Mount Fuji

I've always wanted to climb Mount Fuji, but by the time I got to Japan the offical climbing season was over. But there was still one hut open, and you are still allowed to climb, so I decided to give it a try.

I started from the 5th Station at 2pm, and it took about three and a half hours to get to station 8.5, which was the only hut still open (it was the last night, they closed the next day). The Hut was expensive 8000¥ to have a meal and sleep there. But it was good to have a rest and it was very cold on the mountain at night. We started again at 3am to make it to the top for sunrise.

Of course it was too cloudy to actually see the sunrise, but the clouds cleared occasionally so we could see the crater for a few moments. It was too cloudy for us to find the summit until it cleared a bit.

It was pretty cool to be up above the clouds at sunrise.

The climb down went well and and we made it back to 5th station at 10am. The drive back to Kawaguchiko was pretty cool. Kenichi turned off the radio and said "Listen". There are strips on the road similar to the warning strips on highways. But they are made in such a way that when you drive over them the tires on your car play a song. Only in Japan haha.

It was a difficult hike and it was freezing at the top, but it was definitely worth the effort. Now on to Everest!

Yokohama

Yokohama was once a small fishing village for most of Japan's history. But at the end of the Edo period, the Shoguns were forced to trade with the outside world. Still being worried about outside influences they restricted outsiders to only come to Yokohama to trade. This resulted in Yokohama growing rapidly and a large number of Chinese coming to live there. Even after the fall of the shogunate continued to grow and is still the busiest port in the greater Tokyo area.

There is still a large Chinatown in Yokohama today and the city of Yokohama now has a population of over 3 million people.

There is a really nice waterfront front area with the Cosmo Clock 21 being the most noticeable landmark. It was the world's largest ferris wheel when built 20 years ago, and it doubles as the world's largest clock.

Tokyo

There are more people in the Greater Tokyo Area than in all of Canada. They can't really build the city outwards, so they build it upwards. Most buildings are over five stories high and many much more than that. Tokyo is like many cities built very close together.

It has by for the most complicated train system of any city, but the trains are very frequent, although sometimes very crowded. Actually crowded doesn't even begin to describe the Tokyo subway at a peak time.

Harajuku is the shopping area... it can be a lot of fun on the weekends because Japanese will dress up in all sorts of crazy costumes.

Akihabera is where you can buy any kind of electronics you can think of (and some things you can't believe exists). There are also video game arcades, maid cafes, anime stores. Its the Otaku heaven.

Japan is a very formal and polite society. People working in stores all wear uniforms. Even office workers seem to have a uniform of a black suit and tie. There is a formal etiquette that staff in stores and restaurants follow.

People are very friendly here. Some cities you might worry about opening a map in public as it indicates you don't know where you're going. In Japan people will offer to help you, and walk you to where you want to go. People really go out of their way to help.

Hawaii

Aloha!

Hawaii has a pretty cool vibe, especially the North Shore of Oahu. This is where all the best surf spots are. Unfortunately the waves were a total mess the days I was there so no one was allowed to go out.

There weren't any waves at all in Waikiki, but it was a nice little hike up Diamond Head, which is a volcanic crater nearby.

Now I'm off to 日本 !

Hopewell Rocks

I think I should put some photos of something near to home on this thing.

I haven't been to the Hopewell Rocks in a long time, so it was good to see it again. It was a really clear day, we could see all the way to Dorchester Cape from there.

Also did some repelling at Cape Enrage. I'm not really that good with heights, but once I figured out what I was doing I was abseiling downthat cliff like a pro.

Lunenburg

It was good to see Lunenburg again. Went out for a sail on the Bluenose. I wish we had a little more wind but we had fun anyway.

Chester

While growing up I spent many summers visiting my great-aunt and uncle, Marion and Johnny. It was really cool to go back and see all these places again.