Finally I caught up to Taichi San and we entered the Temple grounds but had to climb another 15 minutes up the road – THEN – just to mock me, there was about 100 steps to climb to the actual Temple!
This little Rain Frog must have been exhausted too - I rested my pack next to it and was still there when I went to put it back on
I could hardly walk.
We didn’t know how high Temple 20 was, but Temple 21 was at 618mtrs altitude.
I felt I had been really tested and thanked Kobo Daishi for helping me up (the gusts of cool breeze, the energy lolly lying on the path still sealed in its wrapper, the momentary spotting of a little possum like hairy animal as it leapt off the tree and bounded away).
After we had our books signed, Taichi San told me we were catching a Cable Car down which truned out to be a huge Gondola. I was thrilled – partly for the break from walking and mostly for the unexpected adventure.
There was a grill in the floor and I loved standing over it and watching the trees pass under my feet.
Treetops Underfoot - Leaving Temple 21At the bottom, Taichi San suggested we have lunch at the café there. I nodded vigourously and within 5 minutes I was eating Udon noodles for the third time in as many days.
Now we set off on our 13km walk to Temple 22.
Taichi San outside a Shinto Shrine just after finishing lunch and setting off for Temple 22...On the way I commented to Taichi San that T22 would represent being a ¼ of the way through our pilgrimage.
We had only been walking ½ an hour when I was wondering what was worse – the asphalt and the heat or the mountain steps. Both were severe in their own ways.
We walked for 5 more hours!
Today had been by far the most strenuous since I started. In desperation I listened to my MP3 player which got me through another hour or two.
At one point I texted SMG asking what was a good thing that happened to him today then checked every minute to see if he had replied. I knew he didn’t check his phone very often, so I stopped looking.
About 30 minutes later, I got one of his glorious long texts then 30 minutes later, another one.
By now I was verging on collapsing so promised myself a phonecall to him when I got to my hotel and that became my focus.
That was in the worst part of the day between Temple 22 and the train station, and seemed to take forfuckingever!!
At last we got there and the ½ hour wait for the train was heaven and the train trip bliss.
Taichi San had been kind enough over the past two days to ring ahead and book our accommodation. Tonight was a hotel at 6,500 yen.
Being the same price as The Agnes, I expected it to be beautiful but it was like a run down HiDeHi campers place. Didn’t Care!!
As soon as I got to my room, I collapsed onto the Tatami and called SMG. It was the best treat I could have given myself and after 20 minutes, I felt fully revived and happy again.
When I got off the phone, I poured myself a green tea then emptied the hot water urn into the basin (that only had a cold tap) and had a sponge bath – soaking my feet (as SMG had suggested).
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