The Auditory

Vol 1205 - Inawashiro to Kuki (Outer suburban Tokyo)

This week we’re approaching the only multi day rest stop we’re having in Japan, in Tokyo. It will give us a good chance to explore and manage my Achilles (which appears to be improving) and dad’s spine, which he seems resigned to agony with.

This week is exploring what I’ve been listening to on the road, how it’s helping me and how I want to experience sound on this journey. Again, not a recount edition so here’s my rose, thorn and bud.

Rose: Nick in Nikkō

We spent yesterday in a hire car tearing around Nikkō. We haven’t been to too many temples and shrines so far this trip so was amazing to explore the Shrine of the first Shogun of Japan. We took an audio tour that used this touch pen and map system, it’s hard to explain, but I was very impressed with the technology. Almost as impressed as I was with this 5 story pagoda that used a 30m hanging pole as a counterweight for wind and earthquakes.

After the temples, we explored the temples and lakes in the mountains above the town. It seems when dad and I travel we tend to gravitate towards waterfalls. Kegon falls takes the cake for me, hits all the notes you want from a water, cliff, gravity, aesthetic family friendly. If waterfall gully knew about Kegon it would have to take a long hard look in the mirror.

Thorn: Foolishness from Kym

Speaking of people who need a long hard look in the mirror, Dad nearly got hit by a truck. That’s the headline really. It would’ve been his fault, which is the worst case scenario for a man who doesn’t fear death, but is petrified of dying stupidly.

This was bought on by dad’s stiff back making it hard to check his surroundings, partial deafness, no rear radar or mirror (all rather concerning when I say it now) combined with moving from a long winding decent on a near empty road to a busy semi-highway. This had dad gently carving into the middle of the lane through a turn just as a truck passed me, very close and very fast. There was about 5 seconds while I thought he was going to be hit and 5 seconds while I thought he was hit.

In any case, he was fine, only thanks to the truck’s impressive stopping speed on a steep downhill. There is a good teachable moment to not weave into the middle of the lane while a truck is bearing down on you. I think he’s benefit from a radar and a good mirror.

Bud: Alex and my Laptop arriving.

Alex, a good friend and father to the family I grew up sharing a backyard with is coming to join us for a high paced section around Mount Fuji. He was / is(?) an elite athlete, with a lighter bike is a concern for my ego, but is outweighed by being able to experience a part of the trip with him.

He is also kindly ferrying my laptop over. I have decided I would like it for a few reasons:

• I’m loving writing these silly articles but are quite constrained by the Substack offering for writing on phones. It’s also tiring on the thumbs.

• Visas, route planning and general business can be much more easily conducted on the laptop.

• Footy finals.

So excited for that too, more excited for Alex’s arrival, obviously.

What have I been listening too?

But enough with that, obviously what people want to read is not what I’m seeing and experiencing here, they want to know what man made audio is being pumped into my dome. Given the amount of time I’m spending on the bike, I’ve been granted a lot of time to listen to a whole manner of things.

I have been working to devote time to listen to the world around me and be alone with my thoughts. This is in line with what I discussed 2 posts ago, I’m working to unpick my brain from constant stimulation and slowing down. I’m not as hardcore as some though. I have on good authority from a friend that did the full Heysen trail, if you just leave yourself with nothing but thoughts you should run out of good things to think about in around a week. Phone calls home, audiobooks, and podcasts have been helpful. Music has been my biggest auditory vice thus far.

I brought a Bluetooth speaker (a JBL clip) as a luxury item, covering off the safety. But also bringing on the hazard of turning a blind corner and finding yourself playing Kendrick Lamar in a cemetery.

I find music carries me through the ups and downs of life and often defines periods of my life. Listening to a song that was on repeat for me years ago will transport me back to moments and feelings I don’t often access. So for this edition, I wanted to share what 5 songs have been carrying me so far, what they mean to me and what they’re doing. I feel they are fast becoming intertwined with this window in time.

I don’t think it would be a surprise to anyone with a window into my political machinations that I was raised with some sprinklings of midnight oil.

This song has long been misunderstood as a homage to the Bathurst 1000, but is actually about a now defunct trail race. I choose to interpret it as the statement that I the listener am the polka dot jersey holder in the Tour de France. As proven by my 6.5kph climb up a hill in my granny gear. I find it a cracking pump up song for the middle drag of a long climb.

I really liked Clairo’s last album, I may have suggested it’s my album of the decade, that might’ve been too passionate. We will see when I’m 30 🤢.

The central, titled concept obviously resonates with me on this journey. The exploration of feelings of love and loss are particularly pertinent to me as I adjust to having my partner on the other side of the world. I’ve found it comforting.

With varying levels of shame throughout my life I have always been a fan of U2. While preparing for this trip, and as I previously have said I decided this would be the first song I played as I set off so it’s tied up in all my pre trip excitement.

The man himself, Bono, has acknowledged the song doesn’t really mean anything, beyond a desire to get out into the open, who could hate that? what an opening riff hey?

Another hype song for mountain climbing. The opening marching beat gets my cadence up and the line “I ain’t never had a doubt inside me And if I ever told you that I did, I’m fuckin’ lyin’” is fantastic for my illusions of grandeur and overcoming my non existent doubters. I don’t ride faster to any other song.

Again, a bit corny. I enjoyed it a lot during uni but soured on it in recent years. I found hearing a song going on about seizing your living and living it a tad painful to listen to. I found it upsetting that I wasn’t getting outside enough and going on adventures as I got into full time work. There was more I wanted to do, particularly in my 20s and I feared missing them.

Now that I’m on this adventure my background drive around wringing every little bit out of this short, unimportant life I can has been fed. If I won the lottery tomorrow I would still be doing this exact trip for the next year (just without the trade off of home ownership). Now I find it listenable again and it gives me confidence that I’m doing the right thing for me right now.

Thanks for tuning in yet again. I really appreciate people engaging with me on this strange website. I’m certainly no music critic but have enjoyed putting words to why I connect with songs. Anyway, till next time xx