My Love Affair With Agnes Begins

May 2 cont...

As soon as I walked into the lobby of The Agnes hotel, I knew I was in Henro Heaven. It was ￥6,500　a night, including western style breakfast and worth twice that amount! Compared to the temple lodging on Koyasan at ￥9,500 and even though they were quite different venues, there was no comparison for me and my needs at that moment. My very own room with an amazing bathroom with a bath deep enough for a diving board, heated everything, and even a 'Pants Press' folded up in a cupboard.

Suddenly I had a brainwave!

In the four days Claire San had booked for me I would be doing a loop of the first 17 Temples, ending back up in Tokushima before going on to Temple 18. I decided to halve my pack yet again and ask the manager, Takashi San, if he would allow me to leave the remainder there till I returned.

I went down to talk to him immediately before I could lose my confidence. He was wildly accommodating! I couldn't think of anywhere else I'd rather stay after my first four grueling days on the Trail and paid in advance.

Jubilant from success at my novel attempt at Intelligent Thinking, I walked to the department store I had seen earlier. SOGO was massive and the choices and presentation of food would have had Peta Mathias wringing her pinny in ecstasy.

Arms laden with bags of food and feeling more alive and in control than I had since I left home, I had faith that the specialty coffee shop I walked into was finally going to deliver a Coffee Like No Other, making it a perfect day.
Not so. 
It was a JAP. 
Just Another Perc, but at the equivalent of $7 NZD!

While I was there, I couldn't resist sending multiple texts to everyone sharing the days achievements. The high of getting mulitple texts back immediately quickly plummeted to a low when I opened the first one to read Vodafone telling me I had insufficient funds.
Huh?
I was on global roaming for goodness sake!

Smork Free Floor

Back in my room I had a bath, then, sitting in my underwear (I hadn't been able to figure out the air-conditioning) I spread the contents of my entire pack over every loop of carpet on the floor, taking out all that I wouldn't need then packing everything away again, marveling at the extremes I had unnecessarily prepared myself for. I now had my food, a light pack, maps, accommodation and money. I was as ready as I could be. I was so grateful that with a little (lot of) help from my friends, I chose to take the risk afterall.

I would have failed if I had bailed, but just taking the risk, regardless of the outcome, felt like success already...

TEXT...

EL to Gillian Eva Craig:

Hey there Craig Whanau! I just sent a text to u but had run out so Global Roaming not picking up tab - got $2 top-up 2 send this! G-special favour? Could u get pre pd card & text me #? Going into mountains tom & can't ph Vfone. So precious u r! Had hell few days but gd now-am writing all down. 1st 6 temps tom.