I'll take you in my backpack

7/13/16 I'm not sure how you begin a post about an experience like this so I think I'll start by giving a little background about the epic Fuji-san. A volcano in Japan, it was officially registered as a World Heritage Site in June of 2013. It stands 3776.24m (12,389 ft) high and is the highest peak in Japan. It is considered one of three holy mountains (along with Mt Tate and Mt Haku). More than 200,000 climb to the summit of Fuji each year. The last eruption was in 1707-08 but in 2000/2001 there was increased seismic activity under the volcano, raising concerns about a possible reawakening. So let's get down to it! We arrived via highway express bus, it dumps you at the 5th station, where everyone starts their ascent. Now that I look back at that I had no idea what I was getting into (thankfully). It was pouring down rain when we got off of the bus so it was a quick dash into one of the shops to get our gear on and everything straightened out, purchase our sticks an...

7/12/16 When you think of touristy things to do in Tokyo you think of shrines, temples, the Tokyo Tower, and hitting all of the various areas that are a must see...but what you should be thinking about is getting your happy ass in a go kart, dressed in a costume, and cruising the streets. This was by far the best way to tour Tokyo, well worth every penny. We did the 3 hour option and it was 8000 yen (so about $80 at the time because of the exchange rate) you can use their GoPro or other camera things they have to capture the experience, or of course bring your own, I didn't want to mess with bringing my own, so I used theirs. You get a quick into, how to use the car, what to do, what not to do (ram bumpers and use the horn, except in Shibuya). Then we were off, which left me slightly nervous. Yes it drives like a normal car, sort if. Missing some safety features, like a seatbelt, and well, you're low to the ground, and mine was missing some working lights, minor detail...