On Tuesday it time for some more interaction with the locals. This time the interaction took place within the rigid confines of the Japanese classroom. Adrian and Jen introduced themselves to a class of rowdy Japanese first year students. After Adrian informed the students that he was a weight lifter all the students encouraged one boy to have an arm wrestling match with Adrian. The boy was willing and so was Adrian. The student won but Adrian said that "They don't play by the same rules here in Japan". That night we went to a friends house for a drinking party. The friend was Ichi, one of Sarah's fellow English teachers. Also Ichi and Adrian had met when Ichi had visited California last year. So they reconnected over, not surprisingly, a few beers.

On Wednesday we had a relaxing day. We had been planning to go to Kumamoto city but as the weather was a little cloudy and everyone was a little tired we decided to stay in town and just kick back. We went to the museum that tells the story of the Christians in this area that were persecuted during the crackdown on Christians in the 18th century. For lunch we enjoyed yaki niku, a meal where you are given meat and vegetables uncooked and then you cook them yourselves on a grill in the middle of your table.

Thursday again it was time for mingling. Adrian and Jen helped Dan teach two classes. By the end of it Adrian was really getting into the intercultural communication and was asking the students all kinds of interesting questions, mostly about their mobile phones. In the afternoon they went to Sarah's school where they were introduced to the tea ceremony and the pain that accompanies sitting Japanese formal style. In the evening we went dolpin watching on a boat. The dolphins had been gone from the area for about a year but recently they returned and we had a great time watching them swim along the boat.

On Friday it was time to say goodbye to Hondo for Adrian and Jen. They left on Monday but we were going to be sight seeing in other places for the remaining three days. First we headed to Kumamoto city and saw the sights that we had been planning to see on Wednesday. The highlight was a monkey at the park next to the castle. The monkey was oh so friendly and loved climbing all over us.

On Friday night we camped at, and then on Saturday morning we saw for the first time Mt. Aso. Mt Aso is an active volcano that is surrounded by brilliantly green rolling hills. Cows, horses, and students on school trips liesurely stroll through the hills. After spending some time at Aso we headed for Mt. Kuju. the tallest mountain on mainland Kyushu. We hiked there and then headed to Kurokawa where we took an onsen, or Japanese spa, at our favorite place. You can see Adrian enjoying the great outdoors just to the right. Does't it look relaxing??

The next day we headed to our final destination for the trip. The city of Fukuoka. Fukuoka is the biggest city on the island of Kyushu and as a result is the place to go for the conveniences of a big city. Also the airport Adrian and Jen flew into was here so it made sense to sight see here last. We didn't see to much except lots of people and lot s of shopping malls. I guess this is what people want, eh? The malls are huge and one of them even had a floor with cars from all the major Japanese companies displayed. Adrian enjoyed sitting in a car I'm sure he won't be able to afford in the near future.

That night we had an interesting stay in a love hotel but you will have to ask Adrian about that. We have stayed at such a place a bunch of times and the novelty has worn off but the novelty was in full force for our two visitors.

The next day it was time to say goodbye. We got up and headed to the airport. At the airport we said goodbye and we headed our separate ways. It was kind of sad. We don't get much of chance to see family and when we do it sure is precious.