We went swimming today! If that sounds mad, fair enough, but it was an indoor pool/onsen complex in Yufuin, a hot springs resort village in the mountains near here. I want to live there. The landscape around there is spectacular, almost like Canterbury with the big bare hills, but volanic like the North Island. It's right on the expressway, so it's no further time-wise from Fukuoka, and a lot closer to Oita. In fact, it's only half an hour's drive to the huge shopping centre at Waseda, which has English magazines and books, and two international food stores, with cheddar cheese and weetbix! And Yufuin itself is full of interesting shops and gorgeous onsens. Now, I just have to think of a reason to move there...

We went with a friend who lives about two hours from Nakatsu, who has two kids around the same age as Amy and Lena. We arrived at 11am, swam, then ate a picnic lunch in the relaxation room. Then we swam again, and finished off in the onsen. We were done by 3pm, enough time to visit the shopping mall and get some mags before heading home.