Kiso-gun

We said goodbye to Matsumoto with a breakfast of locally made soba noodles and tempura. Stella prefers her noodles less slippery and struck again at the pastry section of the buffet, pilfering more jam packets for ... well.... later.

We boarded the morning train to Nakatsugawa, and after missing the connecting bus, took the world's most honest taxi, to Magome. (Noah can tell you the story of the travelling Airbuds: spoiler alert, they were safely returned after being ejected by his Big Boys).

Magome is a formal postal town that served travellers on the major route between Tokyo and Kyoto during the feudal ages. The town is built on either side of a paved street that weaves up a very steep hill. Poor Paul was carrying our luggage like an absolute beast. I guess life's randomness is what he trains for after all. Thank goodness cos I could barely drag myself up the hill! The tourist information centre was at the top for reasons I still can't understand. This this is where we were leaving our bags to be forwarded on to tonights destination, as we spent the next three hours walking the trail to Tsumago.

After the number of kilometres we have already walked to date, the 7.5km didn't sound too bad. All in a days work for team Blackford. I mean, I had to retire a pair of shoes already due to stitching coming away.

Alan our trip planner, described the walk as gentle. Yeah. Nah. We didn't consider it gentle and after 50 mins walking uphill in the searing heat, Alan's popularity was starting to diminish. As the walk progressed however, we entered leafy green forests complete with babbling streams and surprise waterfalls, on the whole, it was a bit like the Bibblumum here at home. Except we don't need to periodically ring bells to scare the drop bears at home. Perhaps they are there to motivate the tourists not to linger, so perhaps that's why it only took us 2.5 hours to get to Tsumago!

Tsumago was magic; this little village was frozen in time; only open to pedestrians during the day, with hidden power lines and displays of traditional homes from the Edo era. It was a truly immersive experience of what life would have been like decades ago. Time went so fast, just enough to snavel a few souvenirs, our luggage and a quick bite of rice balls and favoured ice.

24,000 steps, one manic bus ride and three trains later, we arrived at 9pm into Hiroshima. The hotel is well, something. There are knights guarding the entrance of the "Grand Intelligent Hotel" (not a typo. I thought it was International too 😆) plus an oversized plushie in the foyer, which sat at odds against their attempt at opulence. We were thoroughly confused but too tired to care past celebrating the arrival of the rest of our luggage.

When we walked into our room, initially we thought we had to share two doubles, until we found folded-up mattresses in the cupboard called 'futons'. Paul and I will attempt to share a bed, Stella the other, whilst Noah volunteered to take the floor with the two wafer-thin futons stacked together. The bathroom is set up like the Onsen washing area, where you sit down to shower in front of a mirror. Sitting is good. Sleeping is even better.

Working the new kettle (which looks like a Dalek) and scoffing more weird snacks rounds out day seven. Tomorrow Noah is absolutely hanging for a skate on his new board, Stella is keen to op-shop and I'm going to try and find a laundromat (as the hotel doesn't wash on a bloody Sunday). 🙄

Step count to date: 83,000En savoir plus