Looking back and beyond

Perhaps the right thing to do when you count your blessing for the past year is not to compare with other. God made every person the way he is. There's purpose in everything. He/She maybe rich or blessed just because that might be God's plan for him/her to prosper others (who knows). As we gather together, especially during reunion dinner, let's not talk about achievement. Let's encourage each other towards closer understanding and love. We should not bother how others are doing. After all, God does not look into our achievement but how we stay with and follow him.

Peter turned around and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them. (This was the disciple who had leaned back against Jesus' chest at the meal and asked, “Lord, who is the one who is going to betray you?”) So when Peter saw him, he asked Jesus, “Lord, what about him?" Jesus replied, “If I want him to live until I come back, what concern is that of yours? You follow me!” (John 21:20-22, NET)

Thanks be the Lord for giving us Micah, with safe delivery and inspiration for the research plan. The rest that came were bonuses.

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Kumano Kodo - Day 2

After a good rest, I departed for Hosshimon-oji. The hotel provided free transit to the Hongu area, so I saved some time waiting for the bus. The plan for the day was a 7 km walk from Hosshimon-oji to Oyunohara. Since my next lodging was in the Yunomine Onsen area, I decided to add an extra walk from Oyunohara to Yunomine Onsen, which was about 2.2 km. At Hosshimon-oji, the trail is essentially a connecting route to the Takijiri trail. The previous stamping station was about 800 meters from Hosshimon-oji, so I made a detour to Inohana-oji. That detour added approximately 1.6 km to my journey, taking about 30 minutes or more. From Hosshimon-oji (after detouring via Inohana-oji), I started walking toward Hongu Taisha, which was about a 2.5-hour walk. Along the way, I stopped to rest and take photos. It was quite a leisurely walk. Part of the trail is paved, while the rest consists of forest paths lined with cypress trees (I guess). By the time I reached the town around Hongu Taisha, it w...

Last day in Sendai

After spending five days in Sendai, my visit here has finally come to an end. On my last day, I took a tour of the Kirin Beer Factory. I must say that the tour was quite informative—slightly better than the one I had at a beer factory in Malaysia. Visitors were able to touch, smell, and taste during the tour. We were served at least three different types of Kirin beer for tasting. Although the tour was short, it was uplifting. I had lunch at their restaurant, which was probably my most expensive meal during this trip to Sendai. In the afternoon, I took an Uber to Arahama Elementary School, which has now been turned into a museum. It is located on the eastern side of Sendai, an area that was hit by the tsunami following the earthquake on March 11, 2011. On that day, after the quake, the schoolchildren were evacuated to the rooftop of the building. About 27 hours later, they were all rescued. The school now exhibits the impact of the tsunami, the conditions on that day, and the aftermath...

Akiu Onsen and waterfall

Again, based on a recommendation from an AI tool, I took a day trip to the Akiu Onsen area using public transport. Visiting an onsen wasn’t really my main agenda—it was the waterfall, Akiu Otaki Waterfall, that I wanted to see. Getting to the Akiu area requires careful planning around the public bus schedule. I took a bus from the Nagamachiminami area. Honestly, I didn’t even know where that was—I just followed Google’s directions. I arrived in Akiu Onsen town at 9 a.m. Just a short walk from the stop, you can enjoy a view of Rairaikyo Gorge. You can basically walk around the whole town in about 30 minutes. Since I couldn’t locate the public bathhouse, I decided to head to the waterfall. Unfortunately, the bus to the waterfall had already left, and the next one wouldn’t arrive until after lunch. Walking there would’ve taken too long—about 4 km, I think—so I had lunch first. After lunch, I waited for the bus to the waterfall. It was truly a great sight. If I’d had more time, I would hav...

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