To be honest, I was completely unprepared. When Shoko-san had invited me to this event, I assumed that we would just ride the cable car to the top, admire the view, and then return to the base of the mountain. After all, she is in her late 60's.
Oh, how I was wrong. So f****** wrong. When the shuttle bus dropped us off at the meeting point, I quickly realized that we were going on a hike. I looked down at my shoes and cringed. F****** ballet flats. What was I thinking?! I'm pretty sure I went into survival mode. Everyone around me had hiking boots, rain coats, backpacks, and umbrellas. I didn't know how I was going to do it, but I knew that I was going to have to spend two hours on the mountain in jeans, flats, and my raincoat. I knew quickly that this was going to be a true test of my patience.
Our group had about 20 people and Shoko-san and I made ourselves comfortable at the back. Her pace was slow and steady. She had to be extra careful because our path was slick due to the rain and leaves. I didn't mind because it let me focus on avoiding the puddles. There were some twists and turns and quite a few inclines. It wasn't as tough as the hikes I've been doing, but it wasn't easy. As our group found its pace, my mind began to wander. And here's what it found . . .
Oh, how I was wrong. So f****** wrong. When the shuttle bus dropped us off at the meeting point, I quickly realized that we were going on a hike. I looked down at my shoes and cringed. F****** ballet flats. What was I thinking?! I'm pretty sure I went into survival mode. Everyone around me had hiking boots, rain coats, backpacks, and umbrellas. I didn't know how I was going to do it, but I knew that I was going to have to spend two hours on the mountain in jeans, flats, and my raincoat. I knew quickly that this was going to be a true test of my patience.
Our group had about 20 people and Shoko-san and I made ourselves comfortable at the back. Her pace was slow and steady. She had to be extra careful because our path was slick due to the rain and leaves. I didn't mind because it let me focus on avoiding the puddles. There were some twists and turns and quite a few inclines. It wasn't as tough as the hikes I've been doing, but it wasn't easy. As our group found its pace, my mind began to wander. And here's what it found . . .
About 3/4 of the way through the hike, Shoko-san and I separated from each other. I continued on with the group and she hung back with one of the guides. She had to slow down and take her time up the inclines. I was unsure about continuing on, but I could tell that this was something she needed to do on her on.
The last stop on our walking tour was the visitor's center where we had lunch waiting for us. We had onigiri and vegetable chicken soup. It was the perfect meal after a cold and rainy hike.
After lunch we said goodbye to our tour guides and I returned the umbrella one of them had graciously loaned me. Their kindness made my hike much more enjoyable.
We rode the cable car to the base of the mountain and waited for a shuttle bus to take us to the station. From there, we headed to Shoko-san's house. This was my first visit to her home. Since our tour happened during the time of our normal Japanese class, she invited me to study at her house. And just like Shoko-san, it was lovely.
This Sunday was nothing close to lazy. It was challenging, upsetting, and quite exhausting. But as I'm writing this and looking back, I have the biggest smile spread across my face. There was something magical about it all.
Take a look for yourself . . .
xoxo,
M
