Descending FujiSan-Aug.24, 2007

We couldn't catch the rising sun as the fog was too thick and the winds at 3c was too cold to stay too long. We we allowed to rest for half an hour at a resting hut and then were chased out to make way for new climbers who just reached the summit to rest. When we were out of the resting hut, there was not much to see except to go round the volcano crater. One walk round the crate will take about 90mins. Some of the people in the group went to the edge of the crater to have photos taken and then we started our descend down the slope.
After the excitement of reaching the summit, I didn't make doa when descending, totally forgotten. Like Ali Baba's brother who asked for the password to enter the treasure cave but forgot to ask for the password out of it.

It was just gravel, small stones, black volcanic ash that buried my angle every step I took. Some of the slopes were very sharp-downhill and I felt all the gravity going to my two big toes. The two toes were pressed hard on the shoes and every steps were gruelling all the way.
Initially, I tried the zig-zag walk, as, if I walked straight down, I would just dropped on my back.
We started to descend at 8.15am and the group leader instructed us to reach ground level by 10.30am (about 2 hours).
Let me tell you the time I reached ground level...3.30pm! That was like 8 hours away from the initial time plan.

About 2 hours, half way down the slope, I was too tired to progress further. Then, two guys helped to drag me by having me hanging on the side of each of their arms.
Eventhough I was dragged by two strong arms, I still have to stop every 20 steps because my feet were killing me.
I kept thinking of the time, that I have to reach ground level by noon, the latest, as instructed by one of the guys in the group.

By noon, I was making doa for Allah to take my life, make me dropped death there. I cannot move anymore steps.
There was this kind Japanese lady, who saw me being dragged like death hippo, stopped me and applied some muscles pain-killer on both my legs. That helped a lot with my legs but my two toes were already purple in colour. Lots of water-bags developed around my sole. The arch at my two feet were screaming with pain every steps I took. I just cannot go on anymore, I knew I cannot go on but I tried just to be in time for the group.

Then, almost ground level, when the black gravel and volcanic ash changed into black, hard hillslope...I told the group to go and leave me to walk alone.
The guys in the group were kind enough to drag me, that is more than enough for me and I already delayed their schedule.

I cannot forget these guys, sdr azhar, sdr muzaffar, sdr kahar, sdr zamri and among the cutest of them sdr firdaus, only Allah will repay your kindness.

Anyway, they have to leave me and make their way back to where we kept our luggage.
From here on, I walked myself...alone. Even this took another one and a half hour for me.
Then at last, I reached the end of the decending trails and saw 4 people of the group waiting for a taxi back to Kawaguchiko station.

It seemed we ended at Seikansou Hut at Izumigataki trail, while we were supposed to finish at the original 5th station.
There were some confusion when some people landed at the 5th station and some at Izumigataki hut. So, we were separated on different trail while decending.
I reached the group in time to take a taxi back to Kawaguchiko station together with them. There was no bus transport from Izumigataki descend trail.

Once, I let myself out of the taxi, I was flat on the pavement of the roads. It seemed my knee was jammed. I couldn't managed to stand on my two knees anymore.
I told Norhayati that I couldn't make it with them to Shinjuku and left word for her that I would stay longer at Kawaguchiko station.

I walked slowly and crossed the nearest road and enter a hotel. They don't have rooms anymore but they still have one bed left. I booked the bed and found out that it was a shared room with other ladies and men as well.
Oh...what can I do, I need to keep aurat but I was about to collapse anytime, so I just took the bed. Have a little sandwich and a hot Japanese public bath in the hotel and slept like rock.
I have to check out of the hotel the next day but then again a kind Japanese lady travelling there, spoke to me. She knew I was in utmost pain because she ever experienced the climb before and she took me in her room.
I stayed with her for 3D/2N, she bought for me muscle pain-killers and food for all the time I stayed with her.

Good thing, there were internet port on every floor of the hotel. I managed to send messages to all my friends and family by the internet. That I was still alive. I left my phone book in the main luggage bag back in Shibuya. I was glad for the internet line or else I wouldn't have any means to let the outside world knew my existent.
I was only moving while eating, taking the hot public bath and doing the internet. Other than that, I slept for all the 3D/2N while alone in the room. The lady friend that helped me was busy doing her sight-seeing and left me alone in the room all the time.
But she brought for me breakfast and dinner everday.

I only have to thank Allah for making stranger have mercy on me, to help me while I was suffering every inch of my bones and muscles.
The lady friend, Akiko, helped to book my bus trip back and assisted me all the way till Shinjuku.
But we didn't separate in Shinjuku...

At last after returning to Okinawa, my beautiful home, one week today...I managed to update on this entry.
The kind lady who helped me, Akiko, came to Okinawa to see me. She was here for about 3 days. Since she still have the summer holidays, she take the chance of meeting me at Kawaguchiko to meet me in Okinawa again.
I really appreciate all her help while in pain and with great love for her, I showed her around the island.
SubhanaAllah, alhamdullilah to Akiko, the climbers from Malaysia and to all other friends who have been kind to me.