3rd Jan – Mission 2 (Bangai 14)

I woke up fresh although still doubtful on my endeavor! Walked over to enjoy my breakfast at mcD.

Wasn't really sure what to do but obviously I knew I needed a good sign! Had seen it so many times in those Hollywood movies. So I went online and typed "hitch hiking in japan" on Google! Found a fellow hitch-hiker website and there was an old saying he wrote that really hit me and built up my confidence especially. "If there is a will, there is a way!"

I quickly went back to the lodging, made my sign, and raring to go and try my luck. I had two places written on a piece of paper slightly bigger than A4 size. One side was my final destination, Kawanoe and the other was the next nearest town, Matsuyama, both in Kanji letters!! I learned from the website that nearer destination could increase my chances of getting a ride! So I planned to try Kawanoe for 30minutes before I switch to Matsuyama. It was around 9am. To the Americans or the westerners, this could be very normal. But for me, I couldn't believe I was actually standing beside the roadside, holding a sign and pointing my thumb to the desired direction!!! None of the cars going into the expressway making any eye contact. Then a car going straight to Uchiko direction turned and waved to me at the traffic light. I quickly ran over and he was willing to pick me!!! This was amazing!! I was waiting for less than 5minutes!!

Akiyama- san was 67. He mentioned Uchiko, which was a town just slightly further up! I wasn't bothered how short the ride would be caused I was so thrilled to have my first hitch-hiked!! When I found out later he was actually passing by my destination, I felt like the luckiest guy on earth!!

When I asked about his job, Akiyama-san just placed his index finger on the lip, and said it was a secret!! Very interesting indeed!! He said Japan's economy is going down, while Malaysia was on the way up!!

We stopped for a toilet break and had some fried potato and coffee! Akiyama-san told me their GPS was using satellite too but theirs worked so well in tunnels and sheltered areas!!

It was a very quick 2 hours ride! Akiyama-san dropped me at the town area. I kept bowing until his car was out of sight! I hate myself again for missing the chance to get his contact or at least take a picture!!

I felt so excited! My mission was half done!! I grabbed a quick lunch and made my way to the Kawanoe train station 3km away! I walked passed a shopping street. The atmosphere felt like Chinese New Year. Only a handful of shops were opened!

Finally when I was at the station, the staff mentioned that there wasn't any bus on service to the temple that day! The only way besides cab was to walk 5km! And I had to come back to the station again to take the train to Takamatsu! I timed myself for the return trip and checked the train schedule! Left a voice message for Hajime-chan on my expected arrival time in the evening, and started walking very happily to the temple!

On the way, I saw a young lady sitting very shyly at the back of a bicycle. The guy was riding confidently and looked back to make sure she was ok! Saw another lady smiling very joyfully on her bicycle. I thought she must have received a great news from her boyfriend!

About 1.4km later I saw a man in a car and tried my hitch-hiking luck again. He waved a no sign and pointed to the post office just shortly in front. He was going to the post office. After he parked his car, I met him on my way! We exchanged the usual greeting questions and then he offered to send me all the way to the temple!! Takaaki Ishizu-san was 71years old! He even offered to bring me back to the train station after my visit to the temple!! I was really stunned by his generosity!!

At the temple, the staff remembered me too! I passed him my nameslip. Ishizu-san walked over to chat. Coincidently, the staff knew his wife! The staff also gave us each a charm as gift!

Ishizu-san worked at Koden electronic and was an expert in electronic waves and wireless equipment! He had his own shop now for 40years, Arco, dealing with air conditioner! Before that, he had been to Singapore and KL many times. His wife is a congresswoman for Kawanoe!! Had been in service for 12 years, where there was an election once every 2 years! He was speaking English most of the time. He said he had not had the chance to speak for 30years in Japan.

At the train station, he sent me off. I couldn't thanked him more and wished him all the best. He said he looked forward to seeing me again! I hope so too.

About an hour, I reached Takamatsu train station. Hajime-chan was already at the station to pick me!! I could see my remaining days in Japan to be drown by intoxication!!

“So, that’s it!! This is really the end of my story! Sad to end my blog here but once again thank you to all for your well wishes and support in order for me to complete this expedition at ease. I'm glad you are enjoying the reading. I really hope to blog again soon for a new series!!! Till then, be crazy!!!”

