Hi, folks, it’s been a while. The Shikoku pilgrimage is now a fond memory even though it’s been less than a year since my nephew and I completed it. I’m certain I will go back and perform the pilgrimage once again, but flying solo. The current projected trip is the Fall of 2028. Since we experienced the Spring cherry blossoms, I want the Fall colors next time.
Since you’re still here and since I still have the blog set up, I may as well share this next with you. You, of course, are welcome to follow along if you wish, even if this trip has nothing to do with Japan or any pilgrimage.
I’m currently sitting in O’Hare Airport in Chicago waiting to board a flight to Istanbul, Türkiye. This will be the first portion of a scuba diving trip to Indonesia. I will be joining a group a fellow divers in Sorong, Indonesia in order to spend nine days on the scuba liveaboard Lady Denok. For those unfamiliar, a “liveaboard” is a boat dedicated to scuba diving. We will be lodging, eating and diving for just over a week. Dive, eat, sleep.
However, as I have to travel to Jakarta before flying to Sorong, and as Jakarta is around 20 hours of flying time whether I go East or if I go West and I would have to make a connecting flight either direction, I decided to visit someplace I’d never been before. Also, as I’ve been to Korea and I’ve been to Japan, the only other good transit options were Taipei, Taiwan and Istanbul, Türkiye. I’m sure there’s plenty of nice places in Taiwan, but the Hagia Sophia Mosque was higher on my list of places to see.
I guess that’s about it for now. They’re about to start boarding the flight. Talk to you tomorrow.
2023 Shikoku Henro 