Day 24 (Aug 1) - Back to Yufuin for the Last Evening Shift

 Since we were only needed during the evening shift, we checked out late at our hotel in Beppu. The streets were relatively quiet as we walked towards the train station. We strolled around the station for a while before boarding a local bus that would take us back to Yufuin. Unfortunately, I was doing some last-minute shopping, so we were nearly at the back of the line boarding the bus. I wasn't able to grab a seat initially, but after about 20 minutes, I was able to grab one. The ride was scenic and quiet. There wasn't a lot of traffic heading towards Yufuin.

Upon arrival at the bus terminal at Yufuin, we still had time left so we proceeded to find lunch. We wanted to try black chicken ramen, but unfortunately, the shop was closed for that day. We ended up stopping at a nearby burger joint. We passed by this place a few times (as we walked towards the station) and it always smelled great. They had a bungo beef patty, so we opted to eat those burgers. They were big and full of flavor. I personally enjoyed these burgers more than just eating the bungo beef with rice. After lunch, we stopped by the Milch cafe that was only a few minutes away from the burger joint. We grabbed more cheesecake and relaxed in the cafe till it was time to take the bus back to Country Roads Youth Hostel. 

The evening shift was relatively quiet. We only had to prepare the table for dinner. Normally, the host or my girlfriend would make the announcement to the guests to come down for dinner. They had to do it both in Japanese and in English. Since it was the last night, I gave it a try. I'm sure my pronunciation of some of the words were incorrect in Japanese, but I think I was able to pass on the message. Once everyone was done dinner, we washed the dishes and did one final evening sweep.

It's hard to believe that a week has passed by since we arrived in Yufuin. There were a large variety of activities and tasks each day that it felt more like a two week vacation in itself. It's probably one of the best experiences I ever had during my travels, and something I will remember for a long time. If I ever do another homestay, I'm not sure if anything can top this experience! I may just have to ask them to take me back in the future!

The Shiny Uncle who's the father of tourism in Beppu. This was in front of the station.