Fuji Revisited

Ok, so some pictures did turn out.

The four before their journey begun.

Look how happy they are at first.

No problem, he says.

Seventh level and still going strong, even though it's begun to storm like crazy.

8th station! Still going, but the storm has picked up more and we are soaked clear through to the point that no one will even pose by the level sign!

A whole lot of people stuck at level 8, looking dreary but still somehow none the worse for wear.

The decision is made by Jody and Phillipe to get a room at the inn. This makes Jody very happy.

Katie and I reach the inn a half hour later. It is the numb fingers and toes that decide me to stay too. Here we are warming ourselves by a pit of hot coals.

A few hours later we take the quick route down the mountain. I was depressed about not making it to the top, but then I looked outward and saw all the fog and clouds and thought, we still climbed way up into the sky, didn't we?

So then everything was happiness again.

And thus we began our descent, reconstituted, wearing very cold, wet socks.

With only the occasional pause for Jody's vanity poses.

And upon our return, I decided that I deserved some chemicals after all of that healthy activity!

And no one was happier than when I found the window where we could pick up our bus tickets home!(Well they were to Shinjuku, but anywhere was better than Fuji at the time.)

The End