The unforseen

Mount Fuji

It's well known, when you travel, the unforseen events are plentiful. Bad news are they are usally a sign a problem is coming. One needs to reorganize everything, go back to the drawing table, change plans that were already in their 8.0 version.

Good news are some unforseen events are interesting enough...

I was very clear with myself. Wouldn't bouge. I wasn't going back on that. After establishing my itinerary in Japan, I decided to make it a short stay. Needed to cut somewhere. What needs to be done needs to be done. Taking my responsabilities, I cut my stay short of two or three days, pushing to later the moment where I would need to change the itinerary.

That explains the hard choice not to visit mount Fuji. That mountain might be one of the symbols of Japan, but it doesn't look easy to get there by train. With the bus, it looks easier. Would still have to find out if my JR pass covers the trip. One day, is it enough? Too complicated. Not enough time. No mount Fuji...

But...

When I got in Tokyo, I knew I would be spending two days with Hisai, a Japanese girl I met in New Zealand.  She wanted to show me Tokyo. I didn't know about her plans.

Day 1 :
- Have you seen mount Fuji?
- No. Too complicated...
- Do you want to see mount Fuji?
- Yes but it is complicated...
- I have my car. We can go tomorrow...
- Ok than!

So, by a sunny day, without clouds or almost, Mister have seen mount Fuji under all its angles. Karma was rewarding me for surviving a storm in Tangariro, New Zealand, by letting me see the Cherry Blossom Festival too, with thousands of colourful flowers. Take that, karma!

Those two days allowed me to check so many things on my japanese check-list : okonomiyaki, pachinko, mount Fuji, yakisoba, onsen, Shibuya, etc. Who do you think hate octopus and chicken hearts? Shark eggs? See urchins? And sushis for breakfast?

Here I am, a little sad to leave Japan, a country that is so welcoming. I tried to make the most of every minute, waking up at 6:45 on the last day to wash my clothes. Laundry couldn't wait anymore... Just before I left for the airport.

Met great people again. Hard goodbyes again. Still want to live on the road for a while.