晴れ はれ ha-re

It means "clear weather" in Japanese. And what clear weather it has been for the past few days.

I spent my weekend on Zamami with Dave, just hanging out and making a few social rounds on Saturday night. Sunday we took off on a mid-day bike adventure to one of the lesser visited parts of the island, a little hamlet called Asa. We visited the nearby beach, and since the tide was out, we walked around more so than we would have been able to otherwise. I got a little sunburned, too.

Monday was Higashi school's annual 海の体験学習 Sea Learning Experience Day. I made sure to cover my face well and apply thick layers of sunscreen to keep from repeating the exposure on Sunday. In general, it was a much better day than last year, with only occasional clouds and wind. It was a perfect day for getting into the water and herding fish into a net (追い込み), cleaning and cooking our fish on the beach (this years catch was much better than last), and just generally enjoying being outdoors for a day.

The weather has held up well this week and it has been sunny so far today. The forecast also shows sun tomorrow and even into this weekend. Here's hoping the skies decide to stay clear for me as I make my way to Taiwan next week for Golden Week. I'll be heading to Alishan, a mountain famed for its delicious tea; Taroko Gorge National Park for some exploring and hiking; and two nights in Taipei staying with Couchsurfers who have graciously decided to host me. One of my hosts is a couple who love to bike and compete in triathlons. Seeing as I'm doing the Izena 88 Triathlon (biking portion of 66km), I'm sure we'll have a lot to talk about.