Kait

Hari ini buku kait ini datang dari Bristol, Gloucester, England. Tempah online dari Amazon. Harga asalnya GBP20 tapi dijual murah kurang GBP4. Sudah lama tertinggal kegemaran ini. 30 tahun dulu pernah kait baju kardigan dan sweater. Rasanya kalau tidak balik semula mengait, mungkin akan terlupa cara-cara memegang kayu pengait. Lagi pun mengait sangat mendamaikan hati saya. Waktu celah-celah tulisan yang memerah fikiran, mengait sangat melegakan kepala. Itulah saya mula mengait semula.

Ini pohon terung pipit. Pohon ini tubuh liar di sisi jalan besar. Ia sedang berbunga. Saya kata apabila sudah berbuah nanti, akan datang petik buah-buahnya. Tapi diberitahu hanya burung-burung saja makan buah terung pipit ini. Tidaklah, buah terung ini boleh buat ulam makan dengan nasi, saya pula nyatakan. Orang itu ketawa besar seperti saya berkata perkara pelik.
Saya teringat seorang kawan di Singapore mengadu yang pembantu di rumahnya kata kangkung hanya digunakan untuk makanan babi di kampungnya. Orang Singapura makan kangkung tapi untuk orang dia, sayur itu diberi kepada babi.
Adakah perbezaan ini menunjukkan kelainan taraf hidup pada kedua-dua bangsa ini?
Saya tidak pasti.

*****

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.

Ascending FujiSan

I joined the climbers from Msia at Shinjuku train station, the west exit. Aini, my host, was kind enough to be with me. We met and exchanged greetings and names. Most of the people in the group are in their 20ish, a fistful in their 30ish and a couple in their 40ish. I, without saying, am the oldest of the group.
I introduced myself as Kak lela and one of the ladies questioned me to the title Kak on me. She felt she is entitled for the Kak calling in the group, I told her my age, straight up and she was like open-mouthed staring at me.
We left the inn and took the bus up to the 5th station. There we bought post-cards, climbing sticks for yen 1000 and took lots of snaps. Its like a carnival over there, lots of sight-seers, climbers, picnikers or just strollers.
The air was at 23c, gust of strong winds and foggy. Some of the Msian climbers were already feeling the chills and started to add on some layers of clothings.
We made our safety doa and I adding some of my personal doa as I start to walk on the path.
The ground was gradually sloping, with lots of flowers and small plants in between the volcanic rocks. We started our slow walks at 11.35am from the 5th station (2305m) and the estimation time to reach the 6th station(2390m) is 45 min, but we made it at 50 mins...considering good for me.

We took 10 mins rest at the 6th station and started our slow walk at 12.35pm for the 7th station(2700m). The estimation time was 60 mins but we took 1.25 mins to reach the 7th station. The vegetation between 6th to 7th station was lesser and the trails was mostly loose volcanic, black sand. The slope was still manageable but I have to stop every 10 steps to take some deep breath. My heart was bumping like doing the aerobic steps.

We reached the 7th station (2700m) at 2pm and rest for 30 mins. I have to make myself go to the toilet. I felt my urinary bladder so full and heavy but I cannot let it out. The toilet cost yen 100 per entry and there is no water to wash. I have to take with me wet tissue paper for the cleaning. Then, every toilet is uni-sex. The males do their thing in front and we ladies have to pass them by to enter our cubicle. Some Msian men cannot do it in public and they used the cubicle for privacy.
The toilet stank beyond description, the smell would stay on your clothes for quiet sometime.
For stamina drinks or pet-bottle water of 500ml, it cost 5 times more. On ground level, it normally cost yen 100 but here on Fujisan the higher you go, the higher the water cost, which comes at yen 500 per 500ml pet-bottle.
There were 6 resting huts at every interval from the 7th station. These huts provide drinks or hot instant soup and toilets facilities.
From halfway through the 7th station, I felt I need to use the portable oxygen. My breathing was swallow and short. Every steps I took was breathless. I had to stop for breathing every 10 steps. There was this guy, Muzzafar who helped me with counting my steps and telling me to breath every now and then. I tend to get away with long steps and forgetting to stop for my regular big air.
The approximate time from 6th to 7th station is 100 min but we took 180 mins. Extra 80 mins because we stopped many times for breathing rest by the side walk. The trail was getting narrower as we go higher. At some points, only one person can passed through and we had to wait in queue. It is recorded that between July and August of the year, about 3000 people climb Fujisan daily. So imagine the bottle-neck at some rocks.

