Day 13 (Aug 11) - Travelling on my own for a while

Morning was a bit rough due to my wacky sleep schedule, but I managed to eat breakfast before heading back out to Mount Fuji. We weren't able to book a seat in a limited express train since they were all booked, so we had to take a rapid train instead to Otsuki station. Once at Otsuki, we transferred from JR onto the Fujikyu Line to Fuji-Q-Highland. Admittance to the park was free; only the rides cost money. As you enter the park, they took a picture of your face which I'm assuming is for security purposes.

We found the Haunted Hospital, or otherwise known as the Super Scary Labyrinth of Fear. My brother and his friend were interested in giving the attraction a try, but I knew that I would probably have some sort of accident that would leave me embarrassed. I opted not to join them as they went to purchase their ticket.

They had about an hour or so (or was it 90 minutes) before their appointed time, so they went for lunch. I didn't want to spend my time walking around the amusement park, so I left on my own adventure. My father mentioned a tourist spot nearby called Oshino Hakkai. I left the park and went to the bus stop to catch a bus to the location.

I admit, I was a bit nervous since I never traveled by myself, let alone in a foreign country. My nerves didn't go away when the scheduled time for the bus came and left. I thought I had missed it completely, but I did arrive 20 minutes early to wait. Once the bus arrived, I breathed a sigh of relief as I hopped aboard. The trip took around 20 minutes, and by the time I arrived at Oshino Hakkai, I was surrounded by tourists. It was a lot more touristy than I thought it would be.

For those who never heard of the place, Oshino Hakkai is known for their eight ponds (used to be the sixth lake of Mount Fuji until it dried up hundreds of years ago) that had snow melt from Mount Fuji. It was set up as a tourist town with a whole bunch of food stalls and souvenir shops. I regret not trying out some of the food, but I was on a mission to search the eight ponds. Due to a lack of time, I only managed to find three.

I headed back to the bus stop (opposite side since I wanted to go back to Fuji-Q-Highland) and waited for the next bus, which was slated to come in around 15 minutes. 15 minutes came and gone with my bus not in sight. An elderly lady, who was waiting behind me with her husband, asked me about the bus. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to answer back, so I told her I didn't know how to speak Japanese. She kindly smiled and, if I remember and interpreted correctly, mentioned that it was late. After an hour, the bus arrived. The elderly lady motioned me to go first by telling others behind us that I've been waiting there the longest -- so kind of her! =)

The ride back was pretty uneventful besides a young couple beside me. To put it simply, I felt my personal space being invaded quite a bit despite there being room on the bus. =/ Anyways, I made it back in one piece and met up with my other two companions. We then ordered tickets and waited about 40 minutes for the train to our next location.

Shimoyoshida was a quiet station, but the walk to the Chureito Pagoda was very scenic. Something about the countryside, with all the greenery makes it serene. After around 15 minutes, we arrived at the base of the Pagoda. It was cloudy, with Mount Fuji being obscured by said clouds. As time went by, the clouds diminished and we were able to capture a picture of the Pagoda with Fuji. I wasn't able to take a wide angle shot, but my brother was able to take one.

As we returned back to the station, there were food stalls set up in front. Drinks and Yakisoba were 100 yen each! I couldn't resist purchasing a Yakisoba since I didn't have any on the trip yet.

The trip back to Shinjuku was uneventful for the most part. I spent the hour thinking about my first independent "trip". I think I can see where solo travelers get their joy -- you're in control of everything, not having to compromise for anyone. I still prefer to travel with others, because I enjoy sharing the joys of new sights, but perhaps I may travel on my own, for a much longer duration, next time!

Maybe I'll start small... like somewhere in Canada first...