Had a good sleep then lovely breakfast.
Everyone laughed at me as usual but I’m starting to be able to tell if they are sincere or mocking me. This household seemed to have an inside joke and kept calling me ‘ok ok’.
I paid the old man and gave him an extra 450 yen.
I set off for Temple 40 which was only 100 paces away. I arrived at about 6:45 so the office wasn’t open yet.
As I was waiting, I was surprised to see the group of bus Henro whose paths I had crossed numerous times with the Monks, and again yesterday at the cafe. They all said hello and laughed at the coincidence. One of them, the one who showed me the menu yesterday, gave me an egg and a mandarin as settai. (I never knew with eggs whether they were going to be raw or boiled so I always waited until I was somewhere private before cracking them open).
The office opened and I got my stamp then set off back down the road to the tackle shop to catch the bus to the train station.
As I was walking down the road, the Henro’s bus pulled up beside me, the door opened and the tour leader leapt out saying they would like to take me as far as Temple 43 today (which was their last temple of this leg – they would do the next 22 later in the year).
I was shocked.
And thrilled.
I got on the bus and everyone clapped. I was embarrassed and confused but the lady I had talked to briefly yesterday (Nakano San) came and sat with me. She explained that they were clapping because they were so impressed that I was doing the Pilgrimage – that Japanese find it hard enough to do and they admired my bravery. She also told me it was Shia Sans idea to pick me up (the menu guy) and he insisted Taichiro San (the tour guide) stop and ask. I was really touched and turned back and bowed my head to Shia San.
My generous bus Henro - Taichiro San in centre
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