We reached the 8th station (3020m) at 5.10pm. The leader of JALPAK, sdr Azhar had booked bunker rest at Taishi-kan Hut. All of us are given a single space of 1m by 2m side by side for 15 people. We cannot stand, the bunkers are only for sleeping.
Again no water for washing, for toilet we have to queue outside with the rest of the crowd and pay for every entry at yen 200.

We rest for 6 hours at these sleeping bunkers from 5.10 pm to mid-night. I can hear the winds howling outside. The temperature was below 0c. We we given a sleeping-bag and a square bean bag for pillow, thats all. We were not allowed to eat at the bunker but I bit slowly on energy bars, stamina liquid and a ball of white rice that I brough with me. Just before getting ready to walk again, I went outside to the toilet, I saw some people standing and shivering in the cold gusty winds. Lots of space and empty bunkers and they don't booked to stay inside. The hut is a private enterprise and the management closed the doors to people who don't pay for the warmth inside. I really symphatized those people standing in the cold strong winds and felt strong ache to how those people managing the hut have hearts enough to let people stays outside in the cold.

Anyway, after the sleep and rest for 6 hours, we started our walk again at mid-night 12.15am in the dark. We were well-clothed, thick winter clothing, gloves, caps and head-light or touchlight. It is dark and the trail is for one person only. So, you can see the lights moving on the mountain as people moved along the trails. There is no public light to light up the trails. Here, no matter what happened, you have to go up. Not down because they is no way down. At some point, human jam would cause the queue to wait for some 5 mins. There is no more loose sand from 8th station. Only rocks and big stones. There is no proper stepping stones...you have to find a good space to put your tired feet to walk on in the dark. One of the girls who joined our group from Las Vegas, she is a Hawaiian dancer and she cried from the 8th station. She was cold and very tired. There is no medic here as well. If you throw up, you just sit on the side and rest. Then walk up not down. The things is, nothing goes down at this point...everything points up and up.
I looked up and serched for the sight of the peak, can't see anything in the fog. I just moved, carried my legs, counting 10 steps.

What in my head, in my head...zombie...I was walking like a breathless zombie. I can't speak, too tired. Have to preserve all energy for the steps upwards. The air was getting thinner. I have to breath the portable oxygen a few times.
My urine bladder felt so heavy, like its coming out of my body but weird thing is, there is no urine!
My heart was beating 10 times faster than normal. Wow, people with high blood pressure, never ever think of climbing any mountains.

The sunrise was at 5 am. At this time, we were still climbing in the fog. Still can't see ahead. Visibility was like 5m. Of course, we can't see the sunrise at all. The winds was so strong, it was like a small typhoon. We couldn't stand straight, else the winds will blow us towards the edge of the one-line stone path. I was now crawling on my two hands, grabbing for something strong to step on.
The at 5.25am, I heard some people in the crowd ahead of us shouting "banzai, banzai"

are we there yet? are we at the summit already?

I reached a level ground and saw the only person sitting there calling my name...
"kak lela", Norhayati called me.
She was alone...waiting for the rest to reach.
She is the first person to reach the summit and I am the second to come.

Kak lela kita dah sampai, she said...
Oh ye ke? me, breathless...

We have reached the peak of FujiSan at 3776m at 5.25am on August 24, 2007.

I looked around, everybody was smiling, excruciatingly feeling on top of the world. Some people went in the shops to have warm breakfast, some went it to stamp their walking sticks, it was like a big fun-fair there.
I collected stamps on my walking stick at every station, each stamp cost yen200. We waited for the rest of the group climbers to reach and they spread MYJICA and Jalur Gemilang for the success climb.

I will write another entry for the descending journey...

Hibernation

Mommy,

They say when the muscle ache comes 2 days later, then you are considered as old.

young people's muscle ache will come on the next day.

you should ask tomo to massage your leg when you go home.

anyway, please go home and have a big rest.

This is the e-mail I received from my elders daughter in Singapore.

My answer is...

My dear girl,
Yes, I am old.
I am old but I am proud to tell you that I've climbed the highest mountain in Japan. The muscles ache comes immediately I reached the summit and double again once I reached ground level.
Does this comes in the young people age-group? Or the going to die-soon group?

