Dokkodo: Lonesome Road of Running

The second day starts at Shanghai Pudong Airport. The gate area has become quite crowded. I am incredibly sleepy. Turkey—situated at the western edge of Asia and the eastern edge of Europe—is by no means close to Japan. Most of the passengers bound for Istanbul are young people in their twenties; groups of young women and couples are particularly noticeable. This is likely due to the long National Day holiday in China, though it may also reflect the fact that many people there have become economically prosperous. Boarding began shortly after 12:30 AM. I took off from Shanghai at 1:20 AM. Since sitting for long periods isn't good for you, I had walked around the airport quite a bit beforehand. The temperature inside the terminal was low and chilly; hardly anyone was dressed lightly. About two hours after takeoff, the next in-flight meal was served. Even though I was sleepy, I still had an appetite. This time, it was chicken rice with onions, accompanied by fruit, a biscuit, and appl...

Set off from our Pingpong Terrace in Tondabayashi just after 9:00 AM and drove to Kansai International Airport. The weather was clear. Although I had been worried about the impact of a typhoon, it turned out to be a perfect day for setting off on a trip. I arrived at the airport around 10:30 AM. After saying goodbye to Piapi, my wife, who had come to see me off, I checked in. I headed straight for the boarding gate, but not before picking up a rental Wi-Fi router—a service I use every time I travel. This was my first trip in nearly six months, ever since returning from Malaysia. Airports always seem to put me on edge. At the China Eastern Airlines counter, I checked my luggage (the stroller weighed 23 kg, and the bag 18 kg) and got my tickets issued. Then, I made our way to the gate after clearing security and immigration. I wasn't taking a direct flight this time; instead, I had a layover of about ten hours in Shanghai. Since I didn't plan on leaving the airport, I needed to f...

I took a nap on the lounge sofa and woke up at 3 AM. I didn't feel like I'd slept very well. There was still plenty of time until the 7:30 AM departure. I had breakfast at the cafeteria. I didn't want to get sleepy after eating, so I headed to the boarding gate a little after 6 AM. Despite my right knee pain, I had to walk a considerable distance. Gate Q14 was at the very end. Perhaps due to the weak yen, there seemed to be few Japanese tourists. The languages ​​I heard were Malay, Chinese, Korean, and English. Boarding finally began after 7 AM. People with Malaysian passports seemed relatively well-off. Many were wearing Uniqlo jackets or Asics shoes; it seemed like many of them were Japanophiles. It's currently cherry blossom season, the perfect time for sightseeing. The flight was six and a half hours. The AirAsia cabin felt quite cramped. Is it because many Asians are slender that the planes are designed this way? American and Australian airlines have more spacious ...

Finally, I'm leaving George Town and heading to Penang International Airport. Perhaps due to nervousness, I woke up before 3 AM. In the morning, I disassembled and packed the buggy. It served me well again this time. This time, it wasn't the buggy that was the problem, but my right knee. Even so, I'm fortunate to have made it this far. I called a Grab ride-hailing service before 11 AM and arrived at the airport in about 20 minutes (RM24 = 960 yen). The waiting time at the airport is always long. I drink, eat, play on my smartphone, people-watch... Especially in Malaysia, a multi-ethnic country. I almost forget I'm Japanese. My flight to Kuala Lumpur departs at 9 PM. And my flight from Kuala Lumpur to Kansai Airport departs tomorrow morning at 7:30 AM. Self-check-in is available at kiosk terminals, where you print your ticket and baggage tags. I checked in my luggage before 6 PM, and the excess baggage fee was about 16,000 yen. Even with budget airline tickets, baggage f...

  Here I am in Georgetown, but only did a little sightseeing on the first day. Today is essentially my last day in Georgetown. My right knee is neither good nor bad; walking normally is a bit difficult. I went to a local restaurant for lunch and dinner. The noodles were delicious. I wanted to eat so many more things, but I only have a little time left to enjoy Malaysian cuisine. Maybe I'll have a chance to visit again someday… After lunch, I went to a dim sum shop again and got two kinds of egg tarts to take away. Unfortunately, my final run on the 7th was cancelled. With my right knee in its current state, even walking is difficult. Final goal was made in Georgetown on April 3rd. Tomorrow morning, I'll disassemble and pack the buggy. Although there was a broken spoke, I had no other problems with the buggy because I lightened my luggage. There were no flat tyres either. I'll use the Grab ride-hailing app to call a car to the airport. Tomorrow, DAY 40, my Malaysian journey ...

A mosquito got in, and I woke up in the middle of the night due to the itching. Since it's a tropical country, mosquitoes are active  all year round. I gave my right knee a thorough massage and stretch. The pain isn't constant, but it's best to rest it. In the afternoon, I went out into town. It was Sunday, so there were quite a few tourists. I had Chinese food for lunch. Basically, I eat one main dish a day, either at lunch or dinner. On days when I don't run, I don't feel very hungry. My right knee hurts, so I can't walk much. I only go out for shopping or meals around the hotel. Time to reflect on the journey. Now that the journey is nearing its end, it's time to switch from traveler mode to normal mode. The memories of running the highway day after day are slowly becoming a thing of the past. It was tough and painful at times, but it was also an incredibly exhilarating and truly enjoyable time. I have no regrets about my travels or my life. "I ran m...