Kyle's World

If there is such a thing as the World's most expensive U-turn, then certainly I did it. After making my way to Oita and subsequently Matsuyama, by car, alone, 9 hours with no map, I was understandably a bit confident on the return trip. I totally thought I could find Kumamoto by myself. I came upon the 150 yen toll road that I drove on to get to Oita, so thinking I should simply re-trace my footsteps, I got back on it. My confidence was spilling over at this point, but not enough to stop me from asking the toll booth guard if this was indeed the right way to Kumamoto. After all, everything looked the same at night. The guard told me that I was travelling in the wrong direction, and that I'd have to turn around. So I paid the 150 yen toll and asked the guy where I could turn around. Very clearly I was the dumb gaijin who didn't know where he was going. It was a situation I've played to perfection time and time again. The gaijin card really comes in handy. Anyway he said I had to drive up 30 metres, and there would be a turn around point right there. I did exactly that, but who was there to greet me? None other than the toll booth guard, telling me I owed him another 150 yen. What? For a U-turn? I only used the toll road for 30 metres. What a rip off. Bastard. My gaijin priviledge card had been revoked. Mean, cheap old men work in toll booths in Oita. But hey, I left with a funny story.