A Renunion

May 6

My eyes flew open at 5:30, just before my alarm could go off. I was surprised that this day was the day after yesterday – I'd had so many dreams, I felt like I had slept for two days. The period I was so worried about a few days ago kicked in last night, so I was up every hour. Getting it also explained why I had been so emotional the past few days. Sometimes, I wished I could just shave my face every day instead of going through this hormonal wringer every month!

Despite half of last nights dreams being about nefarious foodstuffs marching single file across tables using chopsticks for crutches, the breakfast was delicious and I was able to redeem myself by eating everything in front of me. Well – all but the pickled plums and raw egg.

Iwamoto, Myoko, Miyuki San’s and I set off together at 6:30. Miyuki San was a huge head job for me! There was no way my brain would accept that she was 52 and persisted stubbornly believing she was 35. The only sign of fiftyness anywhere near her was Myoko San and she was 62. 
Note To Self: Must be more adventurous with diet.

Myoko San, Iwamoto San and Miyuki San
walking through one of the many tiny villages between temples 12 and 13

My companions were going to Temple 17 today then on to the train station and back to Tokushima, but I was booked into lodging near Temple 13. Iwamoto San indicated we would be at Temple 13 by 3, so, even though I was reluctant to say goodbye yet again, I was admittedly relieved I only had to stagger that far and not all the way to Temple 17. He asked me a few times if I wanted to go with them all the way but I kept saying I would finish at 13. These people were machines!!

Myoko San, Me and Miyuki San (Image sent by Myoko San)

As we walked, I kept my eyes on the ground – I didn’t feel like I could deal with anything steeper than a road hump, so I knew looking up to see mountains would devastate me. I never thought I would be so happy to be walking on asphalt again. As unrelenting as asphalt was, it was always flat and flat was the deal my legs had made with me that morning.

Henro in Formation (Image sent by Myoko San)

The phrasebook was able to tell Miyumi San of my period dilemmas, and I guessed she told Iwamoto San and Myoko San because they were all hyper vigilant at pointing out bathrooms at every gas station, shop and even one under a bridge! I was finding the simplest necessities surreal in their universality, like ‘bathroom’ issues, but also things like the falling apart twin tub machine we had to use yesterday - our family had one for years. They reassured me that I wasn’t on another planet or amongst aliens afterall.

We stopped at a small shop and Myoko San treated me to my first Japanese icecream. It was kind of like a Styrofoam takeaway container with icecream on the inside except it was only two centremetres thick and the outside was a cone type substance. If I had let the icecream melt a little, it would have been easier to eat, instead the outer layer kept sticking to the roof of my mouth.
As I was discretely fishing it out, the others started yelling over towards the main road. I turned around and was ecstatic to see the other Mamasan from the day before staunchly walking toward us. Fortunately for her my hands were full so I wasn’t able to launch myself upon her with hugs of reunion. She was just as happy to see us so got an icecream and joined us.

As we walked, the others talked. I was starting to understand that the Japanese were great story tellers and loved to go over and over events. I didn’t mind them waving their arms in my direction and hearing E San followed by laughter. I couldn’t understand a word but I knew they were outrageously kind and not once did I feel they were being disrespectful. I would, however, have loved an opportunity to laugh with them, even if it was at my expense…

Asphalt Aparition