A Test of Our Traveling Endurance

Goodbye Tokyo! Let the next step in this journey begin. The city life was amazing but I think I am ready for something different, something a little slower and more peaceful. Koya-san was definitely the answer, especially after the traveling we had to do to get there. The entire trip of jumping from train, to subway, to train took almost as long as the flight to Japan. Despite how tiresome it was, it came with it's share of great moments. For example, we drove past Mount Fuji in the bullet train and got a good enough view to take a picture. Another part of the journey I enjoyed was the final ride up the mountain with plenty of beautiful landscape to be admired. When Dr. Ross said we were going to the mountains he meant it. Koya-San is everything I expected a Buddhist monastery to be and more. I immediatly felt relaxed just breathing in the fresh air listing to the subtle sounds of the forest surrounding the traditional style lodging we were staying the night in. Naturally, it only took us minutes after dinner to put on the Yukata found in the rooms and head to the traditional style Japanese bath. After all that traveling, the very hot bath was perfect. After, I spent some time just sitting in the chairs near the front of the temple enjoying the transcendent state of mind I was in. Who would have thought that the beds in a Buddhist temple would be ten times better than the beds at Sunshine hotel but they were. I love the feel of this place and am looking forward to experiencing even more of it tomorrow before we pack up and ship out again.