# Out and About in Japan # ... camping with mates

     My great mate Darren from Australia was in Japan for a holiday and Alex was up in the hills around the Okutama area doing some hiking.  So the idea of us meeting up for a camping session seemed like a good idea.

Winter is here!!  It's freakin cold!!  My sleeping bag is a bit old now ... so why not go and freeze our balls off and have a great time!!

As soon as we arrived at Mitake it was all go to the 7/11.  We needed beer and wine to quench our thirsts!!

Because it's winter time it's bloody cold here in the mountains.  Last year when I was here by myself --> it snowed!!  I suggested to the guys that we pitch our gear near the shelter just in case.

Usually when people go camping they all kip in a tent together don't they!?  Well not us!!  It turns out we all have our own accommodation!!

Darren has brought his tent.

Alex just put down a mat, laid out his sleeping bag and said ''mmm, that'll do!!''

I put up my trusty hammock!!  Actually it's my second home ... ain't nuttin' better than a hammock for sure!!

While we are building our homes we were also getting quite sloshed!!  It wasn't long before I had polished off a bottle of wine.  Alex was taking it a ''bit'' easy as he had a bit of a throat disaster and Darren was opening his whiskey a bit later and just starting with some beer  :))

The night was brilliant.  Some great food was cooked up, a huge fire roaring and the stars in the sky at night were almost there to be touched.  Not a cloud in sight, so no worries about it snowing this year.

                                 Cheers guys for a good time  :))   .... oh, and yeah ... Darren brought the tunes so there was a bit of an air guitar session happening.  We grooved!!