Day 1: When the jet lag is an unexpected travel companion

Early in morning we wake up and prepare for departing. We pack back all our stuff in the panniers, and it takes longer than it should as we are not yet used to it; we also give a quick glance at the weather forecast to decide what to wear (sunny and warm), then head downstairs for breakfast. Since for this and the next day we have already booked our lodging we don't have to worry about that.

We ask the tenant if he can store our two bike bags, as we have decided that they are too heavy (3 kg each) to carry around for the whole trip just in case we want to hop on a train. Done with breakfast we prepare our bikes, take some pictures with the other guests, leave our signature on the blackboard wall dedicated to this purpose and then start our journey under a shining sun. It has taken longer than expected, about 1 and half hour, but we have to get used to a lot of things.

One of this is also riding on the left... I cross the road to do it, but then forget and keep the right side on the two lanes road. Luckily I notice it as soon as I approach the traffic light, and the Sunday morning traffic is more forgiving to this naive error from a gaijin.

Our first destination is temple 75, Zentsuji. We manage to lose our way and get lost in the city, and that is our chance to practice asking information to the local. An old lady is our first savior, and we manage to find the temple gate.

We enter and we head to the temple shop, were we buy some of the henro equipments:

• osame-fuda, the name slips to be given at each temple and also to those who give us gifts
• a cotton scarf decorated with the heart sutra verses
• tsue kaba, a brocade cover for the walking stick, with a bell attached to it. We don't have the stick as we are going by bike, but we hang the bell to the bike.

We then visit the temple, try to chant the heart sutra and then we move on to the next temple. Along the way we meet other walking pilgrims, and start to practice greeting and exchanging encouraging words. Hoayo gozaimas (good morning), konnichiwa (hello) and gambatte kudasai (do your best) are generously spread along our path, both given and taken with shining smiles.

Getting used to cycle while following the maps and also looking at the signs spread along the way is not easy at the beginning, and we often go around looking for the right direction. When we stop at temple 76 we meet an Italian henro, with whom we exchange some chat while visiting the temple. He also offers us some sweets he received as o-settai, which are really tasty.

Along the way we meet an old man from Osaka, who is riding around Shikoku on his bike, too. Being more trained than us, and also not having to carry along our same load, he quickly disappears from our sight.

Meanwhile the sun is starting to be really hot and the jet lag is also kicking in, right in time for the climb to temple 81 and 82. We stop at about half the climb to have our lunch under a shaded rest hut, from where some stairs carved in the mountain allow walking henroes to reach the temples above.

Considering the remaining distance we have to cover before sunset, the slow pace we have kept on the way up and also the two falls we have already experienced, we decide it is safer to renounce the climb and take a detour to Takamatsu.

We reach temple 83 five minutes after its closure time, and we can enjoy the quiet surroundings while monks clean and wash around. From there we have to cycle some more time in the busy city center to reach our hotel, were we arrive scorched by the sun and really tired, looking forward for a rainy following day.

A warm shower, a tasty dinner and we are ready for a night of sound sleep.

Where we stayed

Daiwa Rionet Hotel, Takamatsu