Tonight will be my third night at the foot of Mt. Fuji. The first night, I just walked across the road and booked in a shared room. I took dinner and a hot bath and slept unconscious. Then, the 2nd day, I booked in a business hotel for 2 nights.
I slept for 48 hours on the go, only to get up for toilets and a drink of water. I don't have much feeling to eat anything.
For the past two evenings, I soaked my screaming muscles in the hot bath, a burning sauna and a painful massage on the massage bed.
Then, before sleeping, I applied some muscles pain-killer all over.

I will make my way to Shinjuku by the express bus and then to Shibuya tomorrow morning. Then fly off home in the evening, insyaAllah.

First thing I do will be to upload the photos of my success climb once I reach home, insyaAllah, but I can't promise yet as I might hibernate again for sometime at home.

My advise to people who have intentions to climb this beautiful mountain is...
Reduce the body cellulite to less than 40% before climb,
No gout,
No irregular heart-beat,
No high blood pressure,
No weak angkle and knees,
No lung-related sickness,
Most important of all is to prepare mentally for the gruesome tortoure.

Fuji Climb

We did it, we did it. With pride I declare that I successfully climb the summit of Mt. Fuji at 3776m.
I am the oldest among the group, the rest are like 40 ish and 30 ish, 8 men and 8 women.
I will describe the ascend later on when I get back to Okinawa with photo uploads. After all the experience, the climbing up is easier than the descend. I was the second to reach the top but the last to come down. The climb was very, very tough to the legs, angles, thigh and muscles behind the femur bone and not forgeting the knees.

I thought coming down was double easy that climbing, I was absolutely wrong. What makes the climb down gruelling was the loose black sand and rolling stones and boulders.
My legs went angle deep in the sand every steps and I fall and went buttock-skiing a couple of times. I couldn't make my way down and after having my buttock scratch a few times, I had to hang on the arms of two guys on each side for support.

We started our descend at 8.35 in the morning today and I ended up finishing at 3.30 pm alone, the rest of the group left me to go and pick their lugguge at the Japanese Inn.

An hour ago, they left me here by myself at Kawaguchiko Station at the bottom of Mt. Fuji to make their way to Shinjuku by train.
I checked in a room near the station with a commom Ofuro, alone. The reason is because I cannot walk at all!
I am limping and every muscles on both legs are pinning my sensory so much. I cannot move my body at all.
I just had dinner round the corner restaurant and after writing this entry, I will soak my aching muscle in the hot ofuro.
Hopefully, I can move normally tomorrow and might go back to Aini's house in Shibuya but my body cannot tell me just yet.
I will update on the ascending report of Mt. Fuji, once I have the chance to do it at home.

Salam Kawaguchiko, Mt. Fuji.

Sauna

Saya tidak pernah masuk bilik sauna di Jepun. Kata omputih "there is always the first time".
Sebenarnya, Sachiko (ahli haiku) dapat tiket percuma masuk bilik sauna. Dia jemput saya dan mak cik Higa yang berumur 74 tahun.
17 tahun dulu, masa otto (sebut: oht-to) berkerja di Spore, kami diberi kondominium yang dilengkapkan dengan fasiliti sauna. Selalu juga saya bersauna masa itu. Bab main asap ini habis di situ sahaja apabila kita pindah ke negara lain.
Saya tanya Sachiko bila dia telefon untuk menetapkan waktu pergi esok, cara orang Jepun bermain asap.
Dia kata berbogel!
Bogel! Honto ni hadaka desuka (betulke bogel?)
Saya tak percaya, takkanlah berbogel langsung?
Mesti ada tuala membalut, mungkin Sachiko pun belum pernah masuk bilik sauna tapi saya tak sempat tanya.

Sebenarnya Sachiko jemput saya pergi sebab dia mau gunakan kereta saya. Saya jadi supir. Supir pun supirlah, saya tak kisah pun.
Tapi yang masalah sekarang, memikirkan esok.
Berbogel terus ke masuk bilik sauna sini?
Walaupun jenis puan sahaja bersama dalam bilik sauna itu tapi kita tidak boleh paparkan "perhiasan peribadi" itu, betul?
Adalah saya terbaca dalam hadis tapi dah lupa bab mana.

Macamana nak elakkan tidak berbogel, dilemma betullah hidup ini.