Wandering Through Wonderland: Adventures at Mt. Fuji and Lake Saiko

So on August 19th I went camping with the Furuyama family. I stayed with them for a few days the last time I was in Japan, and we've kept in touch over the past three years. The family consists of Yoshihar, the father; Megumi, the mother, Reo(9), the boy; and Maiko(10), the girl.

I had so much fun with them! On Saturday we drove up to the 5th Station, which is as far up the mountain as you can drive. After that it's a 6-9 hour hike to the peak. Not such a good idea with the kiddies, so we just hung out at the station. It was gorgeous up there! After that we hiked through one of the many caves created by a Fuji explosion. Embarrassingly enough, I was not aware that the volcanoe was still active. Luckily I'm far enough away where I would only be covered in volcanic ash, but with plenty of time to escape the sliding lava should it reach my area.

After that we checked into our cabin and made dinner. Then we walked down to the general area to light off some sparklers. That night Yoshiharu and I sat and talked on the porch. He dreams of the day he will move out of the city and have his own garden, so Dad is going to take some pictures of the garden for him. Also, they were amazed that Grandma and Grandpa Tritt have elk on their farm. They are excited to see pictures of that too. Maiko and Reo asked if I would bring them to the farm if they ever came to Wisconsin - they love the idea of a "real American farmhouse."

On Sunday after breakfast we went into town to pick blueberries. You just go into the garden and you have forty minutes to pick and eat what you can. It was great! Then we went to an alleged "bat cave," though I didn't see any signs of any bats. However, you have to admit that those are some pretty cool hats, right? Afterwards we just hung out down by the lake until it was time to go down to the bus station. We had dinner in town and then I caught a ride back to Tokyo Station. The others stayed at the lake another day, but I had to be back for a conference on Monday. I didn't want to leave! It was really nice to escape the suffocating heat of the city and just relax for a bit.

These people are the nicest family I've met here. They really try and do everything they can to make me feel safe living so far away from home. I've been giving every cell, home, work, and friend's number possible in case I ever need anything. Of course nothing is the same as having your own family to go to, but it's nice to know I have somewhere to go if I'm ever in need. I'm going to try to take some pictures of my apartment and the school tomorrow and post them over the weekend. So until next time, I love and miss you all!