but the drive there in the bus itself was fairly pleasant. the landscape was pretty cool except for the bus driverdudes head constantly in the way.
well, anyway, we didnt see much for the first few hours of the hike (it being 9 in the middle of the night n all. this is pretty much what we saw.
^ and only with excessive lighting from the nearby hut.
well, anyway the hike was hard and tedious at the beginning. everyone was pretty much drenched in sweat near the beginning (we would soon run out of sweat to drench ourselves with).
soon, the rest of our small group left me n my dad behind, cos we were trailing behind~ so me and my dad struggled up the mountain (dormant effin' volcano) step by step, it reached a point we were so exhausted that we took about 10 steps and stopped for a few minutes, then 10 steps, and another few minutes. i didnt tihnk we would reach the summit, and we never did. but it wasnt really due to time constraints to catch the sunrise that we didnt make it up there. 3.30 in the morning the wind picked up into some serious speed (God was trying to toss us off the volcano, i swear), and grit, ash, dirt and all its other cousins of similar fine grain began to assail us. we seeked shelter in a nearby hut-thing. forget what they're called.
grit traveling at half the speed of light, right into our eyes.
anyway, so me and my dad werent going to the summit, what with the miserable winds raging outside carrying its torrent of ash. i was a little disillusioned at first; i wouldnt catch the sunrise.
(which wasnt really true. we were trekking up the east side of the mountain and caught the sunrise in its full glory)
Also, it turned out to be ok 'cos some of dads friends went to the summit, but didnt get a good catch on the sunrise, cos of the huge number of people who had the same idea (as it was put; "traffic in Housten"), the only thing we missed out at the summit was the stamp on our hikin' sticks~
We were, however, gawking at these senior citizens who came in soon after us under similar circumstances; getting the heck out of the "severe weather conditions." now it would've been alright, cos they bought some of the places extremely overpriced drink and food.
and 60miuntes of rest (no sleeping) was 1000yen/hour
hangin' out in that hut. with food and drink! (see above for prices)
but on our way down, it wasnt so bad, i caught a gianourmous number of pictures of the surrounding scenery on the decent. to be honest, i was wearing what one would call a "shit-eating grin" pretty much the whole way down. the sun was shining, i even heard the birds singing. it was a pleasant walk down. except for the fact that every step i took jarred my legs. so my knees were hurting and my heels were aching.
Anyway there was grit in our eyes for most of the trip, and it really sucked. i was practically crying dirt n water. yes. it was and remains disgusting to me, too.
For most of the hike, me and dad were just kinda sitting around recuperating and just thinking about the massive distance we had to cover (300 meters was 1.5 hours. it was horrible.) and we got home, sweating, smelly, exhausted, and injured (blisters, knee impact injury and the like), and with more than a couple new tears in our clothing. it really sucked as a trip.
But it didnt really matter. I got to spend time with my dad~
we dont spend that many times doing something supercool and awesome, but every moment i get to hang out with my dad just doing random stuff is good enough for me. Now, my dad hates hiking, and doubtless hated this one. but halfway through the despair filled climb i realized that my dad was simply doing this to spend time with me, and give me some memories, which he did, of course. He did an awesome thing, just getting on that moutain with me, and taking care of me as we climbed, making sure that i was ok, paying obscene prices for drink and food that would doubtless revitalize me from my moments of complete despair (really, i was hoping id never have to go higher or lower, just find one of the damned huts and ask to live in there. it sounds funny now. you try getting stuck on a volcano without being able to feel your legs for exhaustion or your hands for cold. cant see straight cos of the flying grit, cant think straight cos of the combination of all, see if you have any thoughts, if you can even think at all.)
I dunno, the time on Fuji was one of great hardship for both of us, and we both came off complaining the life out of it, but i told dad that we'de find something about it that was good sooner or later. but at that time i already knew what was good from that trip.
I got to spend time with my dad doing something different. yknow not just our talks in the kitchen (which i like, too) or the lectures (a little less than the talks). i dunno. its something great about hiking up a mountain with a dad who doesnt want to do it. i tried really hard not to cry on that mountain when the realization hit me, dad asked me if i was catching the flu. i said i was having the snivles.
The man who climbed a mountain for me.
My hero.
My Dad~
~~
