Day 19 - Down to just one plaster!

A monk led prayers in the Temple`s main hall at 6am before breakfast. He then gave a short talk about the history of the temple, but he spoke so fast that I only understood about four words, Takashima-san explained to me later what I had missed. The monk had been talking about the various connections and separations between Buddhism and Shintoism throughout history, although apparently he was somewhat biased. 

We all left the Temple lodgings at about the same time, a group of about eight of us, and set out walking together. So I was able to chat in English with Takashima-san again, he gave me his mobile phone number and told me to give him a call if I ran into trouble. He also told me that all but one of his group had experienced serious problems with their legs and feet since starting the walking pilgrimage, not just me then. I was down to just one plaster this morning, and this was the first day for two weeks that I was not in pain for the first few hundred metres walking.

 

 

The group stopped for a break after a couple of hours but I was in my stride, I had slept well and my legs felt strong, so I said my goodbyes and marched on. I only walked during the morning, and then at midday I took a train to the next city to get a hotel for the night. Today was another day of just walking with no temples. The next temple, which will be Temple 38, is similar to Temple 24 as it is situated on a cape pointing out in to the Pacific Ocean, with a very long walk from the previous temple. As I was waiting for the train I heard what I thought was the tsunami keihou again (tusnami warning siren) but realised that I had heard it practically everyday at 12 noon since the tsunami. It had just been one of the time-check signals that all towns in Shikoku play from PA systems at various times of day.

I checked that the business hotel had a computer with internet access before I paid, but I hadn`t checked it out properly, it is on a high desk in the lobby, with no seat, they obviously don`t want people to use it too much, so I have just stood / crouched over it for a couple of hours getting the blog up to date and uploading my photos - sore back.

• Distance walked today = 18.5k
• Distance walked so far = 379.3km
• Temples visited today = nil
• Koban visited today = nil
• Accommodation = Hotel ￥5300, Nakamura Daiichi Hotel, Nakamura, Kochi-ken 〒787-0014
• Expenditure today = Train from Tosa Sage to Nakamura (about halfway to Temple 38) ￥610.
• Settai = a gift from Temple 37 was given out to us at breakfast