# OUT & ABOUT in JAPAN # ... 200 Meters to go

     "OK,  guys.  See you in the morning at Shinjuku station."

          It was Friday night and we had just finished a drinking session.  Tomorrow,  bright and early ,  Carlos,  Alex and I would meet at Shinjuku station at 7am,  crack open some beer and jump on a train to climb Mt. Fuji.  We were looking forward to the climb.  Fine weather had been with us for the last few days.  There was no full moon,  but still,  all looked promising. 

          On the train the usual antics of getting completely drunk,  doing runs to the toilet when possible,  drunkenly talking nonsense to the unsuspecting passengers and having a whale of a time went down a treat.  :))

          By mid morning we arrive at Stage 5 and prepare to climb the big hill.  Stretching,  some food and a short relax and then we are on our way.

          From Stage 5 there is a couple of kilometers walk to the point where the vertical climb starts,  it's a flat walk and takes some time.  It's here where I like to spin the Japanese hikers out.  They are decked out in the latest and best type of equipment!  It looks like they are ready to do Mt. Everest!!  Here we are in our shorts and T-shirts.  But I'm wearing a bonus spinner ...  my beach sandals  :))   The comments,  faces of horror and stares I get are always a good laugh and a good way to start the climb.  I do have more appropriate shoes which I change into later. 

     Up we go!!   :))

          It's a busy afternoon.  There are a lot of people climbing today.  Probably around 95% of the people that climb Mt. Fuji sleep in the huts that are dotted at the stages on the way up.  There are quite a few huts at each stage.  Crazy adventurers like us sleep rough!!   :))  But were are not crazy ... we just enjoy doing things differently   :))

The man,  the legend ... Alex

  ( I'd attempted my first climb last year with my New Zealand mate,  Mike.  The day before the climb I started to get a sore throat.  I was revved up to go so we continued as planned.  Mike and I reached Stage 8.5,  but by that time my condition had deteriorated big time!!  I stayed in my hammock while Mike made the final push to the top.  I was gutted.  I'd failed to climb Mt. Fuji. )

          This year would be different.  It was time to get to the top. 

          Alex,  Carlos and I were making good time and apart from the usual break stops at each stage we had made it to the same stage as Mike and I did last year.  It was time to camp.

          The best view point to see the sunrise is from the top.  If the climb to the top isn't possible in one session,  then depending at what stage you are at it's best to wake up around 2am or 3 am to make the final push to the top.  The last part is the hardest!!  It's steep and take about 2 to 3 hours. 

          So out went our sleeping bags and in went our sore and tired bodies.  The topic of conversation soon changed from moaning about our aches to ... WOW,  look at those stars!!   Sleep overcame us and we were soon in a slumber.  I was suddenly prodded by Alex as he accused me of touching his leg!   What bollocks!!  We were in our own sleeping bags!!  More than likely you were suffering from height sickness  :))  ( it's an old joke now )

In the background are some of the huts that are at each stage

          As we slept huddled under our sleeping bags I was woken up by a strange noise.  It sounded like sand was being blown across my sleeping bag.  I dismissed the noise as sand ... I still don't know why I thought that  :))

          What seemed like a couple of hours later but probably wasn't I woke up again to this strange noise,  but it was louder,  heavier!  I put my hand outside my bag.  I was devastated!!  It wasn't bloody sand,  it was F-----G RAIN!!

          "Carlos,  Alex,  wake up!!"

          We scrambled around the boarded up huts looking for some kind of shelter,  stupidly leaving our gear in the rain.  It needs to pointed out that volcanic rock isn't smooth,  it's coarse and sharp.  Carlos made a roof of plastic pallets we found.  We got inside but it was impossible to get comfortable because of the volcanic rock!  Plus the roof was leaking heavily.  We were running out of ideas so we decided to go down to Stage 8 and seek some real shelter.

Outside the hut during a rain break.  Check out the coffee, 600yen for that!?

          Now,  these huts are interesting.  First of all the staff are really rude to you unless you are staying in one or buying copious amounts of items from them.  Otherwise they won't give you the time of day.  But we had no choice!  We splurged and bought cups of weak but hot coffee and scored a space by the small open fire that was so deliciously burning.  Soon we had our clothes,  shoes and socks drying by the fire.  I felt sorry for the guy next to me as the steam from my socks drifted past him  :))

          Some time later Alex piped up with the suggestion that we try to complete the climb to the top.  Carlos was in but I didn't want to move from the space I had paid so much for next to the fire.  Collectively we abandoned the idea. 

          The sun came up.  We didn't see the sunrise.  It just got light!  It was still too cloudy for any special sunrise surprise,  so we packed up and headed back down the hill. 

          For the second year in row I didn't make it to the top ....  Aghhhhh !!  :))

          Cheers to you Mt. Fuji,  I'll be back next year. 

This is sunset as we were going up.  That cloud at the top kept changing shapes,  it was caught in the wind that goes around Mt.  Fuji.