7.9.2018 - Day 23

Going from JR East Shinkansens I got to experience the Tohoku Shinakansen Green Class and was able to compare. The only notable difference is that on the Tohoku Shinkansen you get offered wet paper towel once you board, other than that it is a standard affair like in the rest of the trains.

The ride was long, with a quick switch at Tokyo and thankfully my train went all the way to Okayama from where I switched to local train that brought me to Kurashiki. Although rain was predicted, it was only hot with the clouds. By the time I arrived to the Cuora Kurashiki (my hostel) I was wet from sweating. I showered and went for dinner as I had no energy to do anything else. After talking to the proprietors I revealed that I stayed here in 2015 and then I brought out my pictures, which was fun to compare to how much things have changed since them. As for them things seemed to be going pretty well. They have opened an annex to offer more places to sleep and are building an atelier across the street.

Pleasant as always we exchanged some gifts and I retired early as the cold was getting to me. My plan was to rest up as one of my Czech friends was going to arrive the next day and the day after we promised to go on a bike ride from Shikoku to Honsu over a series of bridges that have been connected by bridges. The track being about 70km. I wasn’t feeling that it would be possible for me in my current condition, but that did not meant that I wouldn’t try to get better.