We have been in Japan for about 24 hours now. This is after travelling for 24 hours straight to get up here to Central Hokkaido! After three flights, a train and a taxi we arrived in Nakuafurano where our vehicle was waiting. John and Stephanie had kindly let us leave it in their yard for the 2.5 months we were away.
We left Matilda in the sun in order to keep the batteries charged. And she started beautifully. The only evidence that we had been away so long was the fridge seal which had warped, because we had left the door open. Joe managed to relocate the seal and all was well. The cooktop failed to start up first time, but with one squeeze of the hand bulb it started up nicely.
The very first thing we needed to do was sleep. Then next morning we had to take Matilda to our friend Nakamura San in Asahikawa for replacement of the transfer case. During our last trip up here we had repeated oil leaks from the transfer case. The mechanics said there was a manufacturing fault in the transfer case itself. Back in Australia I spoke with Fuso and asked whether there was anything they could to to help. (The Fuso Australia warranty is a "back-to-base warranty" -meaning that the vehicle is not covered outside of Australia). To their credit they provided us with a new transfer case, all packed up on a pallet ready for us to ship to Japan! The freight cost was $800. It remains to be seen what the labour will cost, so the jury is still out on whether we saved anything by doing it this way.
Also while in Australia I discussed the wheel bolt issue with Mark at Earthcruiser. It had cost us $900 to have new wheel bolts fitted and machined to satisfy the Japanese that it was roadworthy for re-registration purposes. Mark agreed to pay $500 towards the cost, since he could have fixed the problem much more cheaply if the vehicle had been in Australia.
It is autumn here and the weather is cold (by our standards, not by hokkaidoan's). We needed the heater last night. There is snow in the mountains here already, and the autumn colours are everywhere. We came here for the colours and we can already see that we will not be disappointed!
Nakamura says that the peak of the colours has already passed in Hokkaido! If so then I can't wait for the colours further South!
10/10/14
We spent the night in a log cabin in the bush. It was cold and raining so we appreciated the gas fire. In the morning it seemed the colours of the forest had intensified. The scenery was simply dazzling!
We were using words like "astonishing", "WOW", "dazzling", like a painting". If we see no more colours during the next weeks I will still feel satisfied!
Late in the afternoon we heard that Matilda was ready. The total cost including labour, import duty, other taxes was ¥44792. That's about $448. So it all cost 448 (labour and oil) +800 (freight) = $1248. Given that we were quoted $5000 for the job originally we certainly benefited from Fuso's assistance. One curious fact emerged though. Fuso Australia did NOT contract Nakamura here. So I guess that they knew about the fault in the transfer case (there was a machining error resulting in the seal not fitting the male part it should match) and so gave us a new one without question.
On leaving the workshop we exchanged gifts as often happens in Japan. NakamuraOs gift to us was a poem he had written!
"I hope you don't become a trouble anymore.
But you have a adventure
There will be some troubles
The trouble brought you here.
So it was nice to meet you.
You can come back here anytime!"
So here we are camped in the middle of Asahikawa in a park where people walk, run ride bikes. We have autumn colours all around us. ( 43.751N 142.371S ) We can hear a flowing river and very little traffic noise. Tomorrow we will head south towards HONSHU seeing the last of Hokkaido as we go.
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