Book 9 Author's Note.

Author's Note

To write book nine, I went to to Doukon district to do research. My objective was to better grasp the mood and setting of the countryside. I was greatly inspired by the setting, and tried to convey the mystery and beauty of the place in this book. When I arrived in the area, the local train station did not have directions and I asked a staff member at the station about the location of the shrine and temple. He was very detailed with his instructions. A brochure I had obtained from a travel agency tour guide had said that the shrine would be five minutes away by train, but the temple would require a walk of 30 mins or more. It was a nice day, and I had plenty of time, so I told the man that I had planned to walk to my destination.

"I can led you my bicycle." He offered.

It was a nice day, with a light breeze, and since biking would take me to my destination faster than walking. I took him up on his offer and thanked him profusely for lending me his bike. Following the map that he had drawn for me, I set off for the temple and the shrine.

A five minute ride took me to the shrine.... that's odd, shouldn't the shrine be a five minute WALK?

I had ridden my fastest, so fast that I was out of breath, but I still arrived here in five minutes...........hey!

With a feeling of apprehension, I set out for the temple.

I pedaled and pedaled for another twenty mins before reaching a marker in the road. Up ahead was a steep incline.

Saying that the temple is only a thirty min walk from the shrine is complete rubbish.  That should be apparent by now. Gee... thanks a lot for the directions.

About halfway up the incline, I had to off the bike to push it up the hill, the reason being that a funeral procession was passing by. What the heck, why does all this stuff keep happening to me?

/cries

I walked for a while and finally reached the entrance of Golden Spring Park. (Translator note: Okay... the word she uses here for the name of the park can also mean hell... as in she finally reached the entrance of hell..... Im assuming it's not that.)

The mountains were quiet and still, devoid of people. To the east, a vast swamp stretched out into the mist as far as the eye can see. It was very calming, still, and yet I was filled with a sense of uneasiness. What was I doing here, all alone, out in the middle of nowhere.

The swamp began at my feet and seemed to stretch endlessly into the mist. To my left, a large amount of lakeweed and moss had piled at the edge of the swamp, forming almost a platform. It was as if something large had emerged from the water and left the lakeweed that had covered it's body behind. (Translator note: I bet that's where she got the idea for the seaweed and hair draped monster.)

/shudder

Because it was so creepy I didn't dare linger. It's so remote here, so out of the way.... if someone disappeared...I...NO! cant think about that.

In three steps I sprinted back to the bike and leaped onto the seat, slamming down hard on the pedal, and flying toward the foot of the mountain. I used every ounce of strength I had, and finally made it back to the town and the train station. Sitting at the station, I ate some of the snacks and pastries that the locals at the station had handed me.

A few of the locals, asked what I did for a living. "Im an author, I replied, I came here today to do some setting research for my book."
Upon hearing this, the locals seemed very interested. "You should visit the local town hall, they have a lot of information about the
town's history there." So I left the station to the fanfare and well wishes of the locals and set off for the town hall.

When I introduced myself as an author to the secretary at the town hall, he was more than happy to go over some of the town's history.  "For information about local flora and fauna, climate, annual rainfall, I would suggest that you consult an almanac." He pulled out one from a drawer and pointed to the relevant information. There were a lot of pages to read, but all the copies that I made came in really handy when writing this chapter.  The station worker that had lent me the bicycle stood on the platform until the train disappeared from sight.  Ah, living in the city, it's such a privilidge to visit such a warm and friendly little town.

/teary eyed goodbyes

I cant thank enough the people that I met there. The sunset over the lake was beautiful as we passed it by train. I vowed that If I had time, I would visit Doukun again...but maybe as part of a tour group next time...

/Laughs