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Letter 12
Friday 23.08.13 123.48 km
It's 7.15am and I'm ready to leave. An older japanese with a few english
words took my garbage.
I don't get it why they don't have a simpel dustbin such a place. But generally
there are none.
You often find containers for bottles of different kinds and cans and tins, but
"combustible"
I've only seen once. As a result you find neatly tied plastikbags along the main
roads. I've not
sunken that deep yet.
When I suggest rain in the afternoon, the japanese denies it. "My television",
han he points at
his ears, "this morning". Thank you, that sounds good.
Road 73 inclines. The low mountains that were seen yesterday we have to climb
the outer one. But
that doesn't matter. It makes it less boring and hadn't it been because of the
woods and the damp
mist that covers everything today, there had been a great view.. Now it goes
down again but unfortunately the cycle lane turns bad and I have to use the brakes.
I arrive at a railway crossing in a town, and that give me the opportunity to
describe japanese
traffic. They have traffic lights everywhere. Also at the main roads out in the
country, and you
stop for red EVERYTIME. If someone comes or not. The japanese are law abiding
people. Overtake IS
possible but I see it rarely. Here at the crossing people awaits the train of
course, but AFTER is
it gone each cars drives up to the rails and stop, before it passes. And the
next car. And the next.
The japanese are wearing both belt and belts (translation of a danish expression
maybe you have something
similar?)
I get to a l-o-o-o-ng hill. It ends up at a plateau for just after to go down again - and up - and down ... And it seems to go on like this. It's definitely not boring but exhausting. It's steeper than the pass. I pant even in a low gear.
Where road 73 join road 38 I'm stopped by a policeman who has just ended a check
of a truck. He
says something I don't hear, but I can hear it's a question. But after having
excused not speaking
japanese, I say: Kushiro, and points. Ahh... Kushiro. American? No, Denmark. Ahh...
Denmark. I am
a japanese policeman, as if it wasn't obvious, he's wearing the whole uniform
including a helmet,
but maybe more to demonstrate his english abilities. Yes, I can see that.
Passport? I think it's
more of curiosity to see a danish passport, but he do find the page where it
says I'm allowed to
stay in Japan until sometime in november - which I won't.
I am a japanese policeman!
It's 11am and it's time to cross the low mountains and my map of Tokachi County
shows, that the
railway goes through a tunnel. The road just winds past?
Not surprisingly comes first one then another and in the end a third tunnel.
They're quite narrow,
so I wait each time until a bunch of cars have passed.
Have arrived in the flat countryside,but it is as if the mountain stretches it's
fingers out
towards the sea. We have to climb each of them. The cold mist comes rolling from
the sea and signs
warn of tsunamis. Heights are being stated: 6,8 m, 11,3 m aso. Once on a bridge
I can see the sea.
In a town I stop and eat a japanese softice. It's nice and cold. It's not going
to be the last....
The japanese try to be prapared - for me a bit scaring
It's 6.10pm according to the alarmclock on my desk. What I dared not to believe
in the morning have
come true. 123.48 km covered. I'm exhausted but also very happy with myself. I
urge for a shower
and this is a european style hotel, on my floor at least, and that makes things
easier. You don't
get slippers down at the reception, so IF you want them you'll have to wait till
you get to your room.
I stay in the 6th floor with a view to the crossing in front of the railway
station. But now I going
for a shower. More will follow....
Later...
When I reached Shiranoka around 3.15pm and had 30 km more to go, I decided to do
it. Go all the way to
Kushiro. The thought of putting up my tent here in the tsunami-area didn't
appeal to me. It was also
cold and damp. The rest of the way was pure count down. First 5 km, then 10 (only
20 left). Then
half the way. There were expressway-like parts without much shoulder. At last the
sign: Kushiro Sta.
Because of the size of the city I counted with an english speaking tourist info,
that would close
at 6pm.
I was lead by the signs for Kushiro Sta. Drove probably 3-4 km extra. But it was
nice and easy just
to follow.
When I got there the info had closed, it didn't even say when it would be open,
but travel info
was open. Asked for a cheap hotel. She ended up recommending Super Hotel, that
was next to the station.
And here I am