Mt Fuji Climb

at July 16, 2012 at 7:49am · Arakawa-ku, Japan ·

And the journey begins
  
at 新宿駅 Shinjuku Station July 16, 2012 at 8:41am 

mt fuji bound

July 16, 2012 at 10:10am · Fujiyoshida-shi, Japan · 

approaching destination

July 16, 2012 at 11:00am · Fujiyoshida-shi, Japan ·

forgot to bring the connecting cable for handphone n spare batteries ... argh

July 16, 2012 at 11:59am 
 
lucky I found a shop selling charger (1 out of 5 shops! ) at first I thought that the charger and it's cable are fixed together but when I open it, it turned out to be not attached together... now I got a cable n 3 spare batteries

Chinese got a saying "misfortune turns into fortune "  :)

July 16, 2012 at 11:51am · Fujinomiya-shi, Japan · 

lunch before climb! Not exactly yummy but it probably the last decent meal until the climb is over

July 16, 2012 at 12:15pm · Fujinomiya-shi, Japan ·

 got my walking stick n postcards ... time to climb
  
July 16, 2012 at 12:21pm · Fujinomiya-shi, Japan · 

The View from Mt Fuji's 5th Station .... we are already above the clouds .... I think it's worth a visit even if you are not climbing Mt Fuji

July 16, 2012 at 12:26pm · Fujinomiya-shi, Japan · 

and I m off

July 16, 2012 at 12:43pm · Fujiyoshida-shi, Japan · 

 such a beautiful sights
  
July 16, 2012 at 12:56pm ·

Mt Fuji Summit Yoshida Trail

After 30 mins of walking, I just had the unsettling realization that my climb had only just begun.

July 16, 2012 at 2:04pm · 

taking frequent rest
ppl zooming by
gonna walk my own pace

taking deep breath ... walking stick from mt fuji 5th station ... pace real slow ... 
very easy out of breath
photo can't up load. data transmission wonky

July 16, 2012 at 2:28pm · Fujiyoshida-shi, Japan · 

The Steepness of Mt Fuji Summit Yoshida Trail

July 16, 2012 at 3:35pm ·   

 

4.3km to go

July 16, 2012 at 4:08pm · Fujiyoshida-shi, Japan ·

First sights of the Mt Fuji Huts ... the huts look reachable now

July 16, 2012 at 4:30pm · Fujiyoshida-shi, Japan · 

reached the 7th station finally

 and how much more? I don't think I can reach the summit at the timing that I planned...

don't think I will make it in time for sunrise.
now I don't think I can make it to the peak at all 

July 16, 2012 at 4:42pm · Fujiyoshida-shi, Japan ·

Every huts on each station will have their own stamps. the huts are above each other so each huts might have the height imprint on their stamp ....

yes ... need to use the battery pack cos by the time this photo is taken , my hp running out of juice liao

July 16, 2012 at 8:56pm · Fujiyoshida-shi, Japan ·

very dark n windy but lucky light n raincoat work.
but haven't reach 8th station. too unfit to climb
underestimated mt fuji
gonna stop at next nearest hut

reach 8th station July 16, 2012 at 9:50pm 

reach 8th station hut (3100 m). gonna rest for the nite n tmr see how

July 16, 2012 at 11:06pm · Fujiyoshida-shi, Japan ·

hut stay is not bad. no smelly feet n quite cosy

Late Night Supper at a Standing Noodles Bar

this one ain't fantastic ... hope to try really nice one in Tokyo (without breaking the bank)

Guess where I m going Tomorrow?

I am going to Noborito, Doraemon Museum!
Will be taking the Odakyu Odawara Line (Express) to Noborito from Shinjuku. 
It's a 21 mins trip and cost 240 Yen from Shinjuku.
There's a Special Bus Service that takes paying customers to and back from the Museum!

My Ticket is for 12pm and they said must reach half hour in advance ... so I am planning reach the Noborito station by 11am.

Nice view of the New Tokyo Sky Tree

Look pretty massive when I flew in ... now not so much..
This view is from Asakusa ... Near the shrines
To the top cost 3,500 yen I think.. it's so ex . plus free view at Metropolitan Government Building in Shinjuku

Staying Connected in Tokyo Japan

just gotten b mobile data card...
3480 yen ... good for 30 days or 1Gb usage
helps to get around n ask for stuff

Back @ New Koyo

 Love staying here. the lady recognize that I stayed here before (almost 3 years liao), let me check in at 7am (normal check in at 12) n allow me to keep my stuff in my room on the day that I am not renting /staying. My Fave home away home for me.

return to the super duper small room

Cosy n this time, I don't need to sleep diagonally

using hostel wifi make me realize how fast my s3 can upload pix

My Breakfast

  too cute to not eat... and it taste really good! 100yen only

 

ARGh ! It's Closed !

hiaz finally made the super early effort to go n it's ... officially close for the day

 it really dampen my day . walk 30 mins to find a ghost town n nowhere to go but back... but it makes me determined to make it this time round. must find another day to go

At 新橋駅 Shimbashi Station

guess where am I now .... Internet Cafe!

nope I didnt miss the train ... its part of the plan ... later at 4ish, I plan to go to fish market ... but i think today got no auction ... just go see see
  

 
first time at a internet cafe that provides tissue, wet tissue and lots of plastic bags

I purposely wait for suggestive images to appear on screen to capture this photo. it's also got my room number on a key that used to activate the porn ... opps I mean internet in this room

it's really a good photo shot! !! It captured so much info! !! My friend pointed out that "This angle and timing is perfect! Juz look at the mirror reflection!!!! " 

But I'm worried if it caught reflection of something else but lucky I wasn't caught with my pants down.

Best Way to Fly

Airasia to Haneda airport ... Bad Timing when I reach Haneda tho ... got to rush for the last train to city

Meanwhile @ Sepang, Malaysia

waiting to board next plane ... sleepy

Remaining Flights to MT Fuji Booked

Booked my remaining flight from SG to KL (10th Jul 2012) and KL to SG (20th Jul 2012). 

Total Damage = $29.38 + $54 (inc Tax n Baggage) = $83.88

INCL Flight from KL to TYO n TYO to KL = 306.20

Total Flight COST = $389.58

Thanks to this Free Seats Promo, the total cost for the entire flight from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur to Tokyo and back is about 10 bucks cheaper than my estimation. 

Mt Fuji & Tokyo - 10 Jul 2012 to 19 Jul 2012

Just took the first step to climb Mt Fuji in 2012. Booked the return Airasia flight from KL to Tokyo for $303. Step 2 would be getting the return flight from SG to KL. Step 3 & 4 Learn Japanese conversation daily and start training for mountain climbing. 

Targeting the climb either on Thur 12 Jul 2012 to Friday 13 Jul 2012 or any day within Mon 16 Jul 2012 to Wed 18 Jul 2012. A rest day for Thur 19 Jul and prepare for the journey back at 11pm.

Likely to reach Tokyo Haneda Airport at 2230hrs. Instead of rushing to check in at a hotel / hostel, I would probably try to stay in a capsule hotel or a manga cafe near Tsukiji. Afterwhich, wake up early to visit the fish market at Tsukiji for sushi breakfast. Then check out and make my way to the hotel that I booked.

Would also like to visit Shibuya Station for the very first time. Hopefully I can locate Hachikō bronze statue. Perhaps I would visit the National Science Museum of Japan to see the real Hachikō .

 Last but not least, I would really like to visit the Sumo wrestling training and the Earthquake simulator in Tokyo. Didn't get to do that at the last trip in 2009 so hopefully, this time round, I would finally be able to accomplish that.