Flipping for Fall Fest!

So we pulled into Karuizawa and it as sunny fall day, with coloured leaves speckling the mountains and the nearby Volcano, that's right we were right near an active volcano. But, we couldn't climb it, don't worry I looked into it.

Since our hotel was a little outside of the main town we decided to store our baggage at the Train station and walk around the town for a bit. We walked around the outlet mall that they had there and it was pretty much like all of the other asian malls around, luxury brands and ridiculously expensive. After going to the mall, we saw that they had a little fall fair, or festival going on. The first thing that we saw were trampolines with harnesses on them. You have probably seen them at the stampede or at a fair or something. The difference with these ones is that big kids could go on them - up to 80kgs - and you could do as many flips as you want, which you can't at any of the ones that I have seen -

Cami was up and was pretty impressive rocking a couple of double back flips!!!

Cami Rocking the Double Back Flip 

It was then my turn. I had convinced myself that I should be able to do triples, but when I got on there I wasn't so sure. It's weird cause the cables change the way you flip and you have to actually use them to rotate you or else you can't rotate very fast, especially when you are trying front flips. So I did a couple of doubles and then hucked the triple back. It was pretty cool. I have done doubles on the tramp and Jeff and I have double bounced Bradey to try a triple that ended with his face in the tramp, but these were pretty fun aside from the nasty nauseousness that came afterwards. I was also able to whip around a triple front too. Again, I didn't feel better until after we had some food and I had a small nap by a big beautiful fall tree and a small pond. I didn't think it would mess me up that bad, but it did.

So after the fair, oh I forgot to mention that we got some pitas/donair that were delicious, that's what we had for food.

So again, after the fair, we went to the other side of town and checked out some small shops filled with jewelry, jams, bread, paintings and leather goods. Cami bought me a nice leather friendship bracelet to add to the first one that she bought me because she is just that friendly, I'm a pretty terrible friend because I haven't reciprocated. Then we tried the best apple samples ever and when we tried to purchase one to share, instead of a bag of five that this nice gentleman was trying to sell for 1500 yen - i.e. 21CAD, he gave us two for free!!! I was shocked, who gives away expensive delicious apples??? We were very grateful and said arigato gozaimus a bunch of times. The apples were the best apples we had ever tasted. The sun started getting low and the shops started to close so we started to walk back to the train station to pick up our bags. We stopped at this nice little cafe place that served sandwiches and split a clubhouse and a salad and finished off the day with a waffle ice-cream dessert.

Our second day in Karuizawa was even better than the first. We woke up early to fog and misty rain, got on our bikes that we had rented the night before and tried to find ourselves some breakfast.

Early Morning Mistiness in Cami's Hair 

  We settled on a little bakery that produced a sub par eggs and salad, but redeemed itself with a sugary bun that tasted like braid with sugar sprinkled on the top. We were then off to our hike. The plan was to bike to the trailhead, hike up to see two waterfalls and then make our way back. However, when we asked the hotel receptionist about the trail she said, " ...I think... impossible" I had a map and could see the legend. I estimated at most it would be a 6km bike ride to the trailhead and a 10km hike at most to the falls and then downhill the whole way back. Rather than taking her advise that it was impossible we set out to make the impossible possible.

The bike ride was pleasant, although a little wet, and the fall leaves and larches were everywhere enhancing our ride. Then after some huffing and puffing we reached the trailhead.

Wet Spider Web 

 The trail was gorgeous, like amazing, pretty much indescribable. There were so many different colours of leaves and the creek was amazing and every five minutes we couldn't help ourselves from telling each other how pretty it was. There were some good climbs and some steep descents, some bridges and slippery slopes. We saw maples, and birches, and pines, and larches. The larches even looked like the ones that change colour in Montana, but here they were framed by all of the other reds and oranges rather than just the yellows that we get back home.

Pretty Fall Colours 

There were apparently Hokkaido Brown bears, but we weren't worried until I saw the size of them at the zoo

Our first waterfall 

Me and our first waterfall 

More pretty fallness 

 We also played this fun game where you had to catch the falling leaves. Here is Cami with one of her catches.

The road would have been awesome to have taken my motorcycle on, I think my dad would have liked it as well. What do you say dad, motorcycle trip to Japan???

Really cool road up to the falls.  Epic Motorcycling indeed 

Cami with the leaf she caught 

 This hike was also nice because there was practically no one around most of the way up. So we saw the first waterfall that was named ryugeshi or something like that, ryu - means dragon - Raaaar Prycen!!!! - and then we hiked another four kms to see the final waterfall. It's supposed to be 3m tall and 70m wide, but it looked a little shy of that. It was gorgeous and we both got a persimmon and we ate them near the falls. Yum!

Up at the 70m across waterfalls 

Don't make fun of my tights, I didn't bring any hiking pants and I was not going in jeans so love my sexy man legs and just be thankful there is only one shot showing them.

persimmon!!!

Another waterfall shot 

 So after sitting by the falls we had an uneventful walk back to our bikes, filled with more songs, leaf catching, konichiwaas, and fun. We then hopped on our bikes, rode back to the hotel and were off back to Tokyo, hopefully in time to begin celebrating Cami's BIRTHDAY!!!

Bamboo forest amidst fall leaves 

Me amongst the fall colours and bamboo forest 

It was really rainy at the bottom of our hike, but it was nice that it wasn't while we were hiking 

So rather than starting another blog, I will talk about what we did on our last day in Japan.

After Karuizawa we hopped on a train back to Tokyo and went back to Hotel Oaks.  It was nice because we had been there before and knew where everything was.

Cami really wanted to find a Choco ring for her birthday so we went down to Ginza.  It took us a lot less time to find it and we got her that and some other little goodies.  We then went to find some real dinner before we ate our goodies.  Cami decided that we should have Pepperlunch, which was this nice peppery beef dish served with rice.  We also even found her a bday present.  I got her these bow earrings that were really cute and she likes them a lot.  It was kind of weird that two places were selling these earrings in this same tower and we found this place that sold them for almost 20 bucks less.  Craziness right?

So, on Cami's actual birthday we went to the Zoo, which was a nice easygoing day filled with lots of cool animals to see.  We didn't take a lot of pictures, but all in it was a great day to spend with my wonderful wife and a great way to end our awesome Japan Adventure!!!  We loved Japan and if you have the means I would highly recommend going.  It was awesome!!!

At the Zoo on Camilla's BDAY

All of the kids with their hats.  It seems like everywhere we go in Japan, kids are on field trips and they all get to wear cool hats so they can keep track of them. 

Cami's Ape index

Lockey's Ape index 

The Bear that could have eaten us on the trail