Day 10 : 16 April 2009

Posted in Shikoku Pilgrimage (click on pictures to enlarge)

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Feeling fit by now, we set off on Highway 55 between pine covered hills. Any flat land is filled up with houses and rice paddies. A loud chorus of croaks from the frogs could be heard as we passed.

 

 

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The coloured manhole covers are a real work of art – this one depicting rice plants in this area.

 

 

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In Mugi Town we stopped for a big bowl of udon with octopus balls then set off again, only to be stopped 300 metres later by 2 ladies in a tent waiting for the next henro to walk by. We had a choice of tea or coffee. We chose coffee, which arrived promptly with bright purple sweets made out of sweet potato, some steamed sweet potato and orange segments, which was then followed by tea. It was all so good we forced ourselves to eat it. We all laughed as both ladies tried to lift our heavy packs and failed.

 

At a rest hut further on we received a welcoming can of drink and a tomato from the owner’s garden.

 

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Back on the coast again, we found a quiet little beach away from the road to set up camp for the night.

(33.5832 N 134.322 E)

 

 

 

 

Day 11 : 17 April 2009

Posted in Shikoku Pilgrimage (click on pictures to enlarge)

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We walked on Highway 55 all day. We felt safe when walking on the roads because of the wide footpaths beside most of them even in the many tunnels.

After the first few kilometres we took advantage of some clean toilets with a big sink to have a wash and change clothes before continuing on our way feeling refreshed.

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From a high bridge we watched sea eagles soaring then diving amongst the fishing boats in the clear water below.

 

 

 

 

Although we received another offer for a bath, we felt clean enough.

There were a few more henro walking in both directions, one doing it tough in bare feet, carrying only a plastic bag.

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We crossed from Tokushima Prefecture into Kochi Prefecture. Whales visit the coast here.

 

 

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On a hill beside the highway we passed 2 ladies selling citrus fruit but big bags of them, too heavy for us to carry. We were called over by the first who gave us as osettai a large bag of oranges. The other one then gave us some yellow oranges with thick white pith and told us something we did not understand. Around the corner we sat down to eat all the fruit so as not to have to carry it.

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Not 5 minutes down the road, a little bent over lady called to us from across the road to try her fruit. She upturned 3 orange crates for us to sit on and proceeded to show us how to eat the yellow oranges by peeling off only the skin and eating the soft white pith as well as the delicious sweet orange. After we had eaten 2 (already full from the previous lot) she began on the grapefruit and got quite a laugh as we tried to eat that pith.

Setting off again, we didn’t get very far when another walking henro crossed the road to give us 2 more oranges (we suspect he did not want to carry them).

While having lunch, a car henro also having his, came over to us with 2 bottles of drink and 2 plastic cups. He thought we were quite a sight and took our photo.

We were so thankful for everything we had received.

 

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We put up the tent out of sight on a black sand beach and went to sleep with the waves crashing onto the shore.

(33.4236 N 134.2237 E)

 

 

 

 

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