I was excited to get the day started so I woke up a good hour before my alarm started annoying me. Because of yesterdays jungle excursion my bike was a mess, covered with mud and gunk. Because I was staying in a scuba diving resort I had access to plenty of hoses. So, with the sun barely starting to show itself I had the bike washed, adjusted and ready to head out. The friendly resort staff even went in search of some lubricant for me as it was something I neglected to pack.
With everything taken care of except for myself it was time to go in search of some breakfast. As is normal when it comes to food I'm normally first in line and this friendly young lady made me my breakfast and served it to me all the while practicing her quite excellent English. It was then that I began to notice a recurring theme about the People of Amami island... They are all friendly and are always wearing genuine smiles all the time. I suppose living on a island paradise has that effect on you.
With a proper meal in the tank it was time to head out, which I did with some anticipation. The day before educated me on how hilly Amami can be.. Kakeroma Jima, from the views I can see of it across the channel look to be every bit as mountainous.
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| Kagoshima is famous for their black pigs (kurabuta) |
A quick jaunt up to the town of Setouchi was where I would find my Ferry to Kakeroma Jima.. My ferry companions, which may or may not become my dinner, were also excited about the trip.. (seriously, they were squealing like mad)
I whispered a few words of apology to my bike for just dumping her there like that.. but, I think she was happy for the lie-down. Once I hit Terra firma on Kaketomajima, it was simply a matter of deciding which way around the island I wanted to go. I had a few targets on my list to see and as long as I stuck to the coast I should be able to take them all in. What I suspected about the terrain turned out to be true in a big way. Even sticking to the coastal roads meant steep climbs of 10+ degrees.
If Amami island is sparsely populated, Kakeroma Jima could be considered damn near deserted. Wonderful for sightseeing and exploring hidden treasures.. not so great for filling up water bottles and getting food to power the trip. With the weather slightly overcast and the temperature comfortable but the winds picking up I just kept moving forward.. stopping to take some pictures, consult the paper map that some nice old lady thrust in my hand at the small port and wondering why this little paradise isn’t overflowing with people. I don’t know if that map lady knew how helpful she was being but that paper map turned out to be very valuable. The north side of Kakeroma Jima has decent cell phone coverage but the south side is a total blank. That meant that Google Maps once again wasn’t serving up anything and I was basically on my own. “Stick to the plan” was my best advice to myself so I continued on my way, keeping the coast next to me when I could. Climbing while quietly cursing at myself for bring those extra heavy camera lenses, whistling for joy on the descents and marveling at all the fantastic scenery I was rolling past.
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| Oyster Farming |
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| Roadside Waterfall. |
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| Small village I passed thru where I bought an ice cream and a drink. |
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| Beautiful solitude |
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| To Protect and to Serve |
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| Giant FREAKIN worm! |
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| Earned It! |
With legs beginning to protest at the strain, and my blood sugar low light blinking I rolled into the place where I would bed down about 13:00, Although a bit early for check in, and with no lunch being served I stowed my panniers and headed a further 5km up the coast in search of a convenient store and hopefully some food. Success on both accounts! How can you possibly top a day cycling and having a lunch with this view?
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| Can't beat the view! |
Well, a well deserved dinner is certainly one way to end the day..
with the temperature dropping, the wind picking up and rain in the forecast for tomorrow it was time to get things packed up early and a good night’s rest.
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