This is surely like a tutorial more than anything else. The foundation and reasoning behind the training and what not. I have a feeling Iruka may want to throw a little party to congratulate Shikamaru as well as the others who made it as far as they did. I know it's a bit late (maybe a month late?) but it would still seem like something he'd do, even without Naruto around.

And I'm fine with them staying at the hotel on their way there, and possibly staying out and camping on their way back, maybe the night before they run into Gai and Lee the following day?