Dearest friends!
To all our faithful friends and supporters, we wish you to have Year 2009 filled your most wanted desires and we thank you all, who sent us their Best Wishes!
Last October, while walking towards Tokyo, Jean receives quite a few invitations to visit some strategic sites on the Ancestral Japanese Culture. Among those, the sacred site of Kumano and the magnificent temples of Nara. He indeed hopes to have time to visit these jewels of the unique Japanese Tradition, in spite of the deadline to be in Taiwan on December 12th.
Meanwhile, in South Korea, his friends put the wwwalk on Facebook and you may join the site as friends. It is a complement to the official Web site.
Jean reaches Yuzawa City on October 12th and a friend emails me that he is well and healthy; and he seems to be full of energy. In Takasaki on October 15th, David Findlay, a Canadian living in Japan offers him to stay in his house and full assistance for a few days. On David's computer, we can talk and see each other on Skype. How wonderful!!!
While we talk on the phone, Jean tells me that he is now wearing his last pair of shoes and admits that he is worried that he will not be able to find shoes to his size in these countries where people have rather small feet. I shall alleviate this worry by bringing him three pairs of shoes during my next visit to him.
In Tokyo, he meets Peter Jacob who walks some kilometers with him.
In early November, our walker is thinking that unfortunately he will not be able to visit the recommended Japanese sites for lack of time and he begins to inquire on the means of transportation from Japan to Taiwan. As usual, he wishes to travel by boat instead of the plane for the reasons that we have already explained in previous newsletters.
On November 8th, in Osaka, Minako and her family welcome him. Minako is a good friend of Jean's son, Thomas Eric. Regrettably, he cannot linger because he is pressed by time again. So on the next morning, while walking out of the city, he meets by chance, François Provençal, a fellow countryman from Montreal.
From Hiroshima on November 20th, he emails me that with much emotion; he is invited to visit the Hiroshima Museum for Peace and the reminiscences of the big tragedy.
It is cold in Japan during the month of November... the temperature hovers around 0°C. during the night and Jean sleeps all dressed in his summer sleeping bag and feels the cold seeping through his thin mattress. On November 24th, he is quite happy to sleep in a real bed after a wonderful hot shower when he is invited at Toshio Sako's home in Hofu City. Later, in January, Toshio san will send me a portrait of the walker drawn by his wife, Junko.
On the evening of December 8th, Jean emails me:
"I finally arrived in Kagoshima! I am staying at a Backpacker where I will take advantage of Internet and also of a washing machine. Early tomorrow, I will contact a Travel Agency to book my trip to Taiwan and our reunion."
Followed by this on the day after, December 9th:
"I will board the ferry on December 10 from Kagoshima to Okinawa where I will arrive on the 11th. On the 12th, I get on the plane at 11h55 en route to Taipei. A few more hours and..."
As you know, I just came back from Taiwan for my 9th meeting with my darling. We met at Taoyuan airport on December 12th. Jean was faithfully waiting for me since the beginning of the afternoon while writing his diary and in spite of my exhaustion after these long flights; I was moved like a teenager in love when I saw him late in the evening.
Our first week together was quite busy. Only four days after our arrival in the country, I had the pleasure to attend for the first time a lecture given by the walker to the students of a famous private school: Kang Chiao Bilingual School where we were both welcomed as princes!
Two days later, on December 18th Jean was conferring the same presentation but to the pupils of "Jian-An Elementary School" this time. Our friends at "Kang Hsuan Educational Publishing Group" had organized both these events a while ago.
Taipei is a huge city, much populated. There, you can find almost anything, including the famous "Tower 101" that we quickly visited. We decided however to leave for Kenting, little town situated at the far southern tip of the Island and where one can find a Tropical climate! We traveled by train and the trip was very pleasant.
This Emerald Island is truly a wonder! A gem set in the ocean! Equally, its inhabitants have something of the jewel! They are incredibly friendly, considerate and peaceful.
I do not advise you to go to Taiwan if you are on a diet to lose weight... the food there is delicious, varied, plentiful but very healthful!
We enjoy happy days in Kenting until Jean is taken by Sciatica that immobilizes him in bed on December 29th. If he does not succeed in overcoming this painful condition, his walk in Taiwan will be seriously compromised. Fortunately, on returning to Taipei on January 4th, we are lucky to meet two great men, Paulo Su and Mr. Lin (Taiwan-Agan or the Taiwanese Forrest Gump). Both of them will bring Jean immense help not only to ease his pain but also in order to obtain an extension on his Taiwanese Visa.
Comforted in the thought that I am leaving my dear walker in good hands, I come back to Montreal on January 7th, and while I try hard to recover from the long flights and Jet-lag, Jean begins his walk in the country on January 10th.
Till next time...
Luce