Fuji

We went to Mt Fuji, it was ok, a bit touristy to be honest. but definitely worth doing. We also stayed in a Ryokan which is a super posh hotel that was really expensive and where you get massive elaborate Japanese cuisine and also get to bathe with naked people. On the way there, Flo was given a Pikachu mask because everyone in Japan thinks she is the cutest thing ever. She is getting better at being Japanese, look:

The trip through the mountains was really nice, it took a lot longer than we thought as we had to change loads of times. When we got to the right place it was quite late and the man from the Ryokan came to pick us up. We were rushed through to the dining area where we had a ridiculous amount of food, little candle cookers with meat and crab pincers and sashimi and strange vegetables and pastes. It was very nice, even Flo is getting into the food now, although some of it is quite scary.

After tea we went up to the room, and I got a bit moody because it wasn't that great... not for what we'd paid. I think the whole experience is about the food and the hot spring baths, but 2 weeks of sharing a room finally got to me. Also, futons are not really for me, I like squishy beds with millions of pillows. We have been travelling around loads and it is tiring, although the right attitude makes everything better, sometimes you just feel a little defeated. Anyway, Dan and Flo made it all a lot better by looking after me and I soon bounced back. Also, this was the view across the lake in the morning, even if it wasn't from our room:

We were going to some cool caves, a lava wind cave (which had ice in it) which was so cold it steamed up Dan's glasses when he came back up into the sunshine:

and also a bat cave. All the bats were asleep but it was pretty cool going down underground into the coldness. I got a little claustrophobic thinking of all that heaviness above us

In a way the best thing was the bat museum bit as it had loads of cool maps and bat paraphernalia, it was also excellent to walk through the suicide forest (or the Sea of Trees), which felt really spooky and still- the trees are so close together that you can't hear a thing, and sound is completely deadened. All of us were looking for dead bodies as around 100 people a year kill themselves there... it was sort of obvious why too as the place is very calm and inviting

We also went to a Gem museum which was really good, full of big bits of rock crystal and shining jewels. Dan said it was stupid

Then I had a lavender ice cream, it was really nice. We also saw Mt Fuji for the first time though it was shrouded in cloud and all my photos of it were rubbish, so here is the ice cream 

On the way home we saw the sun setting and that was the best bit of the day. We also saw a lone eagle swooping around above us, he was a bit raggedy and came down really low. Dan got some brilliant pictures of the sunset that he will post soon I expect but here is my attempt

Then we had another amazing dinner and decided to try out the baths. It was very nice in the ladies one, although Flo wore her swimsuit to begin with. When she saw that everyone else was starkers she took it off. It was basically loads of women sitting around washing themselves with all the fancy potions provided and occasionally having a dip in the hot spring bath. It was a lot hotter than I'd imagined, almost too hot. There was also an outside bit, so Flo and I went out there too. You could look out over the balcony over the lake and that was pretty good. Then we went back inside and Flo tipped loads of buckets of cold water over her head, it was fun. I always enjoy being naked with other people, especially women- it feels like a throwback. Perhaps it is different for men, but I think for girls it feels a bit less weird. 

The next day we went to the theme park Fuji-Q, and went in a horror house but I haven't had breakfast yet so will write about that later. Currently in Tokyo again and trying to catch up with everything we've done. Needless to say, I LOVE Japan, it is brilliant. I hope we get to come back soon...