Would I feel strong? surprised? proud? nothing at all?
Right before I left my host family's house to climb Mt. Fuji, the tallest mountain in Japan,
I tried to visualize what it would feel like to watch the sunrise on top of Fuji.
Preparing for this journey was fun. I had a list of all of things that I would possibly need.
Raincoat
Towel
Extra Shirt
Flashlight
Thermal
Lots and lots of water
Food
Chocolate (this was definitely a separate category of its own)
Oxygen mask
Walking stick (a must unless you have spider fingers)
Money
Victory signs
There were seven of us, including myself, and we planned to climb Mt. Fuji all throughout the night and watch the sunrise from the mountaintop. Little did I realize that trying to forgo sleep while engaging in a strenuous exercise is not such a good idea after all.
But even so, there were so many people trying to climb Mt. Fuji that we literally had to walk in a line on our way to the top. The bright flashlights on everyone's forehead stretching miles below and above made it seem as if I were in the movie Spirited Away.
Two third of way to the top, my feet, lungs, and head started screaming for rest and oxygen. There was probably nothing more I would have liked to do than to give up and come back down, but given the fact that I was already more than half way there, I knew I had to continue.
Besides, it would be kind of cool to say that I have climbed the tallest mountain in Japan.
When I reached the top, I honestly don't know what I felt. I think my muscles knew it before
I was even able to make words. And a warm cup of milk tea never tasted better.
I think I have just conquered 12,388 ft.
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