Day 28 - Homeward bound

all good holidays come to an end and so this trip to Japan finishes today.  my flight wasn't until 9pm, so I thought I would have a look around in the streets of Izumi-sano...  but alas and alack!  its raining - just that gentle rain - but when you don't hafta - you don't!!!  so I borrowed an umbrella and went for a little walk instead.  I was looking for one of those alley ways filled with little shops, but reception didn't think there were any locally and advised me to catch the rain out to Rinku...  the brochure convinced me that I did NOT want to go there - I hate big shopping malls!  but I thought a walk towards the train station might be an idea - and sure enough, little shops along the street!  here's an old fashioned toy shop - with an old man fussing around behind the counter.  In the front window I saw the perfect doll for Erica - just what I have been looking for!  and a crane truck (matchbox size!) for Carl.  across the street was a shop selling beautiful kimonos for me to look at - and to buy a small obi - and another shop with some Japanese printed cloth and yet another one with a wide range of fans - some really expensive but so beautiful, but at this stage of the holiday - budget says No!  so just a small price one...  still pretty nice!

by then I needed my 2nd coffee for the day and so entered into a British 1960's little cafe - where the music playing was Peter, Paul & Mary (Blowin in the Wind) Joni Mitchell and Simon & Garfunkel.  apparently her father (who was quietly sitting out the back) liked that sort of music - yep, probs same age as me :)

I checked out the shops at the railway station, found a Japanese Bird book!  then headed back to hotel...  Now came the time to bag up Hennie after thanking her profusely for being such a great companion on such a great trip.

no need to rush, so I took extra care, using up all the bubble wrap I had bought and sealing bag with my strong tape.  then reception staff called for a taxi and off to the airport I went.  by then I still had 6 hours to wait, so parked Hennie and bag at the Luggage station and went for a cruise around.  I ended up buying a proper carry-on suitcase instead of my front pannier and am so glad I did.

At check-in they demanded that I open up Hennie's bag and let the air out of the tyres - I know some believe you should - but I don't think it matters and certainly didn't on the way over - but they insisted so unseal bag, let the air out - can't find my tape so they offer me some piss-weak tape...  not happy!  then a quick measure informs them that Hennie is over the limit length wise!  what?  I paid for oversize luggage - no...  that's just overweight....  2000Y (about $16)....  grrr.... eventually have my boarding pass and another coupla hours spent waiting for lift off...  but was on time and expected to be early into Cairns!

a crowded plane load of coughing and hacking plus one kid opposite vomiting up all his coke and food - so not the best of flights - but any flight home from a holiday is fraught I find!

Cairns welcomed us with a beautiful sunrise - the purple fleecy clouds turning a beautiful pink/orange colour.  Oh - and that's a Brown Honeyeater - at last, I bird I can identify again :)

Hennie's bag was almost undone and pretty shook up looking, so I managed to straighten her up a little and borrow more of their skinny tape and once more attempt to seal her securely!  Note to Self!  Make sure you know where you put the tape next time!!  Keep it close!!!

eventually I arrived back in Brisbane - absolutely pooped as usual and I quickly grabbed my bag and loaded Hennie onto a trolley and headed for taxi...  dismayed to see bag totally opened - tape missing but too tired to do anything about it....  hindsight - note to self!  always check Hennie and her bag before leaving airport...  cos sure enough after getting home, I went to check and missing from Hennie's bag is one of the rear panniers...  which also contained one of the front panniers.... wah wah wah!!!  phone baggage claims, told to email them, which I also did.  but brain totally dead and in need of a little arvo nap before catching up with grandkids and daughter.

so ends my 2018 trip to Japan - Jetstar are still looking for my bags - have promised to send me a letter detailing delayed flight to Japan and so what more can I do....  add some photos I guess!

pancakes and coffee - and Blowin in the Wind!

Cairns getting ready for a new day

Bling!

btw this photo has not been photoshopped or lightroomed at all...  in real life it was actually much brighter!!! 

