Day 39 – Hotel in Matsuyama
I started the day late at 9 am. My feet are not happy with me but I need to make Matsuyama City if possible. A good 30 to 35 kms. I pick up breakfast at Family Mart on the way out of town and some food for lunch. It is a beautiful day for walking and I make good progress. At the 29 km marker, I hear a Japanese grandma yelling COFFEE! I know it is ossetai and turn around. She is maybe 4’10” at most. A bubbly little lady that takes care of everyone. I walk into her ohenro pitstop and it is very nice. Apples, bananas, oranges, sodas, cookies, tea and coffee. I have some apple and a coffee and we talk through the translator. Then out of the blue, 12 or 15 Japanese enter the room for treats. A couple of the kids are special needs. One of them sings me the Star Spangled Banner out of nowhere. I sing along. He then does the Japanese equivalent and the whole group sings along. So special. I get up to leave and my host asks for a picture. Of course! I get a huge hug and a big smile. I was so surprised, I forgot to ask for one of my own. Again, I am so grateful for these people. I am on the road again and start walking with a young Danish woman. Super mature and intelligent. Great conversation the rest of the day. I tell her about the hug and she is absolutely floored…and wanted one too. We talk about the people we have met and know a couple in common. Then we run across the second ohenro pitstop run by five gentlemen. We get tea and chat a bit. They definitely got our nationalities. Danish and American are quite rare. I keep saying this over and over…very blessed to meet these people. We arrive at 46, 47 and 48 and call it a day. It is another 10 km to the city so we will be arriving very late. I walk Marie to her accommodation and say goodbye. My hotel is pretty nice and I wanted two days to rest my feet. Maybe I will see Marie at the end…she is very fast however. Good night all.