2nd Jan – Mission 1 (Bangai 7)

Finally I woke up not having to rush! Honda-san and I went to get our breakfast at Lawson and had it back at the Bangai. Shortly after, Honda-san left to continue his pilgrimage. I finished off my bread and started cracking my head on the next trip to Kawanoe! Didn't know Bangai 14 was about 100km away! Anyway, the mission that I was mentioning and hinting during my early part of the pilgrimage was to get back to the places where I had forgotten about the osame-fuda (nameslip)! Today I was going to Bangai 7, and Bangai 14 was the other. The latter was rather tricky because taking the public transport there would defeat the purposes of the o-settai I received from the temple. And so hitch hiking was the only option but I didn't know how difficult it would be and I had not done it before. The other solution was the easy way out. Forgot about it altogether!

Today was more straight-forward. I took a train from where I stopped last evening to the station Iyo-Hirano, nearest to Bangai 7. I was very lucky to come to the station just 7min before the train arrived at 10:27am! If I would miss this, I would have to walk all the way to my destination! The next scheduled train was at 1pm!! It was a short ride. I reached Iyo-Hirano. Next, I had to find a place to keep my backpack before I hiked up to the temple. Checked out the train station but there wasn’t a good spot. Remembered the grocery shop I passed by previously and wanted to try that, but it was closed for New Year! Thinking I couldn’t possibly carry 20kg up the hill to 800m asl again, I hid it at a corner and left a note as usual!

And so, I started testing my luck on my first hitch hiking attempt!! I walked and turned around occasionally to look out for cars passing by. I pointed my thumb towards the direction they were going. The 3rd car actually stopped!! But he wasn’t going very far. Another car stopped but he was just checking. I turned to a small road. Bad move! I saw a couple of cars and missed the chances. Back to the main road, number 7th and 8th drove passed me. Suddenly, I had a wifi access. I sent a Yak message to my fellow buddies. Then, the 9th car stopped!!! They were two old ladies. I showed them my best smile. They were probably trying to test and make sure I wasn’t some sicko serial killer, before picking me up!!! On the way, I realized they were actually going to the temple too!!! I was overjoyed!! I always believe when the heart is true, things will go your way to help you!! And we should always try to do something sincerely and not just because we wanted something else in return!

There were many people at the temple today! Japanese goes to the temple for praying during New Year. I saw the temple staff again. Passed him the name slips I owed them. We chatted. They took my pictures, but somehow I didn’t take their!! One of the old man even filmed me using his video camera! I went to have my Udon for lunch and met the lady boss. She remembered me before I needed to explain. I passed her the nameslip. She gave me another package of rice as o-settai. I returned with another slip. After a short stay, I bid them farewell and headed back.

I took the same jungle path I came up from two months ago. Walking along the main road would be too far if I failed to get hitch-hiked. I noticed people left things behind along the trail too. I saw a glove and a folded sock on the way down. As soon as the jungle path met the road again, I tried my luck on hitch hiking again. After a successful first attempt, I was more confident. Not many cars were going down. 1st car, no good. 2nd car, no good. 3rd car, no good. By now, I had walked an hour plus. Stopped to take a break and had the rice from the restaurant lady’s boss. I was really a sucker not even knowing their names!!

Then I came down to the main road again. Saw a car and a youngster. He was going down the way!!! I was so glad I didn’t have to walk further! Save a few more kilometers! He was picking up his friend. And his friend was wondering who was this alien in the car!

When I was at the station, I missed the train by just 10min. The next one was 1.5hours later!! I decided to walk to the next two stations which I supposed there should have more trains! In the end, I took the same train it would be from the original location, Iyo-Hirano! And I was so proud of myself to walk 54min for saving 10yen on the train ride!!!!! Anyway, it was all worth it because I saw, not one, but two Miss Japan beauty contestants, working at the train control station together! Of course not true la. But if I were the judge, they would have gone into the Finals!

I reached Bangai 8 lodging again, and got the permission to stay another night. Had my bath at the ofuro nearby and then a simple dinner at the restaurant with the wifi access. I could not wait for supper at the Mac and dropped dead on the bed at 10pm!!