The entrance gate to Temple 88 suddenly rose up through the dense thicket of red and orange and green trees ahead of us. We had cycled 937 stunning, torturous, wonderous, soul-searching kilometers around the island of Shikoku on the 88 temple Japanese Buddhist pilgrimage called the henro michi.
I should have realized, that the 88 temple pilgrimage around Shikoku, Japan was a serious ordeal, far, far removed from my idealized fantasies of a peaceful month of quiet meditative days biking and hiking between fairytale temples: a Buddhist style yoga-on-the-beach retreat in Japan.
Cycling Japan’s pilgrimage route around Shikoku to the 88 Buddhist temples turns out to be far more than expected.
Cycling New Zealand’s west coast, past glaciers, snow covered Alps and rainforest: from Wanaka to Greymouth. Truly the west coast route has earned its reputation as one of the top cycling routes in the world!
Majestic 12,000′ snow-capped mountains. Towering glaciers. Glistening, turquoise alpine lakes. High plateau grasslands lined with brilliant purple lupins. And wild, verdant coastal temperate rainforests. New Zealand’s Southern Alps Circuit is awe inspiring and jaw droppingly beautiful. It is easily one of the most stunning bike tours we have ever taken in our lives.
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