MT. FUJI (PICTURE OVERLOAD)

WE HIKED MT. FUJI!!!!

& it was amazing and seriously indescribable!

it takes the average person about 6 hours up and 3 down...

we did it in 4 1/2 up and under 2 down--we were pretty proud of ourselves!

we looked so strange hiking in normal clothes while every japanese person was decked out in their North Face outfits, backpacks, and ski poles.  

goldfish...one of our many snacks we brought.

the hike was probably the hardest hike i have ever done,

especially because i had to keep up with the two boys.

usually i rest about every five steps...but there were rest stops that i would force myself to make it to.

the rest stops included little ramen restaurants, snacks, and tiny hostels. 

the views were stunning. 

we were above the clouds and could see so much below us!

we ran into some guys dressed as peter pan, the mad hatter, spider man, woody, and jack sparrow.

they had full painted faces, wigs, and two of them were wearing crocs and moccasins. 

it looked so miserable.

we hiked so far up, it was hard to breathe!

they sold portable oxygen tanks at the rest stops--every japanese person had one!

it was kinda funny though, because since we are from Utah we are more used to the high altitude, so we would pass up a ton of  army and air force people.

we were staying with brian's friends parents and the mom told us it would be freezing.

they gave us gloves, beanies, long johns, sweatshirts (even snow pants...but we didn't pack them).

so our backpack was full of water, snacks, and layers of clothes! 

this was the result of the backpack on brian haha.

pictures don't do the views justice!

we left the house at 4am to get a head start because the mountain is so busy!

the mountain was pretty empty until the last 15 mins of the hike, we had to wait in line to get to the top.

^^the inside of the mountain, we learned it is an active volcano!

^^this was the top...then we went to the tippy tippy top and it dropped about ten degrees!

^^sam and brian

brian and sam served their missions together in Japan and have been good friends ever since.

sam's parents live in tokyo, so he was in town visiting them

^^we had to get a kissy pic on top!

^^just me waiting for the boys...they couldn't keep up with me coming down the mountain. 

but seriously, there were some hardcore people who hike this mountain.

we ran into a guy who got up it in an hour and a half--they sprint up it!

so, a lot of japanese guys were running down the mountain and we thought it was crazy cause it was so steep, so i was making fun of them and would run down with them. they would stop and show me their methods of getting down.

so we ran down the whole mountain and people were staring at us like we were crazy!

there were camera crews allover at the bottom of the mountain & brian waved them over to interview us. it was all in japanese so i have no idea what they were saying.

but brian and sam are a little rusty on their japanese and don't know everything,

they accidentally told the interviewers that mt. fuji was universally known (instead of world known)

and they thought it was incredible haha. it was hilarious. 

wooh! 7.12.2014

we got a postcard and sent it to ourselves (in Utah)!

i am so happy we get these amazing opportunities while in Japan. 

it can be overwhelming and boring during the week for me,

but when we do incredible things like this it makes it 100% worth it!