Day 27 - Last day cycling - to Izumi-sano

it was interesting to attend the morning ceremony in the Temple.  the old monk started the proceedings - the 2nd guy looked like he'd forgotten something, but was soon back and with a boing on the huge bowl they began the mesmerising chanting...  A younger monk came rushing in - obviously running late and still getting his costume sorted, but soon joined in.  the audience were given low chairs to sit on, while others chose to sit on the floor. it was a little more casual than I thought it might be - the bonus was being given access into this area and to check out the paintings and wall directions...  but no photos allowed.  Breakfast followed - a tiny low table supported a tray of food, including miso, rice of course, a cup of green tea, a bowl of fried tofu, with tiny bowls of mashed vegies, seaweed, and a plate with 2 slices of pickle turnip and a pickled plum...   all quite tasty but a bit meagre - so I stopped on my way out of town for a 7/11 100Y coffee and a danish!
time to get on the road - it should be all downhill according to my plan...  so soon I was dashing down the hill, leaving all that traffic behind! 10 km later, I turned left and was soon back on the flat!!  even started to go uphill!!!  how come?  it should be all downhill.  I was feeling a bit cranky but after 2 km, the road dipped down again and I scooted down another 10 km to the river. 
So now it should be a boring traffic riddled ride all the way to Izumi-sano apparently...  Wrong!!
once I got thru the suburbs I was heading uphill again...  no way my legs said!  but then the shoulder of the road shrank and with less that 40 cm between the white line and the drain and trucks flashing past, it was too dangerous to ride and so once again, Hennie and I were walking along...  and ever upwards for 4km!!  I think Japan has decided that instead of building tunnels to cut thru hills, they now build "bridges" that go abruptly upwards to get to the top quicker!  Gasp!  but eventually we came across a tunnel - no footpath, so light up all my lights and start peddalling madly!  The downhill again didn't last very long, but eventually this up and down and dicing with death under truck wheels, came to an end and I cruised into the foyer if the First Airport Hotel where my bed for the night awaits me... 
Phew that's it then - another holiday in Japan draws to an end.  I did the tally of my distances and came to the total of 1297 km!!!  I remember that I didn't record my cycling around in Kyoto, so am sure I got over the 1300km - and my legs totally agree!  am tired and although I should be repacking am going to hit the sack and do it in the morning....  thanks for coming along with me on yet another fun time - I do love this country, but I am ready to go home!  Sayonara!!!

Day 26 to Koysan

Had been warned that Koysan is up a very steep mountain - well, it is only 30 kms away, so if I have to walk the whole way, it should take 6+hours.  after a hearty buffet breakfast, I headed off to the train station to see if there were any friendly options - but no biko!  Guess I could have packed Hennie into her bag but couldn't be bothered decided we can do it!  So off we went.  For the first 10 km it was basically flat just getting through the suburbs of Hashimoto, then we started to climb gently along…   Spectacular country as always - bamboo, pine, maple and a whole lot of other things, including moss and ferns and palm trees too., Birds peeping away of course!   The road was narrow, but wider than Paluma Rd and probably not as steep.  There were a few villages on the way and I occasionally heard the train rattling along, setting off warning bells and disturbing the peace.  The traffic wasn't too bad, tho the tourist coaches are a pain - far too big and expect everyone to make way for them…  But Hennie and I soldiered upwards and although there were plenty of rests along the way, we were going pretty well until near the top…  to make a long road a bit shorter they have made a new section that has a much steeper gradient and a bit wider, so cars were going faster too, so Hennie and I took our time walking along.  And the, here we are in Koysan! 

You all know that I love Shikoku and one of the main draw cards to Shikoku is the 88 temple pilgrimage, which apparently Kobo Daishi Kukai, a Buddhist monk, is said to have augmented back in the 9th Century.  Well, Koysan is where Kobo Daishi Kukai was granted land to build temples and start up a Buddhist centre.  So I thought I should visit Koysan to see where the pilgrimage trail actually started from.   There are certainly plenty of temples to visit and plenty of tourists visiting them.  I found my bed for tonight at Senskisho-in Temple and was shown to my basic Japanese Inn type room - low coffee table and cushions and a futon.  Sweet!  I really like these.  There was a communal bath (ladies & gents separated) but not open till 4pm, so I unloaded Hennie and set off for a look around. 

I started off at the main Danjo Complex - and it is really complex…  the Konpon Daito (Great Pagoda) had a huge statue of Buddha with 3 smaller ones around it and wall paintings, but no photos allowed.  The other temples in the grounds were all just for looking from the outside - and there were heaps of westerners - one group of loud spanish speaking tourists got up my nose a tad!  Its easy to see why the practising monks aren't that friendly here as the lack of respect in these areas would certainly make me cranky too.

After a soak in a piping hot bath, I went for a stroll around the village.  It's pretty commercial but restaurants are a tad scarce, but I managed to find a little coffee shop, which also served food and had a big plate full of fried noodles with heaps of vegies and a egg…  tho wish I had opted for the dinner at the temple, but wasn't sure I would be here on time. 

So after checking, I see that breakfast tomorrow morning is at 7:30 and at 7:00 is the Morning ceremony to start the day, so I had better get ready for that.

beautiful bamboo and weather

Day 25 ever westwards to Hashimoto

Only a short day today - which started out with a lot more traffic than I had hoped for...  and it must be clean up Japan day - or at least this area because there were little work groups all along, digging up plants that had dared to grow in the cracks - brooms sweeping the footpaths - hedges were being trimmed...

I was eventually able to get off this main drag onto a much more peaceful ride and I don't think I even cracked the 60km today...  somewhere along the road, the bike computer sprung back to life and I think it had been recording kms passed, just not showing them...  who knows!  Anyways, it says I have already crack 1,202 kms so far and yes!  it does feel like it sometimes!!

I followed yet another river far below, rushing in the opposite direction, but the climbing was minimal, even tho it's still a bit of struggle!  Old legs!!!  Route 55 took me along the back roads and down narrow alley ways and eventually I was arriving in Hashimoto and ahead I could see the looming outline of the Hotel Route Inn Hashimoto.  exactly what I had been looking for last night...  and great!  they had a non-smoking room and for about $90 with breakfast included, this will do me for tonight.

