The Familiar Unknown

Daily miles: 27.23 | Total miles: 10,027.96

When my alarm rang this morning, all I wanted was to sleep a little longer. But I got up, took a shower, and pulled myself together for another day on the road. I had a short breakfast in the lobby — still can’t quite get used to warm food in the morning — and then stepped outside into the cool air. Thankfully, it wasn’t as cold as yesterday.

The route today followed mostly along Route 2, with a few stretches through small towns. I saw hundreds of beautiful flowers and many people tending to their gardens and fields. By now, after more than three weeks in Japan, I’m getting quite accustomed to the sights that make up my days here: the fast trains gliding by on elevated tracks, traditional houses with elegant roofs, cars everywhere, small shrines tucked between streets, rivers and bridges, underpasses and overpasses, vending machines on every corner, overgrown sidewalks, convenience stores, moss-covered walls, and so much greenery. These little details now form part of what Japan means to me.

Of course, there’s always more to discover, but it’s amazing how quickly an unfamiliar environment can start to feel familiar. Still — I’ll admit — in grocery stores, I’m completely lost. I manage to find a few things, but most of the time, I have no idea what I’m looking at. I actually laughed to myself today as I walked through the aisles, surrounded by so many things I couldn’t identify.

It was a difficult day. My legs felt heavy and depleted from the past days of running, and the terrain didn’t make it easier — narrow, uneven sidewalks twisting back and forth across the road. I was simply tired.

When I finally arrived at the hotel, I realized I still needed to do laundry. Now that it’s done, I’ve showered, eaten, and I’m ready to sleep.

Good night from Asa, Andrea