sowhatsitallaboutthen?

The Plan

Take my bike up to the northern tip of Japan this August and pedal south and west 'till there's no more Japan left. Counting on about 2 or 3 months.
Read more about The Plan...

Sponsor Me

I'm hoping to use my cycling trip across Japan to raise some money for an organisation called LEPRA.You can help me by sponsoring my bike ride.
Find out more here...

Photos

Sunday, November 26, 2006

Back in Kochi

Finally settling back down again in Kochi again after more than three months on the road. The big news is that thanks to a lot of really generous people, I've reached my goal of raising 1000 pounds for Lepra - check it out! Actually a little over (still open to donations too, so it's not too late to add a bit more).

My daily blogs are over now, but I've still got a little synopsis, a bunch of thank-you's, a thin red line on a map, and a whole load of photos that I'm going to put up on the site in the next week or so, so don't delete me from your favourites list just yet.

Cheers!
Andrew

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Day 105

Still feeling decidedly under the weather, I walk, train, hitch, bus and tram my way across Kochi, before finally meeting up with Yocchan and being driven the last 30km home to Muroto, for a somewhat flat and feverish (37.8 degrees) homecoming. After a light meal, I went straight to bed and slept for the better part of 17 hours.

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Day 104

Three months on the road have finally caught up with me, and I've got a rotten stomach ache and don't feel like moving. Spend the whole morning feeling ill and procrastinating and trying to find a big box to squeeze my bike into to ship it back to Kochi. Finally get the bike off, and hop on a train for the slow ride up to Saiki, a small earthquake adding another couple of hours to an already long trip. Set up a quick camp across the road from Saiki port and grab a few hours sleep before jumping on the 3am ferry back to Shikoku.

Monday, November 20, 2006

Day 103

Yakushima -> Kagoshima
Last morning on the island with my now good friends Kurocchan, Yukiko and Makiko, before going our separate ways. A last trip out to a nice sandy beach before getting on my slow boat back to Kagoshima - the first leg of what is now a return journey to Kochi. Camping tonight in a park by the port, with by now familiar Sakurajima rumbing away across the bay.

With Yukiko and Kurocchan

Sunday, November 19, 2006

Day 102

Yakushima
Back into the cloud forests again with my Japanese friends, heavy mist in the air, and the green moss growing thick and soft like the fur on a long-haired cat. Trees older than the pyramids entwine around each other in a kind of perfect chaos. The mystical forests in Miyazaki's Pricess Mononoke (if you haven't seen it, you REALLY should) were modelled on these ones, and there is something undeniably spiritual about these ancient woods. Spent hours wandering around taking photos, and left feeling cleansed and alive. Dinner of flying fish again, and slept in an abandoned restaurant by the sea.

Saturday, November 18, 2006

Day 101

Yakushima
Distance:0km
Heavy rain and wind all day. Rented a car with an Australian guy - John - I met up in the enchanted forests and drove down to check out one of the big waterfalls and to have a dip in a mixed open air onsen right by the sea. Then hooked up with a couple of Japanese friends I met in the mountain hut and together we drove around the island - more waterfalls, deer, monkeys, world heritage forests, monkeys, a lighthouse, deer, sandy beaches, and then flying fish sashimi for dinner.

John

Friday, November 17, 2006

Days 99 and 100

Kigen Cedar -> Miyanoura Peak -> Siratani Gorge
Hiked for 2 days through Yakushima's enchanted forests, a world of moss and mist and giant trees as old as history (at least), where small golden-horned deer lead you down deep forest paths to sub alpine ponds and rough stone paths wind up to high round peaks covered in boulders and dwarf bamboo. One night in a mountain hut then on past the biggest trees in Japan and finally out of the mountains.

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Day 98

Sakurajima -> Anbo
Distance:26km
A four hour ferry ride this morning from Kagoshima to the last port of call on my trip - the World Heritage listed Yakushima. A mountainous island of largely untouched wilderness, it promises to be one of Japan's real treasures. Haven't had a chance to see much of it yet, but I've now got a hiking route planned, a backpack full of suplies and a ride to take me up into the mountains to a trailhead at 5am tomorrow morning.

