A long and tiring journey...(4)

The return of the loser

Journey ends?! Not so fast, we still have to get back down to the 5th stage. And that was the most torturing part of all. Going down was a lot more difficult than going up because of the steepness. If you happen to slip, you might then find yourself sliding along with the steepness, which is very dangerous. With the strong wind too, it was not something to underestimate. We had to be more careful.

The journey down took longer than we have expected, and it was a dragging one, especially after we reached the 7th stage. From 7th stage we followed a path which was filled/laid with mud (because of the rain) and we had been dragging on for more than 2 hours (if my memory was still good at that time)!! 2 hours of torture was the worst of all that we had encountered so far. I fell for a number of times and my shoe filled with these stupid mud.

The hope of meeting the end point was a torture too at that moment. We were worried that we had been following the wrong path but we better not because I won't be climbing up again. We had no choice, since we were stuck in between. It wasn't advisable to climb back up and yet we doubted that our current path was the correct path to take to get back to 5th stage despite the sign boards that read "This way down". This was the greatest challenge of all, be it physically or mentally. Don't forget that it was still raining, and quite heavily it rained. Annoyed...

In addition to that, when I say "we" at this point, it was just the two of us. The other three had left us earlier down to 5th stage. Well, this time, it wasn't Ma and me, but one of Nesan's friend and me. He had to walk slowly because his leg couldn't follow his will to walk faster. Therefore, I stayed together with him.

Then, finally, we reached the stop point. God saved us! But yet it wasn't the 5th stage. We still need to continue for another 30 minutes to actually reach the 5th stage. This time, it was a hill-like track, which was my favourite. I like this type of track, just like the track when we get to Pantai Kerachut or Muka Head. Although my leg wasn't that obedient enough, but I can say that, my movement was faster and better than the time we climb up or down the mountain. That hill-like track was my nature, my energy and strength booster.

I actually peed somewhere right after I got into that hill track. Well, I had not been pee-ing for the whole journey and I couldn't refrain myself from pee-ing there. My pee seems a bit acidic. Not enough water taken in.

At last, with the hill track, it completed the journey, we reached the 5th stage, at around 11:50 am, and the three of them were there waiting for our return. We get ourselves into the car and suggested for a hotspring to wash the dirt away from our body.

Reaching the hotspring place, situated around the Mount Fuji area, felt like heaven to me. I enjoyed a relaxed and refreshing bath and laid myself naked in the hotspring pool.

Refreshment done, next is heading back to our home. Time 2:15 pm. Since I didn't wish to wear my mud-filled shoe, therefore I needed to get myself a new pair of sandals. Got one, and head to the train station.

Reached my station at around 5:15 pm, and treated myself an early dinner. No lunch for me that day. After the dinner, headed straight back to apartment and laid myself to the bed I have been longing for. No sleeping as yet because I switched on my television and watched the olympics baseball match : Japan vs Italy. Uehara was the pitcher until the 7th inning, without losing any points. Final result was 12-0, Japan won.

After that, continued to watch the drama "toubosha" (runaway man) but fell asleep in the middle of the drama. Woke up at around 12:15 am and watched the table tennis match : Ai Fukuhara vs Miao Miao from Australia. A tough match for Ai Fukuhara but won the match with 4-3 in the end.

A real good night after that... oyasumi nasai.

Mount Fuji - Don't think that I will be going for the second time