GOODBYE YOSHI AND YOUKO. IT’S BEEN FUN
31.01.2025
Mami woke up feeling much better this morning. Must have been the healing powers of my massage …. or not. We both had breakfast and then finished packing our cases and bags, making sure we are leaving nothing behind.
Then came the hard part. Yoshi came up to us just before leaving for work and gave us both a huge hug and was quite emotional. That was enough for Mami to start tearing up. Living so far apart intensifies the emotions when it comes time to part and that is how hard it is for all four of us to say goodbye,
Yoshi went off to work but not before I told him he has to come to Australia later this year with Youko, to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. I hope he takes us up on the offer as it will be the first time they both have been to Australia at the same time, with the only exception being for our wedding 19 years and 10 months ago. They could even come and celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary on the 19th March, that would be fun also.
With the car all packed we got ready to go but not before Youko came up to us and gave us a big hug. That was it, Mami was in tears, I was close to it and for the first time ever I saw Youko with tears in her eyes. It was a very emotional moment. I really hope, for Mami’s sake especially, they do make the effort to come to Australia later this year.
We drove away from Shunan with some sadness but also lots of special moments we have had in Japan. In fact we have explored more of Japan than most Japanese citizens have. From Hokkaido, through Honshu and down to Kyushuu and even further to Okinawa we have created so many memories hich will stay with us forever.
Mami has done a huge amount of driving today and done very well but I did have to pull her back a bit when she hit 125kph on the tollway! We had one stop at a roadhouse to give Mami a rest and also to buy some snacks for our journey. The next stop would be at the first of the islands we want to visit, and from here on in, Mami is the author of this blog.
There are 6 small island connected by the Shimanami Kaido, which is a 60 kilometer long toll road that connects Japan’s main island of Honshu to the island of Shikoku.In recent years, the Shimanami Kaido has become a popular destination for both Japanese and international tourists, thanks to its accessibility by foot or bicycle. Walking the route takes around 12 to 15 hours, while cycling typically takes 4 to 6 hours. However, most people prefer a more leisurely cycle, enjoying the scenery and stopping at local attractions along the way, which usually takes about 10 hours.
The bike path is well-marked and maintained, with ramps designed for cyclists and gentle inclines leading up to the bridges. The bike route is about 70 kilometers, slightly longer than the toll road, but still manageable for intermediate cyclists in a day. For Shimanami Kaido cycling, you can rent a bike one-way and return by bus, start by ferry and cycle halfway, or leave the bike at designated shops along the route and return by bus or ferry. We had planned to cycle it, but the cold weather made us decide to explore the area first, for a future ride. Let us know if anyone is keen to join us for the ride in the future!
We made a few stops along the way to enjoy the scenery and photograph beautiful bridges. Rob took lots of photos of the bridges we crossed and they were quite impressive. The bridges of course, not his photos.
After exploring the islands for a few hours, we decided to move on to our hotel before dark. We are staying in Fukuyama tonight at the Vessel Hotel. It is at the east end of Hiroshima, and also famous for Fukuyama Castle. The travel agent Mami booked a hotel not only near the castle, but with a room that give us a fantastic view of the castle. We are looking forward to taking a stroll tomorrow before making our way to Osaka.