Mount Fuji is called "Fuji San", literally "Shri Fuji" or "Fuji Yama", Fuji the great mountain. It is exactly 96.5 kms from our office as the crow flies (measured on a Global Positioning System). People are allowed to climb the mountain only during August. We were already in the second week of August and did not have much time to decide. We decided to go on the 8th and 9th of August. The team consisted of a group of 4 Indians all working at IBM Japan, Ajay, Jagdish, Susheel and I. We found that about two or three people from our unit had climbed Mt. Fuji before. We took all the necessary directions from them.

One of the most important preparations was purchases. Though Tokyo was really hot, touching 35C, the summit of Mount Fuji would be close to Zero. We had to purchase winter clothing, shoes, backpack and the works. Prices being what they are here, I felt really foolish accumulating stuff that would cost one tenth back home. We went to the Shinto-mitchi or "Down Town" area, where things are a bit cheaper. We finished our purchases by evening of Friday the 7th August. After packing, I could not sleep - Was it a wise decision? What if I get exhausted and have some problems so far away from home? The pull of the mountains was great. The last true climb I did was to Kedarnath, about 20 years ago. At about 2AM the decision was made. To GO.

There are two important trails to Mount Fuji, Gotemba trail and Kawaguchi-ko trail. We had been advised to take the Kawaguchi-ko route. This involves taking a Japan Railways train from Shinjuku to Otsuki and changing to the Fujikyko Railway from Otsuki to Kawaguchi-ko. We decided to meet at Shinjuku. Shinjuku is about 7 kms from where I stay. It is the largest Railway Station in the world. We had agreed to meet at the Station in the platform of the train to "Otsuki". On reaching the Station, I realised that there were many lines to Otsuki and many platforms. Luckily I had my mobile telephone and Jagdish had his. We contacted each other and could locate each other. This simple exercise of meeting one another, could get quite complicated as the trains leave from 5 floors of the Station (3 of them underground) and the platforms are not parallel to each other.

Shinjuku has about 35 platforms with 6 railway companies. In short it is crazy. You can walk for kilometres within the Station and get nowhere.

We took a limited Express to Otsuki -- a one hour ride (about 90 km). The cost - Yen 2500 or about Rs 750/- in ordinary class unreserved. We have now got used to this cost. Shinkansen (Bullet Train) would cost Rs. 10/- per Km. We left by the 11:58 AM train. In Japan, the train timings are exact to the second. Japan is probably the only place in the world where the second-hand of your watch is important. Everything works on time - better than clockwork. We reached Otsuki Station at 12:50. >From here we took the Fujikyko Railway to Kawagachiko. This is a two-compartment train (including the engine) - a cute one. En-route, very near Kawagachiko, we saw the largest roller-coaster park I have ever seen. I don't know why this location! but it seemed popular and many people were going there.

We reached Kwaguchi-ko at 2:00 PM. The climb to Fuji starts here. There are a total of ten stations to Fuji Top from Kawaguchiko. On enquiry, we found that a bus could take us upto the 5th Station. (half-way). We found out that Fuji San is a 12,700 ft tall, free standing volcanic mountain. It last erupted some hundreds of years ago and is a dormant volcano. It is usually snow-capped. However during this brief climbing period in August there is no snow. We booked our ticket for the 19 Km journey to 5th Station - 1000 Yen! (Rs. 300). We tried to get food at Kawaguchiko - All kinds of food were available from Birds to Octopus to Worms to Seaweeds. Nothing which was edible by me. I remembered the saying "Water Water Everywhere ....". I decided to go without lunch. I found a vending machine and had a coke. Some of the others went into restaurants to find if there was any Vegetarian or "Less Non- Vegetarian food".

We left in the Bus at 3:00 PM. It took an hour to reach the 5th Station.The height was 1800 Mtrs (About 6000 ft) roughly half-way. FujiSan was till now covered in clouds. It was from the Fifth Station that we had the first clear view of the peak. I was shocked! It was a huge mountain - Towering over me! Just think about the situation... A 12000 ft conical mountain - me at 6000 ft looking up. I nearly decided to give up! My friends were youngsters and I had motivated them to come along - so I could not turn back now. This is from where I telephoned you - to tell you about this trek. I left out my feelings for the time being. I did not dare to look up and looked around.

