Typhoon

It was another tiring day, but they all are. We walked 17.1 miles today from Hiwasa to Kaifu, but whose counting. Actually it doesn't seem to matter how far or how high up you walk, you're still tired. It's all relative. There's tired and then there's really tired, but you can't discern the difference in the amount of fatigue. The only difference that I notice is the degree of difficulty I have falling asleep. The more tired I am the more difficult it is falling asleep due to the pain.

Today might have been a bit worst because during the last hour of walking the typhoon moved it and we got clobbered. It was coming down cats, dogs, and cows at the end of our walk. I will never forget walking in rain that was coming down so hard that it made it difficult to see. It was also at this time that we got lost and had to call the ryokan twice for help and also asked for directions at a beauty shop. Through the haze I could barely make out the lighted name of the supermarket that we were pasing...Manoa Market. Yes, you read right, Manoa Market. And then I had to walk back to the beauty shop to retrieve Emi's walking stick that she left behind. And then we had to cross a long bridge, fully exposed to the full fury of the storm. Oh what fun. By the time we got to the ryokan needless to say that we were soaked. Thank goodness that we had pack covers and umbrellas. We had rain jackets, but we never had the chance to put them on, and sometimes I don't think it does any good, for when you have it on you get just as wet from your sweat. It was cooler today, but the humidity and the exertion got the sweat glands pumping anyway. The innkeepers know just how to dry your shoes; they jamm newspaper in your shoes. By the morning it is dry. Try it. Tomorrow, it may still be raining, pouring exactly. The schedule calls for a 20 mile day, just another day at the office.
By the way we are staying at Iwamoto Ryokan...we are the only guests and the food is oh so delicious!