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.

Vancouver

Sorry for taking so long to update this thing... just slackness, no excuse for it.

I'm going to be putting my photos on Picassa now since its nicer to view them and easier for me to upload them. I'll still put some description of whats going on here too. You can press play to look at photos below or just look at all of them at http://picasaweb.google.ca/bulmer

Hong Kong

Hong Kong is a pretty cool city. Maybe it was just the constant rain but it really reminded me of Bladerunner.

The public Transit was good for the most part, but what's up with the long walk from Hong Kong Station to Central Station?

Anyway its apparently one of the most crowded cities in the world, but it didn't bother me too much. I really liked the octopus card... the card you use for the trains can be used at canvenience stores and fast food joints. Really cut down on having to deal with change.

Mark Twain once said "buy land they aren't making any more of it". Well HK and Macau are exceptions to this as they are constantly expanding their islands by dumping fill into the ocean.

All in all HK is a pretty cool city. I just wish it didn't rain so much.

The city

New expansion

Te little demonic mascots of the Beijing olympics

Traffic

Busy street

Countdown to the Olympics

Macau

Viva Macau!

Visited the gambling capital of Asia... actually maybe the gambling capital of the world since there is more gambling revenue here than there is in Las Vegas.

Macau was a Portuguese colony leased to Portugal under an agreement similar to the lease of Hong Kong to Britain. So there is an interesting mix of Portuguese architecture with Chinese. The old cobblestone roads were cool too, but none of the roads were straight so I got lost many times. But I somehow managed to see all the major sights in the day and a half I was there.

And did I mention there were casinos? Many massive casinos in Macau, including the Venetian Macau, the largest Casino in the world. This casino cost over 2 billion dollars to build. Inside its modelled after Venice with canals and gondolas and singing gondoliers. All quite impressive in a tacky casino way.

There wasn't enough space in Macau to build anymore, so they filled in the ocean between two of the islands to combine them into a single island. They are still expanding it to form the Cotai Strip, modelled after the Las Vegas Strip.

Portuguese buildings on a cobblestone road.


The Lisboa Casino... a big giant tacky Lotus Flower.


The ruins of Sao Paulo Cathedral


The oldest lighthouse in Asia


Cannon at Mount fortress, taking aim at the Lisboa


The Venetian Macau


The Grand Entrance.

Indoor canals




Singing Gondoliers.


New constructiion in Cotai

Koh Lanta

Spent a bit of time in Koh Lanta... mostly just chilling out. The people there were great. They didn't want me to leave. "You're one of us. You have to stay here forever." Very dificult place to leave. Had some good parties, ate a massive amount of thai food and of course the infamous duriens.

Really miss this place and I hope to get back there soon.

Fire show!


Sunset

Chang the cat... when he first came to the bar he was trying to drink Chang beer... he really fit in with the rest of us.


Another fire show

Toffee's birthday

Ting Tong bar... don't worry everyone else here is crazy too.


the view from the bar.


my friends.

Koh Tao

Koh Tao is the island north of Koh Phangan. It is one of the best spots for scuba diving in Koh Tao.

Siamese Cat

Fisheys

These colourful things are pretty cool. When you touch them, they pull inside the coral.



The beach

The road.

Koh Phangan

Koh Phangan is an island in the south of Thailand which is famous for its parties. And the biggest of all these parties is the Full Moon Party, which happens once a month... coincidentally when there is a full moon.

I drank lots of vodka and red bull and lost most of my possessions. Ah well, I somehow still had just enough money for the taxi home the next morning.

Drink stalls that stretch from one end of the beach to the other. Australia represent!


Welcome to Thailand!

More Vodka and Redbull!

Bacolod

Went out to Boracay, which unfortunately wasn't in a very good condition while we were there.

After that went to Mambukal Resort, which had some really nice waterfalls. Then just hung out in Bacolod for a few days before heading back to Manila.

Boracay

Fireshow
The Plaza of Bacolod


cool sa=tatue of some dude riding a turtle

The cathedral

Waterfall at Mambukal


Behind the waterfall

Rainy day.

Puerto Galera

Puerto Galera has very beautiful beaches and some of the best scuba diving in the world. I had the flu while I was there, but got well enough to do a couple of dives. Didn't get to see a sea horse though, which is what puerto galera is famous for.

Unfortunately my camera was having some issues fogging up so some of the photos are blurry.

Had a great time there and will definitely have to go back soon.

White beach

Beach Party

Sunset

This guy was pretty aggressive

Massive Batfish. we were feeding them so they got up really close.




Nemo again...

The beach at our resort.