It was very cold last night. I guessed it was due to the rain again at 11 plus. Awaken up at 2 something. And then 4. At 4:30am, couldn’t take the cold anymore and got up. The rain had not stopped until around 9am. Got ready and set off at 7:56am.
Early in the journey, I had to tackle slopes! Sweats were dripping on my face! Saw a stone to land my backpack and immediately took the chance to catch some breath, rest my shoulders and sip a drink. Every time, I try to unload my backpack, I was like a pilot looking for a suitable place to land it, so that I could take off easier instead of being a weight-lifter.
On the way, saw a few worms, including some blue ones!! But it was unlike Melbourne, where they were basically covering the whole path that you walked on, when it rains. Now and then, you would hear “cracking” sound. Not that the worms have shell, but it was the snail! They were just too many for you to 
look out and avoid!
Quite like a sign that I saw. It was the Kanji (or Chinese) character for the word “four” or “shi”, shaped like a road inside a box. “Shi” as in Shikoku (the island where this pilgrimage is), literally means “Four Country”.
Later, it was downhill and uphill for some kilometers. Then, I noticed a fresh foot print! Based on the size, that looked a guy’s. Probably the young Japanese I met
yesterday. After some distance, I started to daydream again. I was the first Singaporean to complete the pilgrimage and I became famous! During an interview, I was questioned that someone would like to challenge me for completing it in lesser days. I told the interviewer, “Completing the pilgrimage was not for competition. It’s was for oneself! Anyway, I would like to walk the pilgrimage again, because some of the paths I have not been taken before. Perhaps, this round, I would prefer to walk with someone else!” After just 5 minutes of rest today, I felt cold. Quickly, start walking again.
I made a pledge to myself today. That I would not eat any meat on the 8th of every month in remembrance of Meiseji (refer to Day 1 blog).
I just set a special routine for this pilgrimage too
. I would alternate my handkerchiefs from one pocket to another daily. The left one will be passed over to the right pocket, and keep a clean one for the day. This will be used for my heavy sweat and running nose. The previous one from the right pocket will be sent to the “laundry” department.
Suddenly, I saw a big sign that said “Beware of Mamushi”. Not that I know how to read Japanese, but knowing some Chinese characters did help a lot =] My dictionary said it’s a kind of viper! Immediately, I heard a yell later. Scared the hell out of me! It was the young Japanese guy! We met again, and he told me he slept at one of the shelter along the path that I just came from!!! This guy was amazing! Gave me a lot of courage to sleep out! So, the footprint just now was probably his! Soon, I saw another mamushi sign, while I was blowing my nose! I thought I wouldn’t be so unlucky to hit one of the viper, which identified me and then informed his comrade to attack me later up front!!
The next half an hour were all walking down slope. I couldn’t wait for lunch. I sped up a lot. The thought of a hot soup meal energized me! Reached Temple 45 but couldn’t find the Suiya (water house, I thought that’s what it called in Japanese) to purify myself first before the prayer. Part of the temple etiquette where you used the scope to get water out and wash your hands and mouth before you start going to the halls to pray. I asked a nanny working there but she could not understand even though I showed her the Kanji. Then, I went further down to ask some fellow henro, who told me downstairs. They probably thought I was looking for a toilet or a drink. I walked almost to the main road until I met an old lady who confirmed it was up at the temple. I went up again and somehow missed it at the corner!
After my prayer, I was backed on the trail 
again. I realized the weight of my baggage actually pull me down and hurt my knees more. I was walking the same path down without my bag, and it was ok. So, I started walking backwards. It was in fact faster with the grip at the side to hold on to. At the bottom, a shop owner offered me his hot ginger drink he was selling. Very refreshing and nice.
When I reached the main road, the restaurant in the map has already shut down! A lady told me there was no food sold around nearby except instant noodle. I decided to continue my walk. The uncle I met earlier at the temple, stopped his car in the middle of the road and asked if I would like a ride. I declined politely. After some distance, I doubt my way when I saw the sign going to Temple 44! The map had a tunnel close by, which I noticed on the opposite direction! So, I went back and after crossing the tunnel, I felt something wrong again. The tunnel name didn’t seem right and it was also shorter. Soon, I realized my initial path was right. The correct tunnel at the other side had another kanji word in front, although their names were
similar. After a long walk, I regretted not having the instant noodle. My shoulders were getting uncomfortable and my stomach yearning for hot soup! Out of a sudden, I realized I was pretty stupid yesterday at the Town Office! I could have asked the lady to help me to call those accommodations I wanted to try instead of looking for a public phone!!
So glad to reach an onsen place with cheap hot udon soup! The onsen was not expensive too but too bad it was at the wrong place =[ I still have some 5km to reach the same park where I camped last night. To go to Temple 46, I had to pass by the area at Temple 44. That explained why I saw the sign to Temple 44 earlier. Actually, there was a free sheltered lodging few more kilometers further, but I had ran out of time for the day. The onsen place was also just opposite a famous rock formation. The small patch in the picture took 4000years to form! Don’t play play!
