Nikko

So here's some picts and a synopsis from my final trip before I left Japan. It was nice to be reminded how beautiful Japan can be.
Day one. Took the train out. Hiked to Kirifuri Falls, which everyone sees, and about four more down in the valley, which no ones sees. Then hiked up to the top of the mountain and stealth camped in a clearing on a ridge. No danger of being discovered as there was a light rain all day and I only met one other hiker in the lower section.
Day two. Traversed the long ridge over four or five peaks. Started at six and hiked till five or so, although the last hour and a bit was on roads. Despite expensive rain gear, I was totally soaked a few hours in and stayed cold and wet all day. Since it was cloudy, there were no real views, but the ridge itself was reminiscent of the Koolau summit, except there was a trail and the mud was usually only 2-4 inches or so, instead of the summit 8-12. And there were pine trees. After all those hours my knees were killing me. The bad one because its weak, and the good one because it had to do twice as much work. Plus they don't believe in grading trails, so for a 800 meter vertical descent, the trail is maybe 900 meters long. Ouch. Luckily the day ended in Yumoto, which is full of natural hotsprings.
Day three. Hiked down through the main valley, around several lakes and along a stream, and through a wetlands, and past some waterfalls, ending at Kegon falls with lots of tourists again. Caught the train home again.

Ichinomiya, Ohara

So Friday night I am sitting around thinking, "I should really probably work tomorrow, since I can't really think of anything else to do and I have a lot to do before I go, but I don't really feel like it" when Bryan calls to invite me surfing. Well, that simplifies things considerably.

The wave of the day

So after I went in because I was cold, some really good sets start to come through. Bryan catches the wave of the day, except Dave is right in front of him. It's one thing to blow your friend's wave, but another to have it immortalized on film. Here's the sequence. (Bryan bails right after this.)

Dave's defense

Here is how Dave says that Bryan tells the story.

When I'm 4

Gwyn knows that she will be four sometime in the future and for her it has become the time when she will do all sorts of things she doesn't want to do now. For example, she has told me, at various times that when she's four she will,
eat all of her breakfast
walk instead of be carried or ride in the stroller
stay in her bed
be a big girl
wipe her own bum
touch the sky when she jumps
Although I appreciate how G is now, I am looking forward to her doing all of these things. This last one was overheard when she was having some conversation with her mom that involved breasts. I think it started about why she shouldn't climb, or jump on, or otherwise abuse her mom.
Gwyn, "When I'm four, I'm going to get some big ones."
I think I can wait on this one.

. . . these are all my fears.

When I was little, my teachers used to complain to my mom that I didn't say anything in school. My mom's response was something along the lines of, "How do you do it?" Miriam, I think, is kind of the same way. As shy as she is in school and with strangers, she's pretty loud at home. She also really likes to sing at the top of her lungs, at home, in the car, while she is supposed to be going to sleep. Lately, her favorites have been the Sandra Boynton CD, and lots of primary songs. Although her rendition of Snuggle Puppy is very cute, the primary songs are even better, especially for a couple where she sings them a little bit different.
For example, from the girl who is so sweet that she gets teased by her three year old sister, "If the Savior stood besides me, would you do the things you do?"
Or my favorite, from a Child's Prayer, "I see my mother kneeling, with our family each day. I hear the words she whispers, as she bows her head to pray, her prayers to the Father, these are all my fears" and then straight to the refrain, "I am thankful, love is spoken here." Yeah, me too.
Here's a random picture from our trip. Bus ride home.

More BSA in Japan, kayaking

So I planned this hike last weekend to some waterfalls I have been wanting to check out forever. It is finally so intensely hot and humid that life without waterfalls is unbearable. But, being from Laie, I unthinkingly chose the Saturday of the first three day weekend after school got out. It should have taken us maybe an hour and half to get there. Instead, after three and a half hours we were stuck in traffic halfway there and it was not going to get any better. So rather than take six hours to get there, we bailed and drove to the military base and rented kayaks and kayaked in the bay. I could portray it in one of two ways.
Here is the gritty industrial side.

And here is the beautiful natural side.