Steps: 32.270 (22,2km) (+7,5)
Temples: 84 + 85 + 86 + 87
Temple fatigue is a real thing y’all and at some point I think every pilgrim starts to feel like the temples all kind of blend together and start to look alike.
But then there are days like today when you get to temples that really stand out and make you uh and ah in admiration. Temple 85, with its dramatic bare cliff backdrop and beautifully restored temple buildings was one of those.
And then there was temple 86, which unlike the usual, meticulously groomed temples, had a very overgrown, “secret-garden” feel to it (Needless to say I was a big fan).
Since temples 84 and 85 were each on top of their own little mountain, by the time we reached temple 86, we had already ascended and descended 300 meters of elevation twice.
Still recovering, Jonas understandably felt tired after this, and decided to hop on a train and a bus to the last temple.
Feeling a little sad to be walking alone yet again, I set off down the street with my AirPods in. However, my gloom was short-lived because I only made it a few hundred meters down the road before a women called out to me to come have a hot coffee in her house.
Once inside I was sat down at a table with a young man and an elder women. The young man was completely engrossed in the process of folding little origami triangles and as I looked around the room I discovered the whole place was full of his paper creations. From tiny cranes to large owls assembled from hundreds of the little triangles that had been wedged together.
The older women was trying to learn a little English and also bravely tried out a few Danish words. She said I had a good Japanese pronunciation, which I don’t know if was true, but it made me very happy nonetheless.
After that I started to enjoy the rest of the walk, especially as the road turned to give a clear view of the mountains we will be heading up into tomorrow.
I was, quite literally, walking towards temple 88, and it felt really special.
Reaching the main gate at temple 87 it really hit me just how far we have come, and I got a little emotional as I stood waiting for Jonas to meet up with me.
I know we still have a ways to go and that we still need to go back and visit some of the temples we skipped along the way.
Nevertheless, thinking back on all the wonderful places, people and experiences that have led us here was enough to make me a little teary eyed (and listening to Phoebe Bridgers probably also had something to do with it).
Tomorrow we will climb over one of the highest mountain passes of the entire trip, before descending on the other side and entering temple 88.
It’s gonna be pissing down all day, and the trail will be steep, soaked and muddy.
Let’s do it.
