The day began at 730. Linus was pushing for us to role back our wake up times in order to prepare for the coming days, aswell as to maximise the day. Ready to leave at 830, the group waited on a certain member to emerge from their infinite slumber. Pool games were played, clash Royale games won and thrown, reels mindlessly scrolled. Then came Mike. Anger. Anger erupted like Pompeii everyone wondering where he was. It turned out a shower and hair routine were in order. With the hair looking schmick and our bellies empty we began towards the train station and searched for the train that would take us to endoshima. Many train rides later, and some feuds between beanie and Toby about which platforms to take, we finally arrived at our destination. 

Across two bridges lied an island, covered in trees with I giant viewing tower at the top. The entire island was connected through one very very small street about 3 meters wide and covered in tourist traps, and more frustratingly, tourists. Slow annoying tourists. Tourists whom were inferior to us in every conceivable way because I said so. After taking some photos and walking around we queued up for a ticket into a cool cave with some stuff to look at. The cave was small and had some water leaks which were cool, but caused me some concern for the safety of my camera which was hanging from my neck. The small caverns forced us to crouch down to get to the little tribute at the end, and at the end of one of the caves lied a dragon statue which played thunder when you clapped your hands together. Much to my disappoint, continuous clapping yielded no more thunder. We then left the cave and go started on some food as some of us were hungry. 

The group decided on either a tea shop or a sea food restaurant. Too hungry for tea, I decided to go to the seafood restaurant with Harry Mike and Toby. Not yet feeling as adventurous as Toby, I decided to get a cheep icecream for lunch, while Toby chose to go for the cooked sea snails and raw fish. None of the waitresses spoke a lick of English so moments were awkward and extremely confusing at times, but all was well in the end. We then regrouped with the others and went to a beautiful light garden thingy with lots of beautiful structures. Simon and Mike decided not to pay the entrance fee and waited outside for about an hour, while we went up the tower and admired the outstanding view of the area.

We decided to split up as by sunset some of us wanted to go home and some wanted to continue exploring a nearby temple shrine thingy. Us white boys all went walking to the shrine, but soon discovered it was a bit creepy and closed. With some confusion and conflicts with suggested tours back to the hostel, we eventually found our way onto a cool monorail, which would’ve provided a very cool view I bet, had there been some light. Afterward we boarded another train, but when asking Toby for our progress we discovered that we were on the wrong line. We divided to get off the train, but in a cinematic moment, Toby was trapped inside, with the rest of us outside. Now separated, we continued to communicate over Instagram and eventually we all found our way home.

Hungry from our adventures, beanie Harry and I ventured to get some sushi, and eager for somewhat of a taste of home, we got some tuna sushi, only when we got back and ate said sushi we had discovered that we had actually ordered 4 packets of fermented bean sushi. Feeling absolutely betrayed and disgusted with the atrocity that had been committed against us, we went down to the shops and got some more food, while gaslighting the rest of the group that the food we were offering them WAS in fact tuna sushi and waiting for their reactions. 

Day 3 was in many ways less eventful than the past two. The day began with me accidentally blasting my balls with water as I struggle to figure out the stereotypical Japanese toilet. After getting dressed and ready, I went to the local family mart to get some white person food aka tuna sushi and then ate it upstairs with everyone else. We made our way to a minibus we had booked for the day which I thought would just be an hour at most……. 4 hour later.. with an ass stiffer than Harry mood, we arrived at or destination. Before exploring the Fujiyoshida sengen shrine, we decided it was time for some food as some of us hadn’t had breakfast and it was now 1. With all the exotic choices of food, I decided to broaden my mind and try something I couldn’t get anywhere outside of Japan. Some French fries. We enjoyed our food in a little hidden section of the place we were eating which was very cozy and nice. Concerned that we needed to use our time effectively before we left, Toby Mike Simon and I left the others to go look at the main attraction and capture some photos.

