then he requested a fee of 1050 yen. Its ok for me as long as he don't chase me out. By the way, this is the 2nd time i am paying to camp of so many that i had camped.

Shiraoi Paid Camp ( 1050 yen )



Day 45 Sun 20 Oct - Abandoned Restaurant Camp to Nibutani Hill Park Camp

Today dist : 55.9 km        Total : 2305.4 km
Today Temp : 7 -18 C     Cloudy all day
Ride time: 3 hr  17 min
Ave speed : 17.0 kmh    Max :44.5
Ave climb: 3 %  Max: 11 %
Trip alti : 212 m    Max: 0 m
Today spend : 1796 yen      Total : 49746 yen

Have a very comfortable and relaxing ride on a cloudy day but the temperature is surprisingly a warm 18c , No climbing as the terrain is still on a downhill slope from the Nissho Pass. Following the route 237 is the Saru River all the way to the sea coast. I could have make it to the sea coast as it is still on the downhill,maybe for another 20 km or so, i am stopping at the Nibutani Hill Park here as this is the only campsite noted from the map. There is a small lake called Nibutani Lake where a cultural museum of the Ainu tribe once lived.







This bus stop also big enough for my tent if worst come to worst





Nibutani lake

Nibutani lake

Nibutani lake


Historical Museum of the Saru River



Ainu cultural village

Ainu cultural village

Ainu cultural village

Ainu cultural village


Ainu Tribe scuptures


Nibutani Hill Park Camp

Nibutani Hill Park Camp

Nibutani Hill Park Camp

Nibutani Hill Park Camp

Nibutani Hill Park Camp

Nibutani Hill Park Camp