It was great to be out on the road again and now down by the sea. after getting off the quite busy road, it was a different ride than usual... but still hills, up over the ridges and then down to the beaches - I was quite surprised at how much actual farming was happening up in the hills - more vegetable market gardening, rather than rice cropping.
What should have been a fairly short ride - expanded by nearly 20 km, due to me asking for directions and getting the wrong information.... I have since learnt that once you get about 20km close to the next big town, its name disappears off the signs and that signs pointing to the City Centre, doesn't mean the centre is just around the corner - it can be up to 10km away!
but I eventually ended up in the small and rather grotty in some places (the bathroom), but nice and clean in others (futon and tatami) Minsuku Seiryu. Minsuku is the most basic Japanese Inn and its worth staying in one at least. And the breakfast served the next day was pretty high standard - with a heaps of dishes to pick at.... I have to admit that I still like the actual dishes more then the actual food within the dish.... I took some photos on my phone, but not sure how to download them.... will add them later!
so .....
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| Saying goodbye to Shimanto - in the distance you can see the bridge out of town |
There's lots of sea scenes today - so please enjoy - as I did!
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| and a few mountains to climb - but not too bad! |
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| and some harvested rice fields |
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seen lots of these signs - usually they are pointed up a steep set of stairs -
not sure how much warning they get - but you'd have to be pretty fit
to get up to the recommended 13 m level |
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If I stopped and photographed every little shrine alongside the road
it would take a year to ride around this island, but this happy
couple seemed like a worthwhile snap |
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| At least one temple a day - surely |
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| liked the carving of this crane |
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| The fisherwoman |
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| Just one more then..... |
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| making use of drift wood |
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| Surf's up at Ohki Beach |
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| Town centre was 7km away - I turned around after 3km and then spent 20km riding in the wrong direction!!! |
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| trying to photograph the dragonflies hovering around above the grasses |
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| more dragonflies |
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weird abandoned building - maybe it was going to be a hotel, but no-one came...
but I am here looking for a bed!! |
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| success! a large fish was flapping around in his net |
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| not another tunnel - only a few metres tho - phew! |
I was rescued by 2 kind people on this day - first, a man in his garden stopped me and in very broken English wanted to know where I was going (at this time I was sure I had somehow missed a city!!) - he said there was no accommodation ahead and after looking at my rough map, he shakes his head and clicks his tongue - its 15 km back - and he only got a small car.... oh well, another ride in the dark - no worries. but then going thru another small town, a woman also queries me - and her and 2 women from the coffee shop came out and checked my maps and shook their heads.. so she disappeared and I was told to sit with the others in the coffee shop - and after about 10 mins - toot toot - she's back in her small truck and bike and bags are chucked into the back, I am pushed into the front and away we go, back past the Town Centre sign and eventually to the quite small city (more town really) of Tosa-Shimizu!!
so ends another day on Chris' magical mystery tour - think they will soon be coming to take me away!!!
Great adventures, Ms Chris. So glad that other people have navigation problems and get themselves into tricky situations now and then while travelling. Thankfully it is in situations like this that my little bit of faith in human nature is restored by the kindness of strangers. I think it is in part that there is a type of person, throughout the world, who is encouraged and inspired a little by a single woman travelling alone. Also I did a bit of research into the temple trail and I wonder if Shikoku residents are even more aware of solo travellers - whether or not they are doing the temple pilgrimage. Shikoku protocol is to offer food or assistance to pilgrims and the pilgrims are expected to accept the hospitality etc without question as declining the food etc is disrespectful. So, Ms Chris, you are very much in the right place for when thing go SNAFU.
ReplyDeletehiya - yes Shikoku is very welcoming and when you ask for help you get it in bucket loads... but had similar experience out from Hiroshima last time - so don't think its only on Shikoku.... will just have to visit another area next time - :)
DeleteAlso, the beaches looked so lovely and the water so blue and clear that I was surprised to not see any people enjoying it. Was the water too cold or were they private beaches?
ReplyDeletesee comment in next blog - actually haven't tested the water, I think the barrier is usually a steep cliff or sea wall to negotiate. besides Japanese women dread getting any sun tan, while the men seem content on standing on the rocks and casting their fishing lines off into the sea...
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