Faces of Fuji #2.1

...as I was saying...

Fooge is a very different mountain than Fuji-san.

Where Fuji-san is a beautiful and serene mountain, Fooge comes right out and challenges your sexuality.



Fortunately, I was there, and vouched for our group's ambiguity.

After suiting up and preparing our blinding headlamps, we stretched for a good hour and set off.




Fooge doesn't make any bones about being a jerk either. The climb is a hard slog, and if you aren't prepared, you will probably have an uncomfortable climb. Fortunately, there are some helpful signs in both English AND Chinese (Japanese too, of course) to help tell stupid people to get the "$#%&#"% off the mountain.



Still, useful advice like "Don't bring an umbrella, dumbass" and "you need warm clothes, dumbass" still didn't prepare me for the shock of seeing hundreds of Japanese girls/women who WEREN'T wearing high heels. This must be the only country in the world where sightseeing can be done in stillettos (I'm looking at you, Hakone Pirate Ship Passengers).

Of course, there was one guy who didn't get the memo. We spotted him about halfway up the mountain, wearing a t shirt and flip-flop sandals while everyone else (except cold-lovin', shorts-wearin me) was bundled into coats and winter hats. He was carrying a plastic bag with all of his shit and was clearly as high as shit. I made this educated guess based on the fact that as we started to pass him, he looked at us, nodded, and thoughtfully remarked "woowoowowowowwoooowoowowwowowoowowooooeheheheeheeeeeheehhhhhhhhhh"
...after which he kicked up his heels and zipped up the hill ahead as fast as he could.

Fooge likes these kind of things.

Fooge also likes irony, such as this rest lodge that has very clear priorities.
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One of these shops, at about 3500 metres, is probably the only ramen shop in the the world where customers huffing from oxygen tanks is a regular occurance.




When one finishes the climb to the top, I feel it is also important to celebrate just how wonderful Fooge is with a suitable beverage.

Scotch.


Of course, with all of the lovely staff and shops and whatnot, it must be tough to hike all that shit up, right?

Hah. think again.




Still, you are allowed to be tired after climbing up and down a huge volcano for seventeen hours.




Fun was had.


Stay tuned for more commentary. I'm headed to australia today, so I will have plenty of thrilling time alone on various forms transportation. All the added security means that covert masturbation is probably out, so I'll be able to spew plenty of verbal abuse.