Yui leaves on a trip and so I am alone again. I decide to stay one more day here. I really looked forward to seeing and hanging out with Yui again....but things didn't go as I thought they would. We both got shy and never made it past the phase of small-talk. It's easy on the road. "Hey! Where you going?! Me too! Wanna be friends? Ok see you 1000 miles that way at your house." As easy as that every single time. But back in normal life.....people get shy for some weird reason. It's like you put people inside 4 walls and they change. Too bad. Seeing Yui was one of the things I was looking forward to the most on my adventure.
The Rate of Great Encounters
On an adventure, a lot of really good and really bad things happen all the time. It's like life....but on steroids. Among the good things, are extremely unlikely encounters. Here are my most memorable ones:
Itsu: This kid decided to start his cycling adventure around Japan not only in the same spot as me (right outside Wakkanai airport) but also at the same time and day. If that wasn't enough, I saw Itsu not once but twice randomly on the road in Hokkaido. The amount of roads and routes make such encounters really unbelievable.
Yui: Japan is huge. There are millions of ways to go from tip to tip. Me and Yui managed to meet by chance in Hokkaido. An old artist traveler asked me previously near the riders's house I slept in where I was from. Later on, Yui asked me if I was the Italian guy. Seems the old man accidently also met Yui the next day...and when we crossed paths, we became friends.
Jeremy and Jody: These two crazy American guys did the length of Japan.....in 2 weeks! We were supposed to meet in Hakodate, the last city in Hokkaido, but instead I was running late due to my knee and flat tires, and lost contact with them. Loe and behold, in the middle of the mountains after Sapporo, who do I meet in a tunnel? Jeremy and Jody.
Shigeru: My most profound encounter. The homeless buddhist monk traveling on foot and living with barely anything on him was at a rest stop somewhere in the disaster zone. I was going to give up that night for the first time and look for a hotel. But...once I got to the hotel, I realized it had been wiped away by the tsunami. Instead...I manage to stop at this very rest stop where Shige and I became great friends and even meditated together. Make it even a bit more interesting? Sure. After we both survive the typhoon and I spend 3 days volunteering, we manage to meet again, 2 towns over, again by pure chance. Love it.
Florent: Tokyo is big right? A metropolitan area of something like 30 million people. The first day in Tokyo proper, I am riding my bike as usual when all of the sudden I hear someone speaking loudly in Italian. What in the world? I turn around and I see Florent, one of my volunteer friends from back in Ofunato with AllHands. By pure chance, the Frenchman was meeting his friend at that very spot at that very time...when I passed by with my bike. I went to eat, I sightseed and more. A minute or two more or less, and nada.
The two Americans on the subway: On the Nagoya subway I managed to have a friendly conversation with two Americans my age, Jeremy and his nice blonde friend. I asked about hostels and internet cafès, told them my story, and in return, the girl called me a BAMF (Bad Ass Mother F.)...which actually is one of the best compliments I've gotten yet. Anyways, a day later, I am walking around a flea market in a totally different part of town....and who do I see strolling on bike? One of the two Americans, Jeremy!
Overall, I had more of these but it takes me all day to write, so you'll just have to take my word for it.
Beautiful Temples
I write now from one of the temples. I am in a gorgeous tatami room overlooking a garden and pond. Perfect spot to write. I'll let the pictures do the talking for once.
Two Japanese Girls
Eventually, I am templed out and head back to my ryokan (Japanese style hotel). But on the way I get lucky and make friends with Ayumi and Yuca, two good looking Japanese girls. Ayumi speaks Italian! We go out together and get some.food and have a good time.
More Friends Made
It seems my night is not over yet as I manage to meet two Spaniards at the train station. Xavier and his babbo Antonio, hailing all the way from Valencia. I quickly connect with them. There is no cultural limitations in the way. Italians are very closely related to Spaniards, so we chat away in Italian and Spanish respectively until the train reaches our destination. If you are reading this Xavier, if I ever do a European tour, you are going to be the first to know!
Ryokan
I eventually reach my Japanese style inn and finish today's blog. Great sightseeing day. But what made this day really awesome is the realization that I can't stop making friends! Loving it.
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