Day 6 Hiwasa to Muroto 79km and a few steep climbs. At the dinner last night we had a talk by Kenichi on the Buddhist Kaiku who started the Shikoku Pilgrimage and at the end I was presented with a white Pilgrim smock with ’Thank you Kaiku’ written on the back, in Japanese). What a nice gesture, and I am instructed to wear this all day on my bike. The rain had continued to lash down all night, beating against our widow overlookingi the ocean, which had a gap where it fitted the frame badly and continued to rattle forever. To make matters worse we had the fire alarm go off at quarter to one in the morning. We put on our Yukatas and went into the corridor only for it to stop, so off we ... read more

Japan Day 4 Koyasan to Shikoku Island 65km What a night. Sleeping on a 40mm mattress and a rock hard bean bag did nothing for my old body. I don't remember ever sleeping but I assume I must have done for a few short intervals. I awoke at 2am and walked the length of the Temple to the toilet only to see on of the old monks doing the same dressed in a cloak and puttees, which looked like bandages around his legs and funny white soft shoes on his feet. I thought I was in the Burmese jungle during WWll. I surfaced with puffy eyes, a stiff neck and a bad back ready for breakfast of good quality but not over generous portions. Luckily a Frenchman next to me was not enamoured with Japanese food ... read more

Day2. Kyoto to Nara. 52k Sixteen on this popular tour with our top guide Ken and his helpers Saori and Shogu. It was great to be able to set off at 9.30, after setting our bikes up, in warm sunshine in shorts and shirt, with a light jacket for 2 Hrs only. Once out of the city on busy roads and pavements we hit the river and followed its course on cycleways for just about all of he say to Nara. The sky was blue with a slight headwind and we observed the small birds chirping merrily away and an egret standing in the river looking for a meal. The riverbank is quite fertile and was home to manny small farmers growing vegetables and loads of small tea plantations covered in black netting. There were also ... read more

Day 14 The last day and the sun is shining, but dew on the ground and a nip in the air demanding full gloves for first hour. A steady climb for 1 1/2 hrs up to Laragh where a brew and sausage rolls is called for at the fuel station cum store. There I used for the first time a new Nescafe coffee machine which asks you if you want more than one shot,takes the cup up into the machine and does a bit of spinning and grinding before presenting you with the perfect specimen. It was a good job I refuelled here because there was nowhere else all the way to Dublin. As it was with he prevailing wind to the rear for most of the time I was in the city outskirts by 1pm ... read more

Day 12 Set out this morning after a nice red sky had disappeared. This was a bad sign for rain, which according to the Met Office, was due at 12 o'clock. I followed the rugged coast road from Dungarvan through to Bonmahon which is on the Copper Coast Drive. This coastal area was the centre of copper mining in the 19th century and there were several steam pumping engines on the cliff tops bringing out the ore, which was then shipped across to Swansea in Wales. The business was short lived and they were abandoned around 1870 after 30 years of production. The coastal part of the town itself looks rather weary with several abandoned homes and businesses. Eventually I arrived at Tramore with a ferocious wind blowing off the sea and was looking at a ... read more