go for hikes more often

Plenty of daytrips over the Christmas holidays – luckily it was unseasonably warm here.

I’ve been busy enough lately, so decided that this goal isn’t necessary anymore.

Ok, yes I want to go on hikes more. But I’m going to expand this goal to include any kind of daytrip which involves getting out of this here concrete jungle…

I’ve heard Nagoya described as the “Detroit” of Japan – very industrial. Plus, all the funky historical buildings were bombed to sh*t some 60 years ago, so not much character in the city.

BUT it’s a feast for the eyes, if you’ve got a cement fetish.

I went for a hike in Gifu with Mieko. IT was a pretty easy hike, only a couple km of small mountains, but I was surprised how out of shape I am. I’ve had a pretty lazy summer.

Anyway, once we got to the little village over the mountains, everyone in our group went to an onsen (Japanese hotspring) – traditional naked hottubbing… woo woo!

At least no one was sweaty anymore during the 3hr bus ride home :-)

What do you get when you go for a hike on a sunny, warm April fool’s day? A snow-covered mountain – surprise!

That was one crazy hike. Some people ahead of us had an accident and had to get airlifted out of a ravine…
I didn’t have any proper hiking equipment (especially for snow) but it was a fun, though gruelling, day.

I DID make arrangements to use up a vacation day just to go hiking on Wednesday (yay for me!) – but as fate would have it, it’ll be raining all day tomorrow (Wed), so we’re going to go on Saturday instead.

AND I’m lucky because I told my supervisor that if it rains tomorrow, I don’t want the day off and he said “OK”. Isn’t that good of him?! :-)

Meeting at 7am Saturday means that instead of a vacation day I’ll have to give up Friday night and probably Saturday night out, both of which have parties, but there’s nothing particularly special happening.

Saturday better be warm!!!!!

Hm, Harue wants to go on Wednesday, but I’ll have to take a vacation day from work (I have no classes now anyway – the student are on semester break). The only problem is… I was planning to use ALL my remaining vacation days for my summer trip to see my family. Hmmm…

Maybe I can work it. Somehow.

Hee hee, apparently I “look athletic” (even though I’m kind of lazy), so one of my middle-aged coworkers invited me to go hiking later this month. Cool!

Meeting the “Hiking” goal is a bit challenging in urban Japan. As a non-literate foreigner, it’s hard to find / get access to “natural” places.

But I have gone a couple times with friends.
And now looking forward to starting spring off properly on a mountain :-) in a week or two.