I go to hiking.

Today I can hardly move. Yesterday I went hiking in Southern Chiba with my fabulous mate Chris. I don't want to alarm anyone but I have actually been doing a spot of exercise lately. I tried everything I could think of to get out of climbing this mountain. I falsified weather reports, feigned bad knees and when that didn’t work I fell down a huge drain at the base of the mountain. Unfortunately I didn’t damage anything other than my pride and my pants and was forced to start climbing in my wet shoes. A bucket load of sweat later I reached the top and was rewarded by some enormous stone carved statues and an amazing view. This is the biggest stone carved Buddha in Japan. As I was walking down the mass of stairs leading to this spiritual being I stepped on a black snake, which sent me into high-pitched hysteria. I ran kicking and screaming into the clearing only to be confronted with this huge construction surrounded by a bunch of people mid prayer staring at the obnoxious gaijin disrupting the peace. We sat for a while breathing in the serenity (and incense) and started the trek back down. Yesterday’s feat was actually a trial run for me as I am attempting to climb Fuji-san on the 22nd of this month. We are going to climb over night and hope to be at the top for sunrise. Apparently it’s quite tough, really cold and the altitude makes it difficult to breathe. Perfect conditions for an unfit asthmatic. Wish me luck!