I arrived in Hakodate yesterday, a day earlier than expected! I couldn’t find anywhere to stealthily set up my tent however, so I ended up getting a last minute room in a pretty shoddy inn. Any bed is welcome though, after four days camping in the rain. I’ve since moved to the hostel I booked in advance, a lot nicer and with Internet access, so I can update!

I will update with posts outlining each day later, but overall my experience in Hokkaido was positive. Maybe not the most wonderful time I have had on bicycle tour or even on holiday, but I put most of that down to the disastrous weather. This put an adventurous spin on things, but after a few days being constantly damp gets old. Having a supposedly spectacular view (your reward for a hard climb, along with a fun size snickers) blocked out by clouds repeatedly is similarly frustrating.

It feels great to have the first good chunk of KM’s under my belt (or bib) and I’m looking forward to resting here in Hakodate and then beginning northern Honshu (I think generally referred to as the Tohoku region).