The Fifth station is a cosy place, there are many restaurants neatly merging with the countryside. This is the first place I found a Vegetarian Hotel! Well do we have eighth wonders to match this one? - A vegetarian hotel in Japan and that too in this great place when I was very hungry? I must be dreaming. Well we had Veg Burgers, finger chips and a quart of Lemon and Soda to prepare us for walking straight up. I wished I had the powers of a House Lizard. After gathering courage and filling my stomach, we walked about at the Fifth Station for some time.

It is a very beautiful place. Nice green coniferous forests, clouds floating lazily over the plains below. I remembered my camera and started shooting.

We started at 5PM. We were surprised that the path was leading down. The place where the ascent started was about 2 Kms away. We reached this point and turned upwards. The climb was not steep and in about another two kilometres, we reached Station Six. There was a pleasant announcement inviting us to the Sixth Station. Well, if this was the kind of trek two things were sure. Firstly, I could get to the top (It was like walking to the Super Bazaar). And secondly, I would never reach the top! (The top was in another direction and Straight up).

We rested for five minutes and continued. The climb became steeper. I was abruptly made aware of my limitations - I started gasping for breath. I realised that I should not keep up with the youngsters and keep my own pace. We agreed to meet at the Eighth Station and they took off faster. The climb became more and more tough as the time went by. At 6:30 I reached a small restaurant complete with vending machines and hot coffee. For a brief time I thought we had reached Station Seven. But no. It said Station Six point Five! I had some coffee. The terrain had changed. Where we had lush green vegetation in the Fifth Station, here we had shrubs in-between rocks. The ground was clearly Volcanic in origin. After a halt of 10 minutes, the trek re-started. The rhythm of the climb was getting to me. Slowly but steadily, the seventh station came into view, grew in size and I was there. I made a brief halt and started again.

The way had turned rocky. There were no trees and the soil had become black with sharp stones. I realised that the shoes I wore (The best shoes I could afford in India) were not sufficient. The sun was setting and it was getting cold. A thermometer read 12C. The time was 7:30. I was tired. I did not find my friends so I decided to continue. The path became steeper, the climbers were on all fours. The rocks were sharp and tearing into my hands. Some of the climbers were putting on gloves, I did the same. I realised that the gloves were for holding on to the sharp rocks and not for the cold. But for the gloves, our hands would have been cut several times. The way became steeper as we approached the Eighth Station. With a final effort, the Eighth Station was conquered! Jagdish was waiting for me. We waited for about half an hour and Susheel joined us. We could not find Ajay, he must be ahead of us.

After a halt of another 30 minutes, we decided to forge ahead. It had become night and cold. We put on woollens upto our ears. The climb was steep - worse than before. With a torch in one hand and a ruck-sack on our back, it was nearly impossible. There was no going back, the only way to retreat was too precarious to attempt at night. Slowly but steadily, we reached the Ninth Station. I looked at my watch, the time 10:00 PM! I saw a Restaurant and asked if we could stay there. A hearty laugh - you had to book at least a month in advance. Could I just come in and sit down away from the cold? A heartless fellow said Nai Nai (No No). Disappointed, we started to climb again. After a 100ft, we came to another resting room. Though, we did not feel like asking, after the last incident, our condition forced us. This time it was an old man. He must have taken pity on these "Gaijans" foreigners. He sent a boy with us to escort us to another room where we could stay. We reached this place and it was packed like sardines. We were shown a small room. It had already about 10 persons sleeping. We were shown our beds - It was dark and the only thing I remember was falling on to the bed.

At about four I woke up and looked around. There were about twenty persons in the room. Men - women - old - young. I just thought how Doordarshan could have utilised this scene for Integration! The sky was getting brighter, I lay quietly trying not to disturb anybody. Slowly the people got up and when I looked out, the best Sunrise I had seen was unfolding before me. I woke up my friends. Slowly the ethereal beauty unfolded. It was a great view. The best sunrise I had ever seen.

By 6:00 we started our trek upwards. These were the steepest tracks. It was lucky that we climbed at night yesterday, otherwise, my vertigo could have made me dizzy. Now there was no chance of my vertigo getting the better of me, there was literally