We Wander… We Wonder!!

So here we are back at Lake Fujikawaguchiko. I would like to tell you that we loved this area so much we have to go back 2 weekends in a row 🙂 but, the true story is not that simple. I am still getting used to the school holiday schedule in Japan. First off, the school is not off when it’s a public holiday. So even if work is off for 2 days, most likely school will still be in session. Much like what happend here 😀 The first time we saw the Elusive Mount Fuji was an honest mistake on my part booking our midterm break during the public holiday which is a week before the actual school holiday 😀 We had to tell the teachers and come out honestly about it, I didn’t want to cancel our incredible chance to Glamp 😀 and so we have 2 weekends of Mt. Fuji 😀

Here is part 2 and hope you enjoy the photos.

We stayed in a different place this time. It was a rush booking because we, shall I say, I didn’t realize until much later that the break was the week after. This location is not glamping kind, it’s a hotel kind. It is nestled up a mountain, where you can enjoy the view of Mt. Fuji, while bathing in your outdoor tub. How cool is that! The rooms are super small that when my family of four arrived and the front desk looked at us, he immediately told us that we will not fit in our room 😀 This is probably the first of many times, as my boys grow bigger, that we will have to book 2 rooms. The folks are so gracious that even without a booking for 2 rooms had allowed us to get 2 rooms next to each other. The hotel is magnificent, the service, the on-site onsen, and the location is wonderful.

An unforgettable adventure on this trip. Always, an adventure. Always! 😀 😀 😀 Here it goes. The hotel has a wonderful spa, so I booked the spa and later in the afternoon the boys went to an ice cave on the other side of the lake, whilst I go back to the hotel in time for my appointment. Since this was our second weekend in a row, we know how to get around. It’s a lake, and it has colored buses for a specific route. We take the red bus, with bus stops we have gotten off many many times. I went off and bought some souvenirs, I have time as I wait for the bus. I was at the designated bus stop. Here comes the bus. I thought to myself, oh the bus is not red. I went and hop in the bus, happily eating my new macha flavored kit-kat. Why would non-red-bus stop at a red bus stop. The bus went. And the turns it is making does not look familiar. And as it left the neighborhood, I saw my hotel from a different angle. The bus went on and on, up the mountain, twist and turns, down the mountain, and up again. I am so far away from the town. I am panicking, I better get off this bus. I pressed the button to signal the driver, but it took a long time for the next bus stop. The stop was before a tunnel crossing another mountain 😮 I got off, I cross the road/highway. And I told myself, I will wait for the next bus. 5min has passed, no bus. 10min, no bus. I have no signal. 15min, no bus, it’s starting to rain. I am getting really worried. So I would do what any tourist would. At 20min in, I was desperate. I started flagging all kinds of cars. To let me get a ride. Nothing. Noone stopped to help a crazy tourist flagging people as they come out of a tunnel. 30min in, I looked at how far the hotel was. It was 5Km. I have done 5K before. Many many times actually. This is nothing. It’s even downhill 5K. We can do this. I took a deep breath, wrapped my raincoat around my waist. Secured my backpack. And off I start running. Then, I look back just to ensure noone is going to run me over. And there it was, my savior. The bus!! The bus already passed the bus stop, and I flagged it with my dear life, it stopped in the middle of the highway 😀 with the driver laughing/smiling/chuckling his face says it all. And there you go, the adventure of Mt. Fuji Part 2 😀 😀 😀 After 5K in the bus, I got off and so thankful to be alive. Got some magnificent photos of Mt. Fuji half covered in clouds.

The fall colors are just beginning. We were within walking distance of the Momji Tunnel, which is a scenic walk by the river surrounded by magnificent forest whose leaves are in full Autumn Swing. Next to the tunnel is a stunning garden and a nature museum. Here are some early-autumn colors to share.

At our last day, we took a nice walk along the other side of the lake, had a nice lunch, dessert, coffee at a rose garden where bees and butterlies enjoying the scent of these flowers. We met a boat man, and since very few families were out and about, he is happy to take us around the lake, and be our wonderful photographer.