I like my deodorant! Used it for the fi
rst time and I smelled nice again! Met a group of visitors there and one of them had been to Singapore. He said “kirei desu”. I replied “ma ma” (So so) Since when Singapore was beautiful, I thought! But, soon I realized and quickly corrected myself “hai, hai, kirei desu” (yes, yes, it’s clean!)
Continued my journey and started to doubt my navigation skill again! Then, I met an old man. I asked to confirm if this was the henro path. He told me it was an old henro path. He added there was no road up front! He also showed me the “dig tunnel” hand signals if you need to go through that. I trusted him, but found out he was wrong! Wasted 20minutes of my time!
After 1km, I was basically going through the same route that I came from, this morning. Saw a cyclist henro at the opposite side of the road. When I was about 3km away from my camp site, I walked very fast! Almost to the extent of jogging! Found another public phone but it was the 12th that couldn’t work! I thought something must be amiss! I could hear the dial-tone for emergency calls!
Finally I reached the park, half an hour earlier than my estimation. Took some time to dry up my tent first and set up at about 510pm so that it would get dark as soon as I finished. Today, there were many distractions. A lot of people were looking at me and I was worried they would stop me, but luckily no problem. Forgotten to take a picture of it again!!
Then, I walked to the same convenient store, called Cicrle-K. And there I was. Sitting on the same steps, outside the same pachinko building, having my same beef rice! Except, it wasn’t the same cold level. Tonight was colder!! I quickly went in to the pachinko building to get a hot drink after my dinner. I was still feeling cold inside the building. I thought I couldn’t afford to get sick. After a while, I felt better. Then, I started to plan for my trip tomorrow. Decided to do some short 10km plus walk for the next two days partly because I wouldn’t want to get sick overworked myself. Secondly, the stop points were where the free lodgings were! After that, I was writing my name slips, which was something holy inside the gambling building!
I came back around 7:30pm and cleaned up. By 8:30pm I was inside my tent. Not very comfortable because the ground was slightly slanted. Wanted to update my blog on my laptop but was too lazy to turn it on. I typed it on my iPhone and slept early.
Today, I added 18.5km to my pilgrimage.
Early in the journey, I had to tackle slopes! Sweats were dripping on my face! Saw a stone to land my backpack and immediately took the chance to catch some breath, rest my shoulders and sip a drink. Every time, I try to unload my backpack, I was like a pilot looking for a suitable place to land it, so that I could take off easier instead of being a weight-lifter.
On the way, saw a few worms, including some blue ones!! But it was unlike Melbourne, where they were basically covering the whole path that you walked on, when it rains. Now and then, you would hear “cracking” sound. Not that the worms have shell, but it was the snail! They were just too many for you to 
look out and avoid!Quite like a sign that I saw. It was the Kanji (or Chinese) character for the word “four” or “shi”, shaped like a road inside a box. “Shi” as in Shikoku (the island where this pilgrimage is), literally means “Four Country”.
Later, it was downhill and uphill for some kilometers. Then, I noticed a fresh foot print! Based on the size, that looked a guy’s. Probably the young Japanese I met
yesterday. After some distance, I started to daydream again. I was the first Singaporean to complete the pilgrimage and I became famous! During an interview, I was questioned that someone would like to challenge me for completing it in lesser days. I told the interviewer, “Completing the pilgrimage was not for competition. It’s was for oneself! Anyway, I would like to walk the pilgrimage again, because some of the paths I have not been taken before. Perhaps, this round, I would prefer to walk with someone else!” After just 5 minutes of rest today, I felt cold. Quickly, start walking again.I made a pledge to myself today. That I would not eat any meat on the 8th of every month in remembrance of Meiseji (refer to Day 1 blog).
I just set a special routine for this pilgrimage too
. I would alternate my handkerchiefs from one pocket to another daily. The left one will be passed over to the right pocket, and keep a clean one for the day. This will be used for my heavy sweat and running nose. The previous one from the right pocket will be sent to the “laundry” department.
Suddenly, I saw a big sign that said “Beware of Mamushi”. Not that I know how to read Japanese, but knowing some Chinese characters did help a lot =] My dictionary said it’s a kind of viper! Immediately, I heard a yell later. Scared the hell out of me! It was the young Japanese guy! We met again, and he told me he slept at one of the shelter along the path that I just came from!!! This guy was amazing! Gave me a lot of courage to sleep out! So, the footprint just now was probably his! Soon, I saw another mamushi sign, while I was blowing my nose! I thought I wouldn’t be so unlucky to hit one of the viper, which identified me and then informed his comrade to attack me later up front!!
