Day 109: Iwakawa Hotel to Kanoya
Hours walked: 7:00-3:30
Distance walked: 32 km
Cumulative: 2,428 km
We woke up quite early, since today was going to be pretty long. Everyone set off in their warm hats to protect against the nippy air. We were all happy with the quiet roads through forest patches, until it hit us: we were going the wrong way! We ended up adding a couple of kilometers, but at least they were pretty ones on tiny roads that snaked through the stands of trees.
Eventually we rejoined the main road and kept going. Tamar doesn’t like the smell of the trucks that transport manure, nor those that transport cows and pigs. Sophia had an epic nosebleed that soaked through about 20 wipes. Tova found a dolphin, a happy figurine, a suction stand, and a samurai sash along the roadside.
Tova and Zadie learned estimation, Sophia did IGCSE Math practice exam questions. Aurora just picked stuff up for Levi while she yelled her name (i.e., while Levi yelled Aurora’s name, not the other way around). Levi took 175 blurry photos with Jakob’s phone, then fell asleep listening to Hakkebakke Skogen; we took full advantage to power through a couple more hours of easy walking. Zadie dreamt up a vast swimming pool complex including giant cups of tea, vats of chocolate, boiling oil, a shark with razor-sharp teeth, and a whirlpool whose drain leads to another pool featuring a sinking ship.
Thanks to lots of good walking and only two short breaks to eat, we reached our hotel by 3:30 (we are in hotels for the final few days since they’re long, and the nights are getting cold.) Jakob taught Sophia, Tova and Zadie to play Texas Hold ‘Em while Aurora read Mortimer, Murmel Murmel, Mr. Brown Can Moo, and Pat the Bunny to Levi for the 10,000th time.
We had a 7-11 type dinner (ie simple and easy) and enjoyed the small onsen. We all went to sleep early, except Aurora who stayed up late reading The Roads To Sata. We get to Cape Sata the day after tomorrow!
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| Kaimondake peeps out around every corner |
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| As if our last few days are in such a gorgeous area |
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| Levi tries to make friends with the waves |
Day 110: Kanoya to Minamiosumi
Hours walked: 7:15-4:45
Distance walked: 31 km
Cumulative: 2,459 km
We are getting so close! We walked along the coast most of the day in brilliant sunshine, with clear views of Kaimondake and Sakurajima volcanoes to our west. The landscape around us is a mix of rolling hills and palm trees - Sophia exclaimed how different it was compared to Cape Soya.
Our morning, despite an early start, was one of slow progress. We had fresh rolls at the hotel, stopped at two convenience stores, Tamar wrestled the stroller up and down hills all morning while Jakob dealt with a stiff right knee. A rest stop provided cherry tomatoes and sushi. After 4 hours, we’d gone less than 13 km.
But we got there in the end. With a few kilometres to go, we stopped at a beautiful sand beach to let Levi run wild. Zadie decorated the entire beach with her footsteps. We skipped rocks and admired the smooth cone of Kaimondake across Kagoshima Bay, then kept going. A man pulled over to ask about our walk, cheer “Gambatte!” and give us a bag full of exciting new fizzy drinks (blueberry, cherry blossom, lemon!)
Our guesthouse is a real stunner. It overlooks the bay with perfect views, has an ocean-facing bath, and generally reminds us of the best parts of Australia’s beach houses. We enjoyed a tasty meal of spaghetti with green beans, and went to bed early in anticipation of a big day tomorrow.
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| Five happy hikers |
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| The landscape has gotten a lot junglier as we’ve come south |
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| Our own private view of the ocean |
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