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Day 97

Sakurajima <-> Kagoshima
Distance:6km
Slow morning chilling at Moon Cafe watching the constant flow of ferries back and forth from the city. Finally got on one myself and spent the afternoon in Kagoshima city, getting a broken spoke fixed and buying good foreign cheese and nice bread - luxuries you can't find in rural Japan. Back to Sakurajima in the evening to check out an artist and his exhibition. Crashing at Moon Cafe again tonight.

Friendly artist

Monday, November 13, 2006

Day 96

Tarumizu -> Sakurajima
Dist:43km
Sakurajima was an island until a huge eruption less than 100 years ago filled the sea and turned it into a peninsula. The angry peak smoldered away today as I rode around it - past homes with fallout shelters and kids who have to walk to school with helmets on. Was about to get a ferry to the city when I spotted a hip little cafe. Ended up spending the afternoon with its very chill Okinawan owner, talking and listening to him play the jamisen (Okinawan guitar). A BBQ with his girlfrnd and crashing on his floor tonight.

Sakurajima venting

Playing the jamisen

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Day 95

Tarumizu
Distance:4km
A day off, hanging at the Riders House. In the evening, a little party - making and eating gyoza (dumplings) and sharing card tricks and tales of life on the road.

Sakurajima looming over Tarumizu

Saturday, November 11, 2006

Day 94

Sata Cape -> Tarumizu
Distance:94km
Up before dawn with the fisherman and hauled my bike over the padlocked barracade. Down the forbidden road, through a pitch black tunnel, up a jungle path lined with cobwebs, and at last [insert trumpet fanfare] out onto THE SOUTHERN TIP OF JAPAN!!! (not counting all the little the islands and things...)

Patted myself oon the back, took all the requisite photos, and watched the sunrise with a rather palpable sense of accomplishment. And then, back down at camp, after weeks of perfect weather, a storm appeared out of nowhere, and I rode north all day along Kagoshima Gulf into rain and a fierce headwind. Stopped at the small town of Tarumizu, in the shadow of Japan's most active volcano, and took shelter in a very cool riders house (my first paid accomodation in 2 months). Ate oden and sashimi and talked with owners and guests until late in the night.

Cape Sata - the southern tip of Japan!

*Still a week or so until the trip's really finished, but if you've been holding off on a donation to my findraising, now would be a perfect time - only 100 pounds short of the target!*

Friday, November 10, 2006

Day 93

Kushiyo -> Cape Sata
Dist:81km
Another beautiful sunrise on another beautiful beach. Gifts of rice and some drinks from a kind old lady, before setting off for Cape Sata, the southern tip of Kyushu and the end of my transnational trip. One of the hardest days yet, with steep hill after steep hill. Lunch in Sata town, and more gifts: pork from the friendly butcher and apples from the grocer. Out onto the cape, and maybe the steepest hill of the whole trip. And then, with 3km to go, the unthinkable:

The only road to the tip of the cape is a toll road with no access for bikes or pedestrians. With a I've-just-ridden-for-3-months-and-you're-telling-me-I-can't-go-the-last-3km?! kind of desperation in my eyes, I asked if there was not some way I could make it. The toll booth lady clearly didn't want to see my cry, and kindly pointed out that her post was only actually manned between 8am and 6pm. So here I am, camping on the beach on Cape Soya, eating my rice and pork and apples, ready for an early morning dash to the finish line.

Sunset not quite at Cape Sata

Thursday, November 09, 2006

Day 92

Kojima -> Kushiyo
Dist:109km
Woke on remote Kojima beach to fisherman blaring cheesey love songs from their boats. With the scenic coast road south to the "wild" horses of Toi Cape closed, I took the winding mountain route instead. Lunch next to an old man talking passionately to his bowl of ramen in the indeciferable local dialect. More beautiful rugged coastline in the afternoon and an area known for rockets and space research. The last foreigner at the onsen I went to tonight was from NASA.

