Distance cycled: 86.2km from Osaka port back to Kyoto.
Average speed: 20.1Km/h
Moving Time: 4h16m
Elevation Ascended: 889m
Total Distance on Current trip: 3,375km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 8,915km
Money spent: $32
Why do ferries with early morning arrivals always wake their passengers at God forsaken times of the morning several hours before disembarking? With an arrival at 7:30am in Osaka announcements were shouted over the loud speakers at 5:30am and blinding light shined in my eyes when the fluorescent lit room was brightly illuminated.
From here I had to cycle to a hostel in the center of Osaka, one that I stayed at previously and being one of the last allowed to get off the ferry (because cyclists are one to the first to embark) I mounted my gear and set off.
There actually was another cyclist aboard the vessel who cycled from Osaka to Shibushi as I did but taking a more direct route following the coasts rather than the mountains, unsurprisingly his trip was far shorter. I have forgotten the guy's name and his English was poor at best but he cycled with me towards the hostel, I think to help me but it was me always helping him. His bag of souvenirs in a paper bag mounted on his rear rack fell off on several occasions until I eventually secured it properly for me. Also his bike was far to small for him and his seat was in no way positioned correctly. Kudos to him for making it as far as he did with his set up but now after I had lifted his seat his knees would have thanked me.
He was a strange guy, still with toothpaste markings beside his lips and with a limp, weak and awkwardly prolonged handshake.
I said goodbye to him when I was close to the hostel and set off in my own direction, shortly later when I was taking some pictures of the local people I saw him cycling about looking for me (in the opposite direction from where he was going); obviously I did what I could to avoid him.
Arriving at the Peach Peace house, the same hostel I stayed at last time I entered Osaka, I asked whether it would be ok to leave the majority of my things at the hostel for a night and set off with a well lightened load to Kyoto where there were a few temples I wanted to check out with the change in Autumn leaves.
I went along the Kawayaga river as I did last time but took the other side via the Australian consulate to pick up my brand new passport that had been waiting for me for several weeks.
From here to Kyoto I did not stop cycling and it only took me 2 hours, far faster than expected but not being weighed down by the extent of my gear acceleration improved dramatically.
One of the most popular temples to visit in Kyoto is Eikando, the temple and it grounds so immaculately cleaned and painstakingly maintained but truly is a place of beauty.
I hopped out the temple grounds taking pictures of the sunset's orange glow illuminating the fiery colors of autumn.
Returning to Osaka
Eikando
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