There was a supermarket where I could pick up some food and I was set for an early night - and maybe catching up on some blogging! 

haven't had to use one of these Love Hotels yet!

a bit of Oz

beer and chips!  good way to end a day!  

Day 24 off to Uda

A nice early start for a day ahead of lots of cycling and spectacular scenery as usual...  I plodded onwards, ever upwards it seemed...  just gently, but the added burden of dodgy footpaths, complicated by the luxurious spring time growth made for a full on day of cycling.

The rain that had arrived during the night, had passed by, but enough to send the blooming bike computer into a sulk and all it would eventually show was my speed.  geez, I hope it hasn't totally lost its memory...  Again I tracked alongside a majestic mountain river, rushing in the opposite direction to me - yep, its going down and I am going up....

later on in the day as I continued to slog my way upwards I saw ahead a motorway looping out of the forest, way up in the clouds (it seemed!)  surely I am not getting up onto that!!!  but yes indeed - a series of stiff climbs and loops saw me way up high on a massive construction of road above the forest.  yep, there was some walking - for 2 reasons - I was puffed, but its also hard to maintain balance on a narrow shoulder and plenty of traffic...

so I walked some sections...  I think it was along this section that a young monky galloped across the road!  I thought I was listening to weird bird sounds, but maybe not!  eventually this led to a tunnel...  lights on, earplugs in and lets go...  there was a footpath throughout the whole +2kms of tunnel, but the right-angle bends in a coupla places had me thanking Hennie's new brakes...  but eventually out into the fresh air and Yes!  downhill at last.

There were a few more ups and downs and eventually I was arriving on the outskirts of Uda.  apparently there was a guest house somewhere along this narrow street, but nothing gave me any sign.  so I had better head onto Uda, its a city and there will be hotels there - surely near the railways station.

it had been a long day and already it was getting late in the evening and when I arrived at the train station the info booth was closed and also the police box was empty...  there was one building that looked promising, but turned out to be apartments.  I rode around a bit and saw nothing.  Map.Me showed a hotel way up on a hill, so Hennie and I puffed our way up to it - only to be told there was no room at the inn and that it was the only hotel in Uda and no - they didn't know where there were any guest houses...  so cruise back to the train station - maybe the ticket guy can help (they have in the past).  but no!  they knew of no guest houses and no...  I was not allowed on the train with Hennie and so what next?

there were hard benches out in the open, but I thought I would just ask in a small gift shop...  Of course, the lady said...  and instantly on the phone and minutes later the owner turned up to show me the way to her little guest house, just around the corner from the train station.  I think there were only 2 rooms and I was the only guest.  Tatami floors, very steep staircase - toilet and shower downstairs - and for $50 I was set for the night...  such a relief!  so my opinion of Uda rose slightly again and I slept peacefully, knowing that Hennie was safe indoors downstairs, while I snored away upstairs...

I sleep so well on a futon!  apparently there was thunder last night!

winter crop of wheat ripening

poppies!

another wild river to follow

Lupins!!!!!!

found again - yummy honeydew melon soft drink - am hooked!

harvesting tea - with a curved lawn-mower thingo held by 2!

weird sculpture park - closed

Imagine living here!  in my dreams!!

down there is when I first saw the top!!!  didn't think I would make it!

Day 22 - Off to a Shrine and time off with Warmshowers hosts

I am often heard to say that its a waste of money staying in a posh hotel....  but there are always exceptions.  :)

A beautiful young women in kimono helped me with my bags on a trolley right out to Hennie and hovered around to make sure that I was well and truly on my way…  she bowed and smiled and waved me goodbye…  I eventually got onto the right road and puffed my way up to the Shinto Shrine….  Slight delay when got a puncture on rear tube - out in the blazing sun!  But eventually got it changed and on our way again.  Didn't realise that the shrine would be such a tourist place - ---  anyways, after the guard advised me to park Hennie by the gate and gave me a map, I joined the throngs of Japanese and a good smattering of western people, we dutifully followed the arrows up along the path that eventually took us up to a temple, where people were dutifully offering their prayers.   I do struggle a bit with these totally commercial set ups…  yes beautiful gardens and beautiful buildings (but for some reason it all feels a little contrived….  Sorry!!)

Anyways, also joined the throng along the shopping strip and there were so many interesting shops, but not enough time to really browse, but I did find some gifts including a wind bell for myself… 

Then off to find my Warmshowers host…  managed to get onto the right track, but couldn't find the temple and therefore ended up in Taki with not a clue where to go next…  so I bravely asked a lady working in her garden to give Setsuko a call and they came and rescued me in a little truck and took me back to their village which I had passed about 2km and a hill back!! 

I was shown to the guest suite and wow!  Its really authentic Japanese…  I had a most welcome shower and a quick snack and early to bed.  My first impressions of both Setsuko and her family was a friendly warmth..  I sleep so well on futon…  I woke up and it was already 6am! 

another view of a luxury Japanese style room

place to shower and a place to soak

joining the throng to visit the Shinto Shrine - Jingu

why?

new version of wrapped trees

Jingu Shrine - a new one is built every 20 years in a different location nearby

bit of bling

Taki, Mie prefecture