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Day 91

Aoshima -> Kojima
Dist:81km
Bananas for breakfast by the beach with a surfer who slept under the gazeebo next to mine. Then south down the Nichinan coastline. My trip's almost over, but Japan's saved one of it's gems til last (sorry Nate) - miles of ocean views, strange washboard rocks, sandy beaches, palm trees and a bright red shrine perched in a cave overlooking the sea. It's a beautiful world! On the beach tonight, the moon rising over Kojima Island, famous for its colony of smart monkeys.

Shrine sports: throw the pebble into the hole for a year of good luck (I missed allk three)

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Day 90

Tsuno -> Aoshima
Dist:83km
Morning prayers and tea with a priest at Tsuno shrine, then coffee with the old boys in the park. South past the great enigma of Seagaia - giant indoor beach next to giant outdoor one. Skipped the Peace Park - built just before WWII, it clearly didn't work. Thru Miyazaki-city to the beach town of Aoshima and its pretty island of palms and a picturesque red shrine. Made friends and drank (they made me) til late with friendly locals who loaded me up with gifts of food.

Island shrine on Aoshima

A friendly local

Monday, November 06, 2006

Day 89

Kitago -> Tsuno
Distance:59km
Lazy morning at Laura's watching movies, before heading off after lunch down a long winding valley to the sea. Followed the coastline south as far as the rather unremarkabke little farming/fishing town of Tsuno. Sleeping tonight among tall cedars in the spacious grounds of Tsuno Shrine, fish jumping noisily in the big pond right beside me.

Sunday, November 05, 2006

Day 88

Takachiho -> Kitago
Distance:73km
Up to a popular lookout to see the sunrise and the "sea of clouds" that fills the valleys below some autumm mornings. More like "ponds of clouds" this morning, but spectacular all the same. Then down through huge valleys after lunch, where the road spent more time suspended on enormous bridges than running on solid ground. Ended the day in the village of Kitago and couch surfed at zoo-keeper-turned-English-teacher (not such a big change really) Laura's place.

Saturday, November 04, 2006

Day 87

Aso -> Takachiho
Distance:72km
Misty morning ride to the far side of Aso-san, then up out of the caldera and over to the myth-shrouded town of Takachiho. Takachiho Gorge, with its mysterious waterfalls and sheer mossy walls seemed like something from a fantasy novel (only full of tourists rowing little white boats in for a closer look). At night, went to Takachiho Shrine to see the nightly performance of Yugura - dancers in bright masks acting out ancient tales of gods and caves and rice wine.

Friday, November 03, 2006

Day 86

Aso-san
Distance:36km
A cold ride down into the world's biggest caldera to find toxic gas had closed the main route up the mountain. But the route up to the higher peaks still had the all clear - an hour ride and a 2 hour walk straight up a barren ridge to the summit. Then across to the huge smoking cauldren of Nakadake, the thick smell of sulfur hanging uncomfortably in the air and concrete shelters reminding you this isn't a friendly mountain. Back down in Aso-city now, ready for an onsen.

Thursday, November 02, 2006

Day 85

Saiki -> Aso
Distance:113km
A cool morning gave way to a balmy futon-airing autumn day. Bright yellow flowers covered the hillsides and stacks of dry rice straw dotted the rice fields as the road wound slowly but relentlessly up into Kyushu's interior. Lunch (instant ramen again) by Harajiri Waterfall, before riding up to near the outer lip of Aso-san, the volcano at the heart of Kyushu - big enough that there's a city inside it and active enough that the summit is often closed by toxic gases.

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Day 84

Mihara -> Saiki
Distance:34km
Down to the coast and the small city of Sukumo. But while I would board the afternoon ferry from there to Kyushu - the last of Japan's 4 big islands, Nate has run out of time. With a flight booked to Oz later this month, he wheeled south toward Ashizuri Cape, and we parted ways. It was dark by the time the ferry pulled into Saiki, and I rode off alone into the final leg of the journey. Sleeping tonight in a park by the port, big cargo ships looming across the way.