Incisa Valdarno ~ Levane 23km

1. Today’s headline photo is a selfie with the resident who purposely followed the K-traveler, listened to the story, and took a commemorative photo.

2. Today’s course is straight 23 kilometers.

3. The departure time is 5:40.

4. The lodging I stayed at yesterday is a hotel made by renovating only the 3rd floor of general residential & commercial complex. It’s cheap, around 55 euros. Even it’s cheap, the interior is not bad. There may be many such lodgings in south of Florence. It relieves the burden of traveler.

5.

6. I can frequently find companies with significant scale in this region.

7. The scale of COOP, a cooperative store, is also large.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12. Google recommends to get out of the city and walk along the Arno River.

13.

14.

15. I walk almost 5~6 km along the dike of river. I can’t see the flowing river, however, because the trees are thick.

16.

17.

18. Looking at this scenery, I eat the Kebab lunch which I packed yesterday around 8 am.

19. Coming back to ordinary road, there is a large metal company. The name of this city is San Giovanni.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24. I took a selfie with manager who was kind to me at gas station rest area.

25. When I meet people or vehicle while walking on the road, I tend to wave my hand and say hello.

26. I wave slightly left and right while showing my palm upright. Then they usually see it and wave back.

27. These days, drivers recognize K-traveler ahead and cheer me by sounding the horn. Sometimes, they notice I am heading to Rome, and ask me directly.

28. It’s interesting at the time of traffic jam. When I walk with a wave, not only the driver but also the person in passenger seat usually wave back. When I wave my hand for a while, several dozens of passengers look at me and wave back. So, it is cost-effective.

29. I learned this behavior from a Buddhist who walked with me in Taiwan. When he waves, the drivers recognize him and wave back to him. In a very short moment, there is response and connection. When I found this I exclaimed, ‘This is it!’ Afterwards this habit became mine.

30. Since then, my habit received good responses in most countries. My experience in Thailand remains in my memory. There were many young women going to work by riding scooters. I think it’s the first time they have seen a person waving like me, and they liked my waving hands. It was five years ago when they waved back with bright smile in Thailand, but I still keep the nice feeling.

31. Italian people with a bright nature also show good response. In Europe, cars are rarely tinted. So I can see the faces of passengers clearly. (Although Italy has quite a few tinted cars.) The women who smile and wave back are chic, and I get energy from the men who open the car window and raise thumbs up and shout.

32. There are countless people who were connected with me in a brief moment until today. The story of ‘Reaction and Connection’ is meaningful.

33. I enjoy the time when we wave and smile. Then the fatigue goes away.

34. This person stood on the street and waved each other. After a while, he purposely drove his car after me. He learned the story of K-traveler and took a commemorative solo photo.

35. It was cloudy in the afternoon, so it was nice to walk. But after arriving at the lodging, it started to rain.

Categories: 27. Italy, Course and Diary