The 25th Birthday Weekend

So Ron and I have just returned from a "Trip to Fuji." Leaving the house at 5:30 p.m., we ventured the 5 hours to Tokyo, hour trying to figure out how to get out of Tokyo, and then a remaining two hours to Fuji. We arrived at 2 in the morning, slept for an hour (and by we, I mean Ron, I got to sleep for 3 hours :P) and started up the mountain at 4 in the morning. By that time the sun had just started to peak. Ron and I found a spot to start, bush whacked through some greenery and made it to the volcanic gravel towards the mountain. Now, I know that I've been out of the city to know that mountains don't come equip with an escalator, but climbing up was HARD. Every step I took would make me slide halfway down my step. It was like using the Stepmaster at the gym; climbing, climbing, climbing, but not really going anywhere. Ron and I made it half way and 3 hours into the mountain, before we saw the morning clouds starting to work it's way up to us, which meant it was time to retreat back down. The real reason could have been because I was tired and couldn't take another step up, but it's my birthday and I'm going to blame the clouds. So, by 7 in the morning we made it back down, sliding down the gravel as fast as we could in order to beat the rolling white clouds, finally making it back and taking a much needed sleep in the car.





Then we went to another place a bit more my speed, a city... Yokohama to be precise. There we went to the best birthday place for Juni ever--- The Ramen Museum, a three story building with the theme of old Japan set up with numerous ramen shops from all over Japan. Ron and I tried some Tokyo Style Ramen as well as a special Kyushu Ramen. Every bite was a bit of salty, MSG heaven. I would gladly get high blood pressure for that ramen. (knock, knock, knock)





From Yokohama, we had a great dinner with Kunino's family to celebrate her grandmother's 90th birthday.

Happy birthday obaachan~~~ Happy birthday to you~~~

On the morning of the 29th, Ron and I woke up at a rest stop 500 km from Morioka, so for the morning, we enjoyed a scenic road trip back home. After arriving, we went to our local onsen, tried the rock sauna, and got a looooooong massage. Ron and I then went to our downtown, enjoyed a romantic dinner in our car ...really, sushi in the car... and watched the new Indiana Jones movie. For trying to take the place of California, Ron did an admirable birthday job.
Thank you everyone for your wonderful emails. I am looking forward to my 25th year.

Happy birthday to me~