Setting Out-Week One

Challenges, solutions and delightful encounters have made our first  week  in Japan a rich time. Challenges solved include
1. Don leaving behind the axle for his back  wheel
2. Me cross threading my pedal
3. The gas burner bought at home not fitting the gas cans here
4. The splendid new fly sheet not fitting the lovely little MSR tent. (Below is our new tent on day three.)
5. Meeting another family on the street, who deviated from their ride to guide us to new tent purchase. 6. What.. is meths in Japanese Not to mention finding our way and being bamboozled in the Supermarket.
What I realise is that these  problems have led us to fun times with lots of people...and huge thanks to Google translate. We rode out of Fukuoka airport, Don carefully without the axle, to a bike shop. He ingeniously fixed  the pedal..(details on request.) While pondering how to bike out of this big city we met, and were soon invited to stay the night with a most delightful family.  They gave us a map book, without which we would still be wandering round in circles in the city. We had great fun with their children, and were gently guided on protocols for staying in Japanese homes. We were encouraged to have a bath, deep and very hot, and made room for us on the floor of their tiny apartment.
The journal page set aside to record gifts is nearly full....water, biscuits, tiny rice bowls, spanners, and a second hand, but ideal gas burner. This was delivered in a white van, some kilometers after leaving a friendly bunch, as we biked away. They did not seem to want to sell it, but must have realised our dilemma.
Last night we  met a rice farmer, who later returned with a plate of pickled bamboo shoots for us. We have biked west along the coast from Fukuoka and easily found good spots to camp. We have had lovely days, and some surprisingly wet and cold ones, long johns and woolies. When we think about previous trips it is the people we most remember. This one promises well. A young woman got out her smart phone in order to say " the traffic here comes fast, please take care"