Grinding it Out

Data

Days - 12
Temples - 30
Distance approx. 400 km (out of 1400)
Weight - 70.6 kg

1. Don`t wonder where that unmarked path goes
2. Don`t try to take that unmarked path
3. Don`t keeping going down that unmarked path when it ceases to be a path

3 Japanese words to know
and really, the only 3 you need to know

1. konnichiwa (hello)
2. hai (yes)
3. arigato (thanks)

3 best things about Japan
(besides the very nice people)

1. onsens (hot baths)
2. rice balls
3. high tech toilets with seat warmers and bidet/spray function. I plan to become the US importer and make millions.

It's been a rather slow and uneventful week it`s been. One typhoon, an earthquake, and one near death experience on a mountain. Other then that the same old same old. Grinding out the km`s on the open road these days. My original plan was 25-30 km a day, and it has been more like 30-35 plus. Just trying to keep up with the old Japanese guys that are hiking. I`m not sure if I got ahead of them or got passed, but I didn`t see any of my usual companions today. Taking a rest stop in Kochi to recover.

The weather is starting to break a little. Days aren`t so hot and humid and the nights are definitely cooling down. Mosquitoes persist (and I did eat a big bag of pickled(?) garlic - 30 or 40 cloves worth - and that didn`t seem to help. At least the tent keeps them out, more or less.