下條研究室旅行 (上) [Shimojo Lab Trip Pt 1]

OMG. This has got to be THE TRIP EVERZZZZZ! It costed us 24000 yen (~$200 USD), but it was so totally worth it! We went for 2 days (Sat & Sun) and 100% fun!

On Saturday, we met at 8:15am at the Cybermedia Center (where we work).

I got to meet some new people such as Shimojo Lab alumni! I was telling them how I was sad that I didn't see any kitsune during our visit to the 伏見稲荷大社. 本久さん (Motohisa-san) assured me that it'd be okay and proceeded to pull 市川さん (Ichikawa-san)'s eyes in an upward manner so I can see a kitsune. Close to actual animal, ne? ^^v


I saw a large castle on our bus ride. I asked 下條先生 (Shimojo-sensei) about it, and he said it is very likely just someone's private home.


Then, we took a nice charter bus to 鳥取砂丘 (Tottori Sakyu - sand dunes). Don't ask me why, but we saw camels.


I was trying hard to take a picture without my hair in my face. I guess I semi-succeeded. Too bad my hair was still in my face, dah!


Here's a picture I took while running down the large sand dune.


Then, we went to 浦富海岸 (Uradome Coast) and took a nice boat ride out to see the cliffs! Apparently, pirates used to use the coast as their hideout place. Cool, ne?



Here's a picture of our boat route:


This is where the pirates lived!


During our rest stop, Ichikawa-san bought some ice-cream! It was called "squid-ink ice cream." I tried it, but to me, it barely resembled squid-ink (not like I know how that tastes like?) and tasted more like plain ol' vanilla ice cream. Nonetheless, it was really delicious.


Our hotel 万翠楼 (Mansuirou Hotel) had wonderful accomodations. It was a traditional 旅館 (ryokan) with the tatami floors, the yukatas, and the 温泉 (onsen).

Here is a picture of our room:


I tried on my very first yukata.


And the wonderful snacks and 抹茶 (maccha) we were served upon our arrival.


While we were exploring the hotel right before dinnertime, we found this nice stream inside the hotel (where the super-expensive restaurant was):


We were a bit saddened by that, but all this was forgotten during dinner. Our dinner was... to die for! I think it had like 11 courses. Soooooo amazing~

Our private dining room:


The people who sat across from we were this far away.


Here is a picture of the first few courses I had (there were approximately 4 or 5 more rounds after that...):


Ava-san is 100% vegetarian, so there were a lot of dishes she couldn't eat. When we told them that, they sounded like they understood and replaced some of her meat dishes with this very hot rock and raw squid. It was really nice of them but.... should couldn't eat that either. She offered 桑原さん (Kuwabara-san), our lab tour conductor, her squid which he ate happily. In the midst of happily devouring it, I came of with a bright idea that each squid he eats equates to one karaoke song he needs to sing. I think he was savouring the super yummy squid too much to catch exactly what we were saying. Anyways, he proceeded to finish all three squids whilst two silly American girls happily sealed the deal by telling him that he owed us 3 karaoke songs! Below is a picture of his scumptous meal.


After one of the best meals of my life, we still had a fireworks party and after party to attend to!