I have found that the best way to enjoy the countryside, is to not be in it. The key is to leave as much and as often as possible. And when on the island, you have to pretend you are not actually there. So far I have exercised the the leaving option.
This weekend, my friend YUKI, whom I met in saijyo (the place one mile north of hell). Anyway, she came all the way to my little island. The first evening we spend (of course) not on the island. We were in Onomichi where they have restaurants and bars, with less bugs than people. Which is quite the change from innoshima.
After a fabulous evening out, we went back to the inaka. On Saturday, we ventured out to find the Pirate Castle on my island (see photo). Of course we got on the wrong bus (buses come once every hour or two on the weekend) and then had to back track. Then we were supposed to wait for another bus arriving 37 minutes later. Hell no. Instead of waiting, we walked on the oh so narrow side roads, dodging grasshoppers and blue-tailed lizards, and we ran thru a barely lit tunnel hoping not to get hit by cars. Yes. In Innoshima, if you dont have a car, you have nothing. We did make it to the castle and it was really nice. And very quiet and peaceful.
As soon as soon as the pirate adventure was over, it was time to head to Fukuyama, an hour bus ride away. Fukuyama (the closest city), is by no means a HUGE city, but it suffices. We met a friend Holly (from Hawaii) and had a real American Hamburge
r. Yay. We convinced a group of Japanese women to order one as well. Where my friends and I ate the whole burger individually, it took three japanese women to eat one. Unfortunately they did not really know how to eat the burger. They cut it into threes, took the break off, stared at it, and pushed it around the dish with their forks. That is when we stepped in and explained the natural and best way to eat a burger.
For the rest of the weekend, I forgot that I lived in hell. And it was nice. I used a shower that I didnt have to watch for a flame to light before getting hot water. It was great. But sadly I had to come home Sunday night. To a place with barely any
light, barely any people, barely anything. Innoshima.
I am not good at country life...
I live in Saijyo.
Saijyo is country for me, because I grew up in Tokyo.
I want to find a job in Tokyo.
Posted by: mio | 09/10/2006 at 08:30 PM