Camping in Nagano

The Miyatachi family picked us up and we drove towards Nagano stopping off at the Apita (the local shopping centre for a bite to eat and to stock up on the essentials items ie Beer and meat.

Then drove for another 30 minutes winding our way thru and up higher past rice fields (and the scary head) and apple orchards to a place called Inadani to reach our destination in the mountains To get to INADANI CAMPING GROUND. (www.odp.jp)

First thing I did when I got out was breath in the fresh clean mountain air......Ahhhhhh!!

First thing everyone else did was breath in the fresh....."Samui desho!"

That night and following morning I was constantly being asked (as they hugged themselves) "Aren't you cold??"

For me yes it was abit on the cool-ish side but the fresh cool mountain air and wide open space was just soooo good.

While the kids climbed up the hill and played in the tree house we chatted with the owner and sorted out keys and stuff for our LOG CABIN.

We unloaded the van and turned our attention to more pressing things and set about getting some fire on and (more importantly some beers because you cant have fire without a beer can you?)

Our initial plan was a solid one until we discovered a beach ball sized wasp nest across the road in the trees and squadron's of the buggers kept coming over to check us out (I discovered later it was the beer they were attracted to) so we all took refuge inside.

They may be big and menacing but there size is there undoing....just means a bigger and easier target when I start swinging.
Size has its advantage but if you piss a Maori off enough "its gonna end up in tears" for one of you (this is I think number 3 who paid ultimate price for getting in between a Maori and his food.....or beer)
I did a Wikipedia search when I got home and I must say "NOW I'M SCARED"
In Japan they are called 雀蜂 or 胡蜂, oo-suzumebachi meaning "sparrow bee" .
1.Average size 50mm.
2.Stinger 6 bloody millimeters.....Ouch!
3.The venom contains a neurotoxin which can be lethal to people.
4.Between 20-40 people die each year in Japan after being stung.
5.The sting of a Japanese Hornet is extremely painful and potentially fatal, and contains chemical pheromones that attract and encourage other hornets to attack the same victim.
6.Japanese Hornets are attracted to beverages containing alcohol and glucose
7.Top speed 40kph

So to recap......They are big,fast have got a hell of a punch AND when in a fight they will call on there mates to join in to "sink" the boot in while your down.....Nice!!

Anyway dinner came about and it was a real whanau affair good food lots of smiles, chatter and a huge dose of laughter.

Things even got a wee bit silly as the night wore on (must of been the beer the wasps didnt get)and we took turns about doing the traditional camping "Ghost" thing through the window (some were better than others)

With the nights activities over and done we all retired for the night.