Stage 7: Yuke to Hiwasa, T23, 14 kms (155 kms from T1) Cloud, 19

A Slow Day            NB. Yesterday's post has happily been completed and posted.

Finally. A morning sunrise. Not yet on the trail, but a sunrise nonetheless! 

It was a very long few days, and while we feel good, fate played a roll and we found ourselves with an embarrassingly short day. It was a matter of how our accommodations had to be arranged a couple of days ago. So we looked at each other last night and decided, what the heck. So we stayed in bed until  6:30. I know....oooooo.  Then last to breakfast and out the door. Probably another first:)  And we just set off at a sedate pace. That's our simple minshuku on the right where we stayed last night. Good lodgings, good host and very good food.

 

We detoured to see this beach where sea turtles come to lay their eggs in the sand at night. A dog got a little aggressive, but we chatted and then his owner came for him. Next we saw he was in a little trouble and now on his leash. The lady apologized very correctly. Refreshing.

 

Of course we are in a different country with different road hazards. We tried not to step on any.

 

And yes Ken, we will have to tramp through numerous tunnels the next 6 weeks. Some of them quite long, not like this shorty.

 

We happened upon some small fishing villages and marvelled at how the shore was often lined in cement. Much of what we have seen are for wave barriers, but will have to keep an eye on this.

 

We watched as the larger fish boats departed last night, and then today as the smaller one or two man boats ventured out. Most of them fishing onshore just off local reefs. There is of course a huge appetite for fish here and we have had both cooked and uncooked fish at most every meal. Annemarie just noted that we are eating gluten free. I asked her if she noticed any difference? Answer, "no". Me either, but I do like eating this way...so far! Half the time I done know what I'm eating, so each meal can be an adventure. Though today I had spaghetti bolognese.

 

Ahead, our home for tonight came into view. It was tough stretching our walk into three hours:). The beach here is famous for turtles as well and there is a research facility here.

 

An amazing beach. I'm sure we would have been walking it had the weather been as hot as we experienced on the west coast of Australia, but it wasn't. 

 

This was taken from just outside our small guest house. Philip and Yu operate the place and they live here for 6 months and in France for 6 months in the Bordeaux area, rural, not in the city. Lovely couple who both speak multiple languages. Philip is a well known sculpture who shows his work in Paris each year while back in France. So it's been fun looking at his work and hearing about his experiences. Perhaps a few photos tomorrow.  That's T23 on the hill. 

 And here it is up close.

 

 

 

 

A pleasant day. We spent a part of our afternoon lounging in an onsen. Nice hot and cold bathes. Very nice. Then a long visit with our hosts followed by a grocery store meal because the restaurant was closed Wednesdays. Oh well, it was pretty good. We make our own breakfast tomorrow and picked up eggs and yogurt to carry us. Over 30 kms each of the next two days with more rain coming ashore over the next four days. We have accommodations arranged for the next three nights, so in good shape on that front for the moment. Also my ankle has been good today, so dodged a bullet! All good.