Day 16: The empty guest house.
I am going to be staying in a lot of guest houses, so I am going to get the hang of how they work eventually, but I was surprised when I arrived at my second guest house called 'Sai'.
After a good walk of about 11km I arrived at Sai in the late afternoon. Tired and in need of a break, it was a well timed arrival.
I approached trode up to the front door, modern glass and metal, and it slid aside for me. The lobby small, clean and stylish... and completely empty.
On the desk a sign in Japanese and English says that there are no staff present, and to call the number below.
My SIM card for Japan is a tourist SIM, meaning it does not have a phone number attached to it, nor can it make calls. So, I set my pack to the side and sit on the front desk and relax. I figure someone is bound to come by eventually.
About 20 minutes later an automated email arrives in my inbox with instructions. I was to check myself in using the form on the front desk, and a code to my dorm was provided and a where to leave my payment before I leave.
Unusual, but whatever allows me to take my shoes off and go inside for a while was good enough for me.
I fill the form out, grab my pack, find my dorm and punch in the lock code. I slowly slide the door open to make sure I'm not disturbing anyone, but there is no one to disturb. All the bunks lay vacant.
Am I the only one staying here right now?
Eyeing up all the bunks inset my pack at the one of my choosing and explore the rest of the place.
Laundry and sinks with mirrors in a room by my dorm. Toilet and shower rooms down the hall. A well-equipped common room across from the toilets. All pristinely clean, and equally vacant.
So now I am here, sitting on that bench, drinking a glass of water filed with ice from the fridge and writing this, entirely alone in a very nice guest house. It's... strange. After the energy and warmth of Takanori's guest house, this place is a little depressing, no matter how nicely equipped it all is.
I guess I will relax, take a shower then go find some food. Hopefully someone comes by at some point to say hello.
PS - just as I was about to hit publish the time was exactly 5:30pm, and unexpectedly creepy chimes music began to play, like you might expect from an old clock. Except there are no clocks in the walls any I couldn't tell where the music was coming from.
Great. Just ramp up the creepy factor. Should be an interesting night's sleep.
After a good walk of about 11km I arrived at Sai in the late afternoon. Tired and in need of a break, it was a well timed arrival.
I approached trode up to the front door, modern glass and metal, and it slid aside for me. The lobby small, clean and stylish... and completely empty.
This feels like some sort of point and click adventure game.
On the desk a sign in Japanese and English says that there are no staff present, and to call the number below.
My SIM card for Japan is a tourist SIM, meaning it does not have a phone number attached to it, nor can it make calls. So, I set my pack to the side and sit on the front desk and relax. I figure someone is bound to come by eventually.
About 20 minutes later an automated email arrives in my inbox with instructions. I was to check myself in using the form on the front desk, and a code to my dorm was provided and a where to leave my payment before I leave.
Unusual, but whatever allows me to take my shoes off and go inside for a while was good enough for me.
I fill the form out, grab my pack, find my dorm and punch in the lock code. I slowly slide the door open to make sure I'm not disturbing anyone, but there is no one to disturb. All the bunks lay vacant.
Am I the only one staying here right now?
Eyeing up all the bunks inset my pack at the one of my choosing and explore the rest of the place.
No sign of anyone else's things.
Ok, now this is feeling like a creepy low budget adventure game where they couldn't afford characters.
So now I am here, sitting on that bench, drinking a glass of water filed with ice from the fridge and writing this, entirely alone in a very nice guest house. It's... strange. After the energy and warmth of Takanori's guest house, this place is a little depressing, no matter how nicely equipped it all is.
I guess I will relax, take a shower then go find some food. Hopefully someone comes by at some point to say hello.
PS - just as I was about to hit publish the time was exactly 5:30pm, and unexpectedly creepy chimes music began to play, like you might expect from an old clock. Except there are no clocks in the walls any I couldn't tell where the music was coming from.
Great. Just ramp up the creepy factor. Should be an interesting night's sleep.
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