After some time the others joined us and we began our ascent up the mountain, how we waiting to avoid the hundreds of people climbing the small narrow stairs leading to the main shrine, I suggested we take some side paths that slowly led us up the mountain with almost no other tourists. The views were very nice but there were more to come. Back in the main area now, we climbed up to a small outlook where I ask some English speaking tourists to take a photo of us all. Don’t get me wrong, I was very grateful for them taking time out of their day to take a group photo of us either the  “heaviest camera [he’d] ever held”… however I don’t think I could exaggerate enough how horrific this photo was… I don’t think it could’ve been much worse if he tried. Regardless, Toby and I were keen to keep tracking up the mountain where other tourist feared to tread. With the impending lack of time in our minds, we went onwards with haste, bet kept getting held up by the rest of the group. After about 20 minutes we reached turtle rock which only vaguely resembled a turtle, and the rest of the group was wanting to stop. Beanie Toby and I wanted to go onwards, believe we were close to the peak, and so we told the group we’d be back in a mere 5 minutes. 10 minutes later we discovered a small sign and a local telling us we were 5 minutes from the peak and so we excitedly and hastily trekked onward to the top. 

My photo:

Not my photo:

Once we arrived, I couldn’t believe the view. The hike which had been completely encompassed by trees now led to a view unobstructed, showing us the beautiful town below, alongside mountains Fuji, which was unfortunately hidden by clouds. Admiring the best view I’ve seen in my life, I got to work with my camera, which despite capturing an incredible image, could never convey the beauty I was experiencing. After some quick photos we had time concerns in mind and made our way back down to the others. Now at the bottom, it was clear some of us were hungry and out of energy, which was further reflected in the quiet and sleepy drive back to our hostel. Once regrouped upstairs, we prepared for a long 20 minute walk of wondering and looking for a place to eat. 15 seconds into our 20 minute walk, we decided to go to the local place 30 meters from where we are staying and spent the remaining 19 minutes and 45 seconds ordering food from a single iPad which had no English at all despite having chosen the English menu. When our food arrived, we all learned how much we all loved gyozas, as each one of us on average had a plate of about 10. Being gyoza festival, Each person was given a free gyoza voucher, and we calculated we’d be able to topple the Tokyo gyoza economy with the 72 free gyozas we’d have gotten from the vouchers. 

Day two started with blood nose. The frustrating event caused me to be late to meet everyone in the communal area at 9. A problem that wouldn’t cause much trouble given mikes ability to neglect all plans and sleep till 930, only showing up another 15 minutes after that. The day began with us all (eventually) leaving the hostel and getting some food at Shibuya. Boarding 3 different trains we found ourselves at the iconic intersection, however instead of taking photos we decided to head to a small cafe for breakfast. They didn’t sell much but what they did sell was delicious. Almost the entire group, myself included ordered the French toast which came with some whipped cream with almond. After playing some clash with Harry we all packed up and decided to split up. 

Harry Toby beanie and I split went as a group and the others had their own adventure. We slowly began making way for a shrine which was not too far away. The walk led us down lots of roads, bridges alleys and more. One alley we went down was explosive with tourist trap businesses trying to sell nothing but overpriced junk, and when a fluent English speaking sales man reached out and said hello and began harassing us to have a look at what he had for sale I learned and important lesson; if you’re on the street and THEY speak English, then I speak German. The problem solves itself. Lying between us and the shrine was a train station, or a giant detour. Thinking we out witted the system we decided to touch on with our cards and go through the train station, thinking no fare would be deducted since we never went anywhere. We were wrong… none the less we made our way through the beautiful shrine/massive garden and I bored beanie Harry and Toby to death with all the photos I wanted to take. There were lots of cool things to see like giant arches, carts with beautifully artistic displayed food and more. Eventually we found a nice patch of grass the sit down and sleep on, and through lots of walking we found our way out to a more public park where Toby and I purchased some balls to kick around.

