Day 14. And it was...NOT raining!

9th of April.

I woke up tad earlier than I had planned. Maybe because I went sleep quite early. Seems my selected wakeup time might have been just fine though. Certainly wouldn't have been much point trying to sleep further as exactly 6AM local radio/loudspeaker/SOMETHING started out playing out this loud cheery tune. Seriously? On Sunday? Give people time to sleep!

Shikoku seems to live by early bed, early raise culture...Anyway packing things up I got to the restaurant part(this lodging has basically two buildings separated about 200m. One where you have your bed, bath etc and then another that works as regular restaurant where you get your meals) tad short of 7AM as agreed. Doors were locked though but I just waited before old lady(probably mother of the women who had been my contact last night) came and opened up and gave me my breakfest as planned. Plus bill.

This is btw good example of how things work heavily on trust principle. Imagine this. My sleeping place is on separate building from restaurant. Pretty sure separate from their homes as well. After I was driven there last night I had had no contact with them. They didn't even charge me up in advance. If I had wanted I could have simply slipped away unpaid and only effect would have been that I wouldn't be able to book there again in future.

And seems this works well enough since they keep doing it!

Anyway I ate tasty(even if tad small for my tastes. Japanese rations!) and bought myself new conical hat since the last one broke up last night so was now uncomfortably loose. After this I departed. Today would be no temples so just some 25km or so walk to the next lodging passing several towns in the process.

I walked at fairly slowly as today wasn't all that rushed day and I felt bit less "oomph" than last day. Guess the long day with mountains and rain had took it's toll. Anyway not being in a rush I didn't want to push too hard. Day started with foggy weather which didn't look too inviting. Hopefully it doesn't rain later.

Fossil hunting? Sure drew my attention but guess no time for it. Probably not even open for several hours. Sounds fun though.

It started out fairly lonely walk though eventually I came across biking lady who came from opposite direction. Her outfit was so regular took her as local on morning ride until I noticed the walking stuff hanging on her bike's back. Seems she's using bus, train and bike depending on location. After short chat I continued.

 Foggy! Visibility was quite low.

Next I caught up with older women pilgrim I briefly greeted before she suggested I would continue on my own pace since I was clearly doing faster than she was doing.

Then approaching rest hut shown on map I spotted two more pilgrims ahead! This is busy! Last few days haven't met many on route and had just mourned it and now 4 in a quick order! Since first rest was planned later for konbini anyway skiped it and chased the pair. Turned out youngish men and women. Now I can't be sure and should have verified but I THINK we stayed together on temple 26 in friday...Female face at least looked familiar.

Walking today was extra hard due to rain yesterday causing air to be so humid it felt like I was breathing water!

I managed to miss turn to a walker path here so ended up walking the highway which added some distance. Bummer. Anyway go to the lawson convenience store where I dropped for some food and drink. But no place to sit so headed for ANOTHER lawson right next to it which had a chair for pilgrims to sit. Thanks! Even specifically mentioned as place for pilgrims to rest. Gratefully accepted and did buy some snacks for future as thanks.

But why two lawson's like 200m separated? Different chain would be standard but isn't this like Lawson chain competing with itself :D

If I had looked map more closely would have seen there was rest spot like 300m away but ah well :D Chair was good enough. Especially as the misty weather it had started had cleared up for sun and warm weather. Had to take out the long sleeved shirt or I would get cooked!

What a fog!

But after walking bit more it started to clear nicely. I was surprised by quick change of weather. But a pleasant surprise.

As konbini visits were satisfied didn't need to take the long route over highway 55 but could cut through town of Aki center. Much more interesting route through various shops and whatnot anyway! Henro markers led me bit odd route though differing from the official henro map but eventually joined up on right path which led to rest spot and public toilet. Good shaded bench so with day becoming quite warm I sat there for a while. Still no rush.

Overexposed. Water looks more like milk!

Walking along I noticed this statue on the window of building on my left. What was this?

Sure started to look like I had ran into Christian church.

Yup! Catholic church of Sain Maria

Not exactly like church in Finland!

Interesting looking clock along the sea.

From here path went off the highway into some sort of walker/biker path. Plenty locals used this for what looked like morning jog or bike ride. This continued for approximately 6km during which I enjoyed sight of sea and forest but there was complete and utter lack of ANYTHING there. Except road and people.

Crucially no vending machines. And day was hot. I exhausted the water I had in my water pack and the pet bottle drinks I had bar one half drank tea bottle.

Empty road along a sea. If it hadn't been asphalt this would have been lovely place to walk.

Arrival into a rest place. Yey! I was feeling rather exhausted and feeling more exhausted than I expected to be around this time of day. Last day had been tough one!

Drink situation wasn't all that good. It was so hot I could feel slight dizziness and this route sure seemed devoid of vending machines.

Cherry trees had finally started blooming at full strength. It's been unusually cold spring in this year so they were later than usual.

Nice beach! Sometimes I wonder why Japan isn't more famous for beach activity.

Coming to Akano resting area section I cut out of the walker/biker road and entered the rest area. Still no vending machines. What? I could have bet hefty sum of money that in land of the vending machines in this official rest location there would be a vending machine! Did I suddenly get transported into Finland or something? There has to be a vending machine here! This is Japan!

Well place was beautiful nevertheless and had nice view of beach ahead and what just might be Cape Ashizuri in distance in mist that  will be where next week I will be heading. The 2nd infamous part in this pilgrimage that will see me walk like 200km+ for sake of 3 temples...Finishing that trek will also mark end of this year's pilgrimage.

Anyway while resting there quite exhausted and thirsty pair of foreigners came and said hi. And much to my surprise they weren't pilgrims! Just regular tourists here in the middle of Japanese nowhere! I was quite surprised because this doesn't sound like typical tourist spot for foreigners so not sure how many of non-pilgrim foreigners this place sees.

Anyway we chatted a bit, they were quite curious about me in this pilgrimage, couple wanted to take photo with me and the men together while I was "contemplating"(more like willing my legs to work!). Interesting couple. Men offered to buy ice cream(no vending machine but seems there was old lady selling ice cream!) which I accepted on principle of it being osettai even if they weren't familiar and offered in return name slip explaining what it is and why I was giving it back. Figured it might make interesting memento at least.

After these fellows left as I was finishing my ice cream japanese lady came in and talked about pilgrimage and me and my country and what not. This "just a short breather before commencing operation vending machine" had turned into quite a long break instead! Good thing I wasn't particularly busy today or I might be in trouble!

Luckily short after leaving the rest hut I saw the oasis I had been looking for. Vending machine! Vending machine with all sorts of drinks to drink. I bought up two right away. One for reserve, one I drank half way already. It was blazing hot and humid.

I considered returning back to the path but a) backtracking which adds to distance b) this time it doesn't REALLY add up that much distance to walk highway as they mostly run in paraler c) there were stores and convenience stores on route and I figured I would want something to eat as well. Walker path promises nothing but rest huts and toilets until Iget to the lodging. Also locating the lodging might be harder from there as no good land sights seen on map. On highway shortly before turn left there seemed to be convenience store so highway it was for about 7km or so.

Shortly after starting the highway walk with drinks on my pack and knowledge that now I should be running into more vending machines as needed I suddenly heard voice on my back. Women I had greeted just moments ago was running toward me with round yellow...SOME kind of a fruit! Colour looks like lemon but shape looks like orange. No idea what it was but as could be expected it was o-settai. I thanked her many times bowing repeatedly but before I could even move hand toward pilgrim bag to give nameslip she was already running back. To go as far as chase me to give me a fruit...I'm speechless.

I came across small fruit stand selling oranges of some kind on the leave money to bin style. These looked small enough that I figured I buy one for evening treat.

Shortly after passing Wajiki station but before reaching the Nijibun station there was Lawson store not on map. Well I was hungry, hadn't seen restaurant that was open so time to go in and get myself a lunch! Bought some sort of meat and rice thing. Been a while since I have had meat! Well fish excluded.

Bread shop! Quite an interesting shape.

With this just last thing to do for the day and that was find the lodging. I got into the convenience store I had marked as waypoint and it had changed name and was in process of rebuilding or something. Well still worked as waypointer. There was also guide signs to the lodging. Ooo this is good feeling. If they advertise "we are this way" then this might be quite a good one! Maybe tad pricier but I have had lots of cheap ones lately so expensive one won't kill me.

Found the lodging and another 1 building for restaurant, another for rooms though this time next to each other so no big walk in between. I got my stuff into the room and when bath was ready sank there with pleasure. Aaaaaahhh! It feels sooooo good to enter bath after long walk. I stretched my muscles and gave them some basic massage as last night I had skipped on them resulting some serious muscle pain during night. That's been issue lately. Too lazy on stretching out!

After the bath returned to the room where I stayed until around 5:30. Meal was half an hour later but feet were feeling restless so figured I'll go to the restaurant to see if maybe the other guest(there would be one another tonight. Yey!) and if not maybe get myself a beer before meal.

Well fellow pilgrim still on room(or bath) but beer was okay and host even brought part of the dinner in advance even though I had said just beer to start with is okay! Sorry! Didn't want to cause any trouble coming ahead time. Regular time for dinner would have been enough. Sorry!

But oh dear what a VIEW the eating room had over to the sea. I have never had dinner in a room with a view like this. Frankly it will be worth paying extra just for this view even if meal would be bad. Which it wasn't. It was quite good even if full of weird new stuff AGAIN. How much different stuff is in japanese cuisine? Seems like never ending stream! Well all was good but figuring out HOW to eat some of the stuff can take some time :D

Well I chatted with the owner and eventually the 2nd henro arrived(about the time I was finishing up my dinner...) and she was actually the elderly lady I had passed on early morning. We had actually stayed on lodgings that were next to each other so our day had been pretty much identical only varying in how much highway and how much walker/biker route we had used no doubt.

We spent like 2 hours or so talking(and her eating, me enjoying bottle of beer) about all sorts of subjects about pilgrimage, finland, finnish traditions(I even got to chance to show what finnish girls often do during easter since it had been done today!), animals, my japan's travels, got told to marry japanese girl AGAIN.

Pleasant time all in all. I was surprised when I realized how much time had passed already.

Today had been pretty gentle day of 27km or so. Tomorrow should be tad shorter with one temple before 2 very busy days with 7 temples in 2 days. Last major temple collection before the last 5 temples that are spaced well apart.