Steps: 31.462 (30,6 km)
Temples: 23
We’re moving towards Kochi, which means that accommodation-options, convenience stores and temples are all getting fewer and further between.
Last night we had another frantic booking situation going on for about 30 mins in the reception of our hotel. Even though we were trying to book 3 days in advance, everything was full, and we ended up with a less than ideal situation of staying two nights in the same city and then walking close to 40km the next day.
This morning we walked through a beautiful trail along the coast, but I hardly noticed, my head being preoccupied with worry over all the what-ifs of booking places to stay, finding food, offending people by saying the wrong thing, not being good enough yadayadayada. I always do this and it’s exhausting. I know I need to learn to “be here now” (hallo, it’s a Buddhist pilgrimage) but my head is keeps fighting against me.
I’m not complaining though – we all have lessons to learn and this one just happens to be a big one of mine.
Luckily I have my own personal Buddha (cue Depeche mode) aka Jonas to guide me and also … breakfast helps. By the time we sat down at temple 23 with an all-time favorite Family Mart combo of a soft boiled egg and a tuna/mayo onigiri the world seemed to once more to fall into place.
We decided on the shorter highway route today, which turned out to be a good decision when we looked at the watch by late afternoon and discovered we’d still walked close to 30km. No wonder our feet felt tired.
Nothing a little ofuro won’t fix though. The daily ritual of sitting down on a small stool, cascading buckets of warm water over our backs, before lowering ourselves into an obscenely hot bathtub is something we have come to heavily depend upon after a long day of walking. (Unfortunately I have also developed a habit of staying in the water until I am at the brink of heatstroke 😅)
Walking along the highway also meant that for the first time since getting here we have actually felt the need to listen to an audiobook while walking. Walking in silence has been surprisingly easy, but the loud noise of cars constantly speeding close by requires a little more numbing of the senses.
Tonight we are staying at the loft of a little house owned by an 80-year old women who claims to be a bad cook, but has nonetheless just served us a fantastic bowl of noodles and homemade salmon ceviche. She’s full of stories, speaks both Spanish and English quite well and laughs a lot. Something to aspire to for sure.
Ej hvor dejligt med den skønne 80-årlige!
Det blir vist svært at undvære de dejlige bade, når I kommer hjem.
Godt I stadig har masser af tid at nyde i😘