Day 20: đ Snakes, Strangers & Sandwich-Kenny
March 28, 2025
𧊠Damp Socks and Divine Art
I started the morning trying (and failing) to dry my socks and shoes with the hotel blow dryer. My new friend Naomi, ever resourceful, used newspaper, which I didnât even think to ask for. Rookie move. I started walking to Temple 37âthankfully just about a mile awayâand was instantly lifted by how cool this place was. The temple is filled with art, Beatles-y vibes, and paintings plastered across the ceiling like a psychedelic version of the Sistine Chapel. It was like walking into a shrine run by a benevolent hippie commune.
I finally got a video of myself ringing the gong (proof of life and devotion), and while Naomi and I were chilling nearby, a full-on temple drama erupted. Some guy started shouting across the grounds at a female staff member like a total lunatic. Guess where he was from? Correct - he was French. Thankfully, Naomi had a sharp tongue and stood up for the temple workerâzero tolerance for temple tantrums. I admired her sass.
After that chaos, I meditated for 15 minutes and thought about books that shaped me: Manâs Search for Meaning and Stargirl. In a fit of nostalgia, I downloaded Stargirl to listen to while walking. Spoiler: childhood magic doesnât always hold up, but I gave it a go anyway.
đ Blue Worms and a Snake in the Path
Walking through the forest, I spotted a massive blue worm (cool) and, minutes later, slipped on a rock and landed on my butt going downhill (less cool). My heart hadnât even stopped racing from that when I looked up and realized a snake was fully stretched across the pathâlike perfectly centered as if he paid rent there.
I froze. He wasnât moving, so for a moment I thought he was dead... until he flicked his head. I slowly backed away, filming in case of an eventual bite (safety first, content second). He might have been a harmless rat snake, but I wasnât about to test that theory with my foot. I ended up bailing on the path entirely and took the long road around.
đ Pain, Pace, and Train Karma
The walking today hurt. Really bad. Like, bones-on-concrete sharp pains that made me wince every step. I kept telling myself the bathroom was 10 minutes away, and that lie lasted 40 soul-crushing minutes. When I got there, it was... disgusting. There was a spider next to my foot while I peed, and I had to sit on a bug-infested stump to eat my lunch. Peak pilgrimage glamour.
A kind farmer clapped and waved at me from a field when I started walking the wrong way. Legend. And thenâblessed randomnessâI spotted two Henros getting on a train. I jumped on too, no clue where it was going, just that it was the right direction. Always follow the Henro. It worked out perfectly.
The conductor smiled when I handed him a pile of mystery coins and just picked out what I needed to pay from my pile. I felt a little shame for being such a tourist but I didnât have the energy to dwell on it.
đ Booking Blunders and a Shared Room Miracle
When I arrived at my planned accommodation, my name was nowhere on the list in the front entry. Turns out I booked for tomorrow, not today. I am very much in the middle of nowhere - there isnât a hotel for miles and itâs getting dark. I panicked, started Googling options, and found a place called âOhanaâ nine minutes away with one grainy picture and a status that said âtemporarily closed.â I wasnât even sure what type of business it was but it seemed like potential accommodation so I had to give it a try.
The woman who answered said they were fully bookedâbut then, seeing the desperation in my eyes, she went to ask another guest if they'd be willing to split a room. I felt awful. She came back and said yes.
I turned the corner, nerves high... and was met by Jasmine, a sweet, middle-aged woman from Singapore with perfect English and a calm, wise demeanor. I thanked her a million times for letting me crash on her floor. We talked about food, travel, andâmost importantlyâthe meaning of the pilgrimage. I asked if KĆbĆ Daishi would approve of fun. She said he wouldnât care. Heâd say not to cling to anything. Just enjoy when youâre enjoying, and donât hold on when things are bad. That hit hard. I started to think maybe its harder to not cling to things that are good.
đ§ A Sparkly Child Redeems the Day
The hostâs daughter was a half-Japanese, half-Cameroonian ball of energy who spoke French, Japanese, and a bit of English. I normally avoid kids, but she was irresistible. I gave her my jewel stickers (meant for my name slips), and she stuck them all over her face, her momâs face, and probably the furniture. Her giggles, hugs, and obsession with my cat Kenny (especially the video of him in a hot dog costume for Halloween, which she called âsandwichâ) warmed the entire room.
Later, I downloaded kid art games on my phone for her to play during dinner, and her mom looked so grateful. Even if the bathroom locks didnât work and the French couple next door were loud and annoying, this house felt like love.
đ Wisdom for the Road
Over dinner, a Japanese man told me that every leap year, itâs considered lucky to walk the trail in reverse. Maybe that explains all the weirdness latelyâmaybe the universe is just trying to balance itself out. Or maybe itâs reminding me what Jasmine said: let go, enjoy what you can, and donât cling. Whether itâs snakes, sticker-covered children, or sandwich Kenny... itâs all just passing through.
