Tokyo (Hakone) - Day 3

Update!! Hjarald has VERY kindly 'dehazed' my Mt Fuji picture and sent it to me. THANK you very much Hjarald. You're a star!

Well what a day it's been!!! Woke up at the crack of dawn to catch our fast 'Romance Car' train to Hakone Yumoto.

It's been a wonderful day in every way and I couldn't have asked for more, except maybe have the boys with us ;-)

We started at MotoHakone where we jumped on a pirate ship on Lake Ashi to get to the other side at Togendai to catch a cable car (RopeWay) to get some views of Mount Fuji, got this very hazy picture on the way up. Wish it had been a clearer day but I'm thankful to have been able to see it at all. We've had visitors come to HK and go up to the Peak and stand in a cloud, so I am happy to have seen it and fulfill a childhood dream.

We then walked to the sulphur ponds (very smelly) at Owakudani and even had black eggs! So brave we are!!!

Back on to the cable car to take us to Gora, a lovely little town where we had our fill of cherry blossoms, big time! We took hundreds of photos and were so happy to see the different varieties of blossoms. Had a super Japanese tempura lunch in Gora as well.

On to The Hakone Open Air Museum which housed some very fun and creative sculptures and a dedicated Picasso exhibit, which was okay. Can't say we're huge fans.

Then, after we'd just about had enough, we decided to head home earlier, as we were really tired. Lots to take in, it was all lovely and I loved being there. So much beauty, this place is soooo clean.

Back to Shinjuku and a wonder around the busy-ness of this place and found a cool restaurant to have dinner at. We ordered our meals/drinks at the table on a touch computer screen and 5 minutes later, it appeared on our table!!! Crazy, and so clever.

So some reflections on this my 45th year on planet earth. So grateful for my amazing parents and sisters who have shaped my life. The Youth Fellowship that have been instrumental in GK's and my walk with the Lord and set us on the right track in life and for my amazing husband who puts up with me and has made so many adventures possible. I have two wonderful boys that I'm very proud of and a whole bunch of friends I would not survive without. Past and present and of course ... this wonderful blip community.

I shall sleep well tonight thinking about all that God has blessed me with. What a splendid way to spend a birthday.