The Private Tour 2019-4-14

Leader  Ryo  Supporter  Nobby

9:30  station - cable car - trail no.1  11:05 summit - 12:15  Icchodaira - lunch 12:40  start - 13:50  Fuji trail - 15:10  lift - 15:30  599 MuseumGuests   Annaline and George , an American couple from New Jersey , USA“We want to see the cherry blossoms at Icchodaira” was their wishes. Reading their mail, you can tell that they are the seasoned travelers. 

1.      Great English Practice  

We talked all the way as pairs for five and half hours. Our members! Never miss a good opportunity, three or four of us can take part in this kind of tours, and plenty of chances to talk.

2.      Unexpected things can happen ( 3. Too )

Weather forecast last night and this morning was “ cloudy and  would start raining sometime in the afternoon.” I even warned

them to prepare for the rain.

This in mind, we started out this morning, but what a wonderful sunshine we had during the lunch time, warm and bright , perfect OHANAMI with full cherry blossoms( hill cherry) against the blue sky. Especially at Icchodaira, we found ourselves an open space on a little hill below the SHIROYAMA look out , although the tables were all occupied, it was the best place to enjoy our lunch. They praised the Japanese convenience stores, because they carry all kinds of Obento to choose from, a joy! joy!

3.  The blind leads the blind

From the Takao summit, we went to Icchodaira.  Along the way, we didn’t take the main trail to avoid the wooden stairs. Instead we decided to take the narrow nature trial, but I made a mistake of following the two men going down in front of us and missed it to turn to the right to Ichodaira. Nobby noticed the wrong trail, thank God, we went back up. Climbing up the same road was the greatest trial of this trip. What an experienced guide I am! We could laugh later, because we were OK, otherwise it might have been great tragedy. I humbly learned the greatness of nature. (Yama no kowasa – the fear of mountains) The lesson “Never follow the route that you don’t know.”  I depended on someone else. 

Annaline’s hobby is gardening, she cultivates all kinds of flowers and herbs, so naturally she is interested in flowers and plants, taking pictures of Aoki flowers and Eizan sumire and so on all along the way. George loves music. Eric Clapton’ｓ(？）concert they attended the other day. They even have reunions with the Japanese fans in both countries, Japan and America.

Thank you for a good day. Let’s have our own reunions.                        by Ryo