There`s a famous japanese proverb: `He who climbs Mt Fuji once is a wise man, he who climbs it twice is a fool.` I completely bloody agree!

Mt Fuji conquered! There was less snow on it than that picture so don`t worry. Fuji`s divided into 9 stages and all tourists get bussed up to 5th station halfway up the mountain to start the climb. That`s cheating! So Sean (Hawaiian guy never seen snow before) and I started like the olden pilgrims from the shrine at the base of the mountain at the yoshigaduchi trail. We started at 1pm and hiked for 5 hours through lush forest, stopping at each stage to leave some money at each shrine and generally swearing at eachother for being in so much pain.

Arrived at 5th station at 6pm (no buses you lazy arses) and met a canadian guy who`d been hiking behind us. We then reached 7th station, scrmabling up mountain rock and slept in a mountain hut until 1 in the morning surrounded by snoring school children.

Woke up at 1am to hike to the summit, my legs now falling off but we made it for sunrise. Unbelievable. We were 3777m above sea level, above the clouds looking at a stunning sunrise and contemplating never feeling our legs again. It was freezing at the summit so we didn`t hang around too long but long enough to have a swig of whiskey to celebrate.

Then fell down the mountain and collapsed. My legs don`t work. I can`t walk up stairs. But it was worth it, the most incredible thing I`ve done. But only a fool would do it again..

Now having some lazy days doing day trips from tokyo and off to nagoya on sunday to meet my mate Ed living out here to watch the Sumo wrestling tournament! And have read in news out here that there`s a chronic shortage of sumo wrestlers out here.?So if I bulk up on ramen and noodles for sunday maybe I could enter the tournament...

Hope everybody`s well,

Lerve

Jonny

P.S. Will try and put photos on at weekend, I`m strggling at the moment!