The New Year is here!
So out came the bicycle, battery all charged up, and off we went!
The 'plan' was to go about an hour up the coast on the eastern side of the island, have lunch at a small restaurant that my guide to Japan recommended, and then potter on home. This was a good plan, and like most of my plans, did not have any bearing with what I actually did.
I did set out to the eastern side of the island, passed the famed restaurant at around 10am, and continued up the coast, along the dazzling dark blue sea, framed by the tall pampas grass flowers.
Further along the coast, and at the lowest of low tide, I was admiring the big sandy flats of a small estuary, and the large hills I would soon have to cross to get to the other side of the island ….
… when I noticed the strange little while dots creating streaks along the edge of the sand flats.
Closer inspection showed them to be to be hundreds and hundreds of small white crabs, all merrily sifting through the sand.
I then huffed my way up and over the centre of the island, and zoomed down to the western coast, ending up just south of Nago city and the small peninsula on which the aquarium is.
Having needed quite a bit of help getting over the central range, I did not feel I should risk going further north to investigate Nago and the surrounding area (and running out of power on the way back). So instead flew back down to Onna village, the dark central ridge with its ferns and forests to the east, farmland and turquoise bus coral reefs to the west.
A bit over 55 km, and 5 hours later, I am very pleased with what the New Year has offered so far,
and I wish it may offer you the same!
Happy New Year 2014!
