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Through the mists!
Moto-Hakone pier waiting for the boat Our thirteenth day began very early with a 6am alarm, so as to catch the 7.17am train from Takayama to meet with the Shinkansen at Nagoya.
Amazingly (and after much apologising) our train pulled in to Nagoya six minutes late, apparently there is to be a national inquest into this, so we may get called back as witnesses to this national disgrace; at least that's our hope and our guesses at the mad and frantic explanations being given to every passenger as they 'detrained', as an American would put it.
En route from Nagoya to Odawara we got sight of Mount Fuji for all of two minutes; it was an extremely impressive sight, rising out of the clouds from what appeared to be nothing at all. Unfortunately, so suddenly did it appear and disappear that neither of us had the chance to get the camera out - very unfortunate, as to date we haven't seen it again!
At Odawara we got off the bullet train and on to a local service bound for Hakone and when we arrived at Hakone we transferred to a bus to get to Moto-Hakone to get to the Hotel Charlotte. The hotel is
Another Torii gate in the water
Memories of Miyajima - if only the weather was the same right on the banks of Lake Ashi, a fresh water lake fed from snow waters the mountains and as deep as 725 metres.
By the time of our arrival the weather had got worse and the rain and mists had descended upon us. However, as the pass we had to get from Odawara to Hakone included a boat trip, cable car trip and funicular trip we thought 'what the hell' and went on them anyway. The boat trip was pleasant, although a little wet, however the cable car trip was utterly pointless as we went through the mists with a visibility of nack all, which is not I might add, a small village outside Hakone!
The only sense being used was that of smell, as the sulphur mines in the volcanic hills can be blamed for the glorious rancid egg smell that drifted into our nasal cavities.
After a trip across the mists and the slowest funicular journey known to man we made our way back to the hotel for dinner, which promises to be fish caught from the lake we are staying by. Its then out for evening trip to the local 'onsen' for a bit
Our mode of transport
Yes, all that was missing a cast of Johnny Depp, Keira Knightley and Orloomo Bland more soaking of the body, whilst trying not to flash too much of our bits in public ć»however being the only westerners in there we generally attract attention.
Next stop: Tokyo, but hopefully before we get there we might get another sighting of Mount Fuji and this time with a chance to get the money shot for our album. Cheerio until next time!
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