I woke up early to check in my next stay which was a capsule hotel by Sumida River (Close to the subway for Narita Airport, Japan). I was running out of money so I had to stick to a strict financial plan for the day and morning. On my way to the hostel, I was fidgeting with my phone in the middle of the street and a man stopped to ask if I needed any help! This is very kind you know. I said no thank you and continued walking. In London, people would be hissing at you for stopping in the middle of the street!
I put my luggage in a coin locker at the hostel (as check in is not until 3pm) for 400Y which is a lot of money according to my budget. I should have left it at the other hostel until I came back to pick it up but I didn't do that so I was annoyed. The hostel speaks little English so it was time consuming getting just the tiniest information from them. I didn't mind as I was only there one night. I needed a bed, that's all.
I got on the Ginza (orange) line to Shinjuku changing at Asakasa Mitsuke on the Marunouchu (red) line to catch the 10.40am Highway bus from for Kawaguchiko to stroll Mt Fuji! The one way ticket costed 240Y so I planned to avoid buying a ticket on the way back to save what I didn't have. The train barriers are usually open but it's the guard beside it I feared for. I planned to bum someone through and try not to get caught. Don't do this by the way, I'm incredibly skilled at this swift move in the most appropriate way.
I left at the west exit of the station and found the bus departure by the technology headquarters. Don't buy tech stuff from Japan unless you're happy with using foreign adapters and keyboards etc. I bought my ticket from the office which I had reserved online for 1750Y each way and got led to gate 26. My seat was 05D by the window next to a bulky man who kept coughing. I like my space a lot so having to sit thigh to thigh with someone was extremely uncomfortable. I prepared for the journey anyway with a blanket I carry around with me, laid back with my earphones in and slept straight away. Before this I had to make sure where I was going was the last stop.
I arrived at Kawaguchiko station after 12 and hoped to go up Mount Fuji but the clouds were being greedy so sadly I couldn't. I could still see it though but it could have been any other mountain because of the hovering at the top. I got hold of a map of Kawaguchiko which showed the two big lakes in the village. There were sightseeing buses but it didn't fit my budget so I decided to hike it. Firstly I walked to Lake Kawaguchiko passing Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, Fuji Musuem, Yagisaki park, Fuji Omuro Sengen Shrine, a camping village then took the walk trial all the way round the lake towards Lake Saiko. This took me 4 hours. The surroundings of the lake is stunning and I dream to retire by the mountains. I walked passed museums, herbal gardens, leisure parks and watched families do fishing, play volleyball and have picnics. It was a calm day with spots of clouds covering the pure blue sky and the sun would shine when it could so it wasn't hot. This was great for my walk.
I was equipped with water and cream bread so I didn't have to suffer hunger and thirst in the middle of no where.
However as I was walking I started to sneeze and my eyes began to itch. I sensed it was hayfever so I panicked away from the plants and onto the road. I sneezed every step and my eyes were sore pink. I walked by the road for a moment and thought of what my mother would say if she had seen me. I got a little nervous then walked back down to the lake side and suffered the hayfever the safe way. People live by the lakes which reminded me of the one in Geneva except it wasn't so blue. To wake up to the view I was seeing must be so soothing in rain, snow and heatwave.
I had stopped to watch a wake boarding activity go on and hoped to see one fly off from the water surface. You wear some sort of shoe board with a pipe that shoots you up pressing down on the water. One spent too long in the water (I didn't really know what was going on) before she flew up so I just carried on my walk. I wouldn't do it as it doesn't appeal to me. I was following the map so I wasn't aware of the routes I had to take (or how long it would take me). I was going uphill, through tunnels, through the forest, downhill by the cliff road, on the bike trail and on the walk trail.
I had finally reached Lake Saiko which is a smaller lake further away East from Lake Kawaguchiko. I believed to have walked about 20miles but I wasn't tired as I could have walked further more but it would just be another vast lake.
I had booked a scheduled bus back to Tokyo so I couldn't walk back. I had to get a bus, the sightseeing bus I didn't have a ticket for. I waited at a green bus stop stand hoping to look like I've been hopping on and off the bus (considering how remote I was). Luckily when one came, I waved and the driver welcomed me in. I sat down anxiously but after 10minutes, I relaxed and stayed on until we got back to the station for my bus. Although when we got back to the station, the driver was checking tickets and I was pooing myself. I thinking of every excuse while waiting in the queue and started to panic!! It got to my turn (I was last) and I tried to walk off but he said 'ticket please' so pretended to look for my ticket. I took out everything in my bag and shook my books and leaflets. I waited until he said 'its okay, never mind' (it took him forever to say this so I was panicking and in my head I was telling him to hurry up). He finally did and I got off the bus apologising. I didn't change face until he was no longer seen. Oh gosh, don't risk this.
I was still blowing out my nose and legs started to reveal pain. Not pain pain but I-have-been-walking-for-so-long-pain. I waited at the station for bus heading back the same way to Tokyo, Shinjuku. I arrived after sunset and it started to rain shortly before my stop was due.
I managed to get the subway back to Asakusa ticketless (it was either ticket or dinner).
In the evening, I had spent my last night packing for the low fare plane to Seoul, South Korea! The baggage allowance was 15kg so I had to ensure the weight and I'm leaving first thing in the morning. A capsule hotel is usually for people who can't get home at night so sleep in a capsule and return home in the morning or go straight back to work.
I thought to visit the public bath on the 9th floor for women only before I went to bed. I couldn't believe how naked the ladies were in the steamy room. There are six stools and shower heads next and opposition each other. The ladies were butt naked, like hairy vagina and boobies. nah
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