Coming ‘Round The Mountain

I look right now at a big patch of missing skin on my left arm. It began to peal today, results of a healing sunburn and sort of looks like the aftermath of a bad arm and lit cigar meeting. This should clue you in on two things: the extent of the heat levels currently blazing down upon Japan and my exceptional idiocy for not purchasing sunscreen when I was exposing my body to the sun down on the beach last weekend. Since having patches of me randomly flaking off is not very appealing I will ensure I pick up a nice bottle of Coppertone, or whatever it is the Japanese call their sunscreen, for the next, and possibly final, big journey of Japanese discovery. Before boarding that plane back in January I knew that in coming to Japan there were two places I wanted to visit and if I were to travel to no other places save for these two I could still leave the country feeling content in my wanderings. Now, having been to both Nara and Kyoto, knowing now what I didn’t know then, I feel that these two cities would have been included but back before I landed here only Hiroshima and Mount Fuji were on my list of must sees. Hiroshima in March was an experience I wont soon forget. Since then I have been eagerly anticipating being able to run a line through the last remaining definite and now, a few days away, I am about ready to be coming ‘round the mountain. Knowing that this was topping the list of Japanese sites I have been able to plan for it rather extensively even as far back as when I was still sitting in a chilly Cornwall basement with the snowdrifts rising outside. I highlighted all pertinent information in my travel guide, looked up information on bus routs and analyzed climbing routes. When I discovered back in training to a large batch of holiday time fell in the middle of August I decided that this would be the best time to make the mountain hike and so I started planing the excursion which would include a side trip to Tokyo. What had originally been planed to be another trip without any type of companionship after a bot of cohering Mog decided to take the trip with me. His Japanese speaking ability is much better then my own so I asked him to call up and see about reserving buses. He would also book our hotel stay. Having been to Tokyo a few times before, Mog is the perfect traveling companion when it comes to trekking around the countries largest city as he not only possesses the knowledge and navigational skill to get us to some of the major attractions he also has suggested hidden gems, Indian buffets and prime shopping areas. In short, having Mog along for the trip places me more at ease. It will be nice to have a travel partner for a change not to mention dispersing some of my mountain climbing safety concerns. I have packed up the knapsack (still digging Shirahama beach sand out of that thing) and finalized our meeting place and time with Mog. All is set. Tomorrow I teach four hours, my second longest day of the month, and then I train it out to Osaka where an overnight bus awaits. Right now I don’t know if this is the last big trip but I am treating it as such. After August the plan is to settle and save. And so with a packed bag, worn out shoes and pealing sun burnt skin, the traveler steps out into another day looking East towards another adventure. He wonders if he will be able to make it to the top, if he is in proper shape. He thinks of the spaghetti maze of the Tokyo subway system and is again elated to have another traveler on the road with him. Fuji, you and I have date and I plan on keeping it. Tokyo is the under-card and you, Fuji, are the main event of not only the week but also this entire Canada leaving, Japan living experience. I look forward to finally meeting you face to rock. With that, I will be away from the computer for nearly a week unless I can pop into a café here and there in Tokyo. If not I will return next week with more photos and stories and hopefully a celebratory entry on having made it to the top of the mountain. Wish me luck, folks. Fuji, I’m on my way!