Night was arriving and we still had time to kill before meeting up with the others for dinner, so we did some exploring in the city along side some attempted shopping. I was drawn to many thrift shops, however learnt in seconds that thrift shops in Tokyo are more of a fashion label rather than a place to get second hand clothes, as some of the prices were almost what I’d expect of new clothing. We decided to continue our way to the rest of the group but found another thrift store. We thought we’d be quick, but I found the coolest jacket I’ve ever seen in my whole life for just $4500 yen very happy with my purchase we found the others and discussed plans. Beanie Linus and Peter decided it was booze o’clock while the rest of us went off for some dinner. Toby had his eyes set on some ramen, that had us joining a 33 group queue online before we could enter. Although moving fast at first, it came to a complete halt after about 15 minutes. Not wanting to go, I convinced Toby and the others that the line wasn’t moving, and we’d be wasting another hour if we sat around waiting to be served. After 31k steps we all had felt pretty defeated and took the 40 minute voyage back the hostel. When we got there we all got some “dinner” at the local family mart and hung around playing pool. 

Milan was pretty good. It was kid’s day yesterday. We messed around, played around on our iPods, had a nerf war, had a swim and yeah! We had pizza for dinner. Each pizza was one mete long and we had three of them so we had three metes of pizza!

We went to this station, that station led to a cable car, and we went on the cable car to a really high place and it was snowing up there. And we went into the clouds. I was really scared so eventually we went back down. It was an adventure and I was really cold.

Well we went to Rocamadour and it was pretty cool. Apparently – this is really weird but – there was a sword in a stone and it was really high – you’d need a jet pack or something to get up there! And whoever pulls it out, apparently, is the king!

We went on this awesome elevator that had windows on it, it was basically in a rock so you could see the rocks of the mountain while you were going up in it, and then we went in an awesome cable car.

So we wandered around the place as nearly everyone does. The castle in the mountain was really good. They made lots of high walls so when people are attacking the castle they get heavy materials and drop it on the people below.

We went to this awesome church and we had a little wander around. The top part had gold which was pretty cool.

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We went out for lunch and I had a marguerita pizza and you wouldn’t believe how big it was! It went over the whole, entire big plate.

Mum told us the story of Bernadette. Bernadette, she found this cave….I’ll start from the start. They were all poor and they couldn’t afford any home so they lived in the dungeons. When they were going out collecting firewood, Bernadette found this cave. She thought she saw a girl and no one believed her. When no one believed her, a while later these springs appeared and they weren’t there before. They bathed in them. It wasn’t really bouncing springs. It was just basically the springs as in the water. She bathed in it and apparently she got healed. Although she did die somehow. After about 40 years they dug up her body and it didn’t do the dissolving thing, so 10 years later they did it again and it still didn’t happen so they decided to take her ribs and give it to places and churches and stuff. It was very mean and random! <

We went to this church. We wandered around the church and what was freaky – it was really, really freaky, shall I tell them about this mum because it might give them nightmares – so there was this person, they had their own skull which every one has and their own hand which everyone has, and it got cut off and they showed it in the place (Michael is talking about the relics of a saint that was displayed as part of the church’s “treasure”).

After the church we went for lunch at this restaurant. Nick was very full so all he got was chips. I got the entree which was a cooked steak and chips and salad which was delicious.

After lunch we went to another place. We went on to this train up to this castle kind of looking place and then we wandered around there for a while. It was pretty cool. There was a telescope at the top of the hill with a good view. The cobblestone were pretty and they were good because they were poking out to help you walk up the hill.

What we did today was go to Carcassonne. It was really cool. I loved exploring it. I was so excited about the barrels of lollies.

The castle was pretty cool. I loved how it has the draw bridges and how they poured boiling hot water through the murder holes on them when they tried to get in. They block the front door and then they block the back door and then they pour boiling hot water on them!

The castle is like a normal castle except with three different features. Awesome and lovely! That’s the first one. Second, it’s epically and awesomely humongous. And the last one is that it has three layers of walls! Three layers and a humongous castle – it must have taken them 300 years to build.

We did a whole bunch of things. We went to the prehistoric park, that was my favourite thing. At the gift shop I was really excited because mum and dad finally let me get a very special rock collection. There was all the fun stuff there – we got to do what we wanted, mess around, do some climbing on this stuff, go through this humongous maze and it was amazing. We threw some spears, it was really fun. The really annoying thing was that I got stung by a nettle.

The castle was pretty cool. And like that was the best place to put a castle. It took 8 hours to get up that mountain and if people were attacking it would take a day to get up there.