Henro Day 4: Journal

November 24, 2011, Day 4

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• Walking from 7:30 am to 4pm
• 4 temples (Dainichiji, Jorakuji, Kokubunji, Kan-onji)
• 24.9 km
• Staying at Uroko-ro (7650 yen including dinner and breakfast)

Boy, do my legs hurt (and feel stiff).

I let the others at the lodge last night talk me into the extra 6km.  So tonight I’m near No. 16, rather than No. 13.

Another Henro on the trail

Actually made good time to 13, 5.5 hours.  Considering I thought it would be all down hill, but actually there was a pass we crossed and then mostly downhill.  Today is wasn’t cow smells, but chicken smells.

The walk downhill

And there was this one bridge.  If you could call it that.  More like planks were there used to be a bridge.  But it was very very pretty in the mountains and along the river.  It was amazingly blue.

Plank Bridge (with a chicken farm behind)

After 13 it was back to Tokushima city and suburbia.  It actually took 2.5 hours just to cover the last 6 km.  Mostly due to the fact my legs can’t go any faster.  And don’t mention stairs.  Actually I pretty much did the same time on foot for the last 4 temples as a bus group.  They seemed a little shocked.

Jorakuji (No. 14)

It was pretty windy and cold today.  Glad I wore my long johns.

Also found a post office and bought some stamps as well as deposited money (finally).  Now I wont be totally f***ed if I get robbed.  And I’ll have to write postcards tonight.  After I do some washing and bath.  Can’t quite feel my fingers.

Finally, played some more ‘Where’s Wally’ today.  Wally being what I’ve dubbed the little red henro on all the guide stickers.  Didn’t get too lost (only one street off).

Wally the Henro

Can’t decide if I should take a very easy day tomorrow, or a regular day.  It’s hard to say what my legs will be like.  I’ll have a look at the book later.

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