Things got much more interesting last night after I posted the blog. We got talking to an Australian girl called Sheryn who was also staying at our hostel and she was able to solve the mystery of why the windowsills are covered in the remnants of broken spoons. Apparently the hostel owner is some kind of mad psychic who believes in UFOs and reckons he's an amateur Uri Geller...

We all got quite tipsy (me especially so as I was knocking back what I thought was supermarket saki but turned out to be some kind of 40% Japanese vodka-type spirit) and Don and Sheryn disappeared off where the landlord gave them a demonstration of the spoon bendage. He then came into the room and repeated the trick for all of us - it was unbelievable! Jim reckoned that he had a bunsen burner in his pocket but I felt the spoon and it was cold and solid. Even better than that, he made me bend one too USING ONLY THE POWER OF MY MIND! I staggered off to bed quite dazed but have reviewed the video evidence today and it actually happened.

Man alive, I feel so relaxed! I've definitely had my favourite day so far in Japan today, largely thanks to us recruiting Sheryn to show us round Matsuyama. She's really lovely and is studying in Japan for a year so is pretty much fluent. We went to Matsuyama-Jo (the castle on the hill) which we accessed via a ski lift contraption and I even got to try on samurai armour inside the castle - nice. I have some very disturbing photo evidence of Donald wearing the mask, looking like Hannibal Lecter's more mental younger brother.

We strolled down the hill to view the samurai village and then ate lunch in Dogo-Koen (the park). After that it was a trip to Dogo Spa, one of Japan's best onsen. The four of us were shown to a private room where we had to undress to our underwear and put on the robes provided. We were then given a brief tour of the spa before splitting up to go into the single sex onsen.

To be honest I was a wee bit apprehensive about getting naked, not only in front of total strangers but also in front of Sheryn (I'm not normally that liberal so early into a friendship). Using only a modesty towel to cover the essentials, we had to wash and then climb into the most awesome natural hot spring. It was the most relaxed I can ever remember being and a bit like getting a sauna simultaneously. After we'd finished we re-robed and returned to our private room where we met the boys and were served green tea and sweet dumplings. I feel totally cleansed now and it even alieviated the insect bites that have been plaguing me for the past week.

After a quick beer in the local brewery we had to say goodbye to Sheryn who's off to visit her friend in Sendai. But hopefully she's going to join us for karaoke in Chiba and in the meantime we'll be following all the tips she gave us for when we visit Osaka. Quote of the day is dedicated to her and her frog phobia; after Jim's persistent questioning she exploded, "I'm not going to marry anyone who would sellotape a frog to my children".

And with that I bid you all goodnight. Love you heaps x x x