Here I am 12 days into this pilgrimage of 88 Shrines and I must admit this morning I am questioning wether I am loosing my marbles. Picture me sitting on a provincial rail station called Tonohama Shinkoku.
Yesterday I left Cape Muroto in 28 degree heat. I got a little confused. An angel took me to the Police Station. They sorted me out. Due to the tangled streets and the Tsunami work going on it was not inexcusable to get lost. As a bonus I arrived at #25 Shrine in a police car no siren thank you. Henri the Frenchman we had been tagging each other could not stop laughing at "u stupid Australian boy". Sounds rather cute with his heavy accent.
Thanks Buddha.
Not to be defeated I then climbed to Shrine 26 on a path fit only for goats. I was hot hungry and thirsty. I could solve the thirsty but not the hungry. There was no eatery and it was Saturday the food marts were shut. My magic Host at Cape Muroto had given me smoked mackerel with pickles and rice for Breakfast at 05.30. It was getting on 1400 hours.
Alarm Bells were ringing the sun was starting to go down I had to walk down the mountain and get a bus train to here Tonohama a distance of near 60 klms for an overnight and the long difficult walk to Shrine 27.
Leaving Shrine 26 I met Henri again. He confided it would be easy to hitch from the car park. I did. The car went the wrong way with me in it. Merci Henri. Thanks to the GPS in the car. Then I decided to take a short cut down the mountain.........
Yep some people do have em. I popped out on the main highway 55 exhausted hot hungry and thirsty. I thought give me a break Buddha I only came to learn a few lessons not the whole gambit.
Anyways finally navigated my way to here And the village consists of a petrol station on the 55 and 200 acres or so of hot houses growing eggplants cucumber and flowers. I found a run down Minshuku run by a grumpy old man. And a bloody great high Tsunamai wall. (I kept my pack ready to go by the door).
Any ways the rooms are divided by rice paper and bamboo framed screens. I settled down hungry but bathed. After walking 55 in search of a feed I gave up to bed supper less. Settled down the guy next screen had gas and snored. Between his farts and snores and the bloody cats having a war I was glad when my windy friend's iPhone hit 4.30 and his siren alarm went off. Fair dinkum some people.
So here I am sitting on a Provincial rail station- Japan at 07.30 on a bright sunny morning waiting for the train to Noichi 70 klms away and #28, 29,30 Shrines for me to discover. I know there is a cfe on the rail station my guide book tells me. I'm afraid Shrine 27 has got the better of me. I am not going there the feeling ain't right. I need food now.
The lesson I got has to be Tolerance.
Saw the Turkish couple slogging it out on highway 55.
Wonder where Henri is.
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