An early goodbye to our friends Chuck and Julie. Drove south out of Kumamoto across the Amakusa Islands. Beautiful day, beautiful scenery but hard to catch on camera. Christian references everywhere. A real booming tourist trade in it it seems. Stop at really wierd memorial to Amakusa Shiro, the 14-year-old, 16-year-old, 19-year-old boy who led the final Christian stand against the shogunate (depending on who you listen to). Drove on through the balmy sunshine and palm trees across to Hondo to stop at the Christian museum there. After a good hour wandering around that, headed north and caught the ferry across to Nagasaki prefecture. Drove up the coast towards Shimabara right past Hara but didn't stop. Regret this. Found out later that this site, though simply a patch of ground really was the very last Christian battle scene and contains Shiro's grave. Stopped at Shimabara Castle just as it was closing. Eerie to be in a place with so much history and to know so many were killed in the rebellions around here. Drove on up the coast around the very strange looking Unzen dake volcano towards Nagasaki. Entered Nagasaki after nightfall. Fascinating. Very, very hilly indeed. Built on very steep slopes. Driving not much fun after a long day. Eventually find our cabin late after an hour looking for it and a couple on a motorbike taking us there! Cabin understocked and overpriced. Cabin next door contains raucous college students. They give up after a while and leave us in peace. Quiet night.