The next half an hour were all walking down slope. I couldn’t wait for lunch. I sped up a lot. The thought of a hot soup meal energized me! Reached Temple 45 but couldn’t find the Suiya (water house, I thought that’s what it called in Japanese) to purify myself first before the prayer. Part of the temple etiquette where you used the scope to get water out and wash your hands and mouth before you start going to the halls to pray. I asked a nanny working there but she could not understand even though I showed her the Kanji. Then, I went further down to ask some fellow henro, who told me downstairs. They probably thought I was looking for a toilet or a drink. I walked almost to the main road until I met an old lady who confirmed it was up at the temple. I went up again and somehow missed it at the corner!
After my prayer, I was backed on the trail 
again. I realized the weight of my baggage actually pull me down and hurt my knees more. I was walking the same path down without my bag, and it was ok. So, I started walking backwards. It was in fact faster with the grip at the side to hold on to. At the bottom, a shop owner offered me his hot ginger drink he was selling. Very refreshing and nice.When I reached the main road, the restaurant in the map has already shut down! A lady told me there was no food sold around nearby except instant noodle. I decided to continue my walk. The uncle I met earlier at the temple, stopped his car in the middle of the road and asked if I would like a ride. I declined politely. After some distance, I doubt my way when I saw the sign going to Temple 44! The map had a tunnel close by, which I noticed on the opposite direction! So, I went back and after crossing the tunnel, I felt something wrong again. The tunnel name didn’t seem right and it was also shorter. Soon, I realized my initial path was right. The correct tunnel at the other side had another kanji word in front, although their names were
similar. After a long walk, I regretted not having the instant noodle. My shoulders were getting uncomfortable and my stomach yearning for hot soup! Out of a sudden, I realized I was pretty stupid yesterday at the Town Office! I could have asked the lady to help me to call those accommodations I wanted to try instead of looking for a public phone!!
So glad to reach an onsen place with cheap hot udon soup! The onsen was not expensive too but too bad it was at the wrong place =[ I still have some 5km to reach the same park where I camped last night. To go to Temple 46, I had to pass by the area at Temple 44. That explained why I saw the sign to Temple 44 earlier. Actually, there was a free sheltered lodging few more kilometers further, but I had ran out of time for the day. The onsen place was also just opposite a famous rock formation. The small patch in the picture took 4000years to form! Don’t play play!I like my deodorant! Used it for the fi
rst time and I smelled nice again! Met a group of visitors there and one of them had been to Singapore. He said “kirei desu”. I replied “ma ma” (So so) Since when Singapore was beautiful, I thought! But, soon I realized and quickly corrected myself “hai, hai, kirei desu” (yes, yes, it’s clean!)Continued my journey and started to doubt my navigation skill again! Then, I met an old man. I asked to confirm if this was the henro path. He told me it was an old henro path. He added there was no road up front! He also showed me the “dig tunnel” hand signals if you need to go through that. I trusted him, but found out he was wrong! Wasted 20minutes of my time!
After 1km, I was basically going through the same route that I came from, this morning. Saw a cyclist henro at the opposite side of the road. When I was about 3km away from my camp site, I walked very fast! Almost to the extent of jogging! Found another public phone but it was the 12th that couldn’t work! I thought something must be amiss! I could hear the dial-tone for emergency calls!
Finally I reached the park, half an hour earlier than my estimation. Took some time to dry up my tent first and set up at about 510pm so that it would get dark as soon as I finished. Today, there were many distractions. A lot of people were looking at me and I was worried they would stop me, but luckily no problem. Forgotten to take a picture of it again!!
Then, I walked to the same convenient store, called Cicrle-K. And there I was. Sitting on the same steps, outside the same pachinko building, having my same beef rice! Except, it wasn’t the same cold level. Tonight was colder!! I quickly went in to the pachinko building to get a hot drink after my dinner. I was still feeling cold inside the building. I thought I couldn’t afford to get sick. After a while, I felt better. Then, I started to plan for my trip tomorrow. Decided to do some short 10km plus walk for the next two days partly because I wouldn’t want to get sick overworked myself. Secondly, the stop points were where the free lodgings were! After that, I was writing my name slips, which was something holy inside the gambling building!
I came back around 7:30pm and cleaned up. By 8:30pm I was inside my tent. Not very comfortable because the ground was slightly slanted. Wanted to update my blog on my laptop but was too lazy to turn it on. I typed it on my iPhone and slept early.
Today, I added 18.5km to my pilgrimage.
I really wanna know by now... how many days are you supposed to walk for? I know you'll be fine! You can do it! Hugs.xx
ReplyDeleteHey, someghow my blog isnt registering the name of the person who post the message. I am hoping to complete within 60days. 11 now, 49 to go =] thanks a lot for the well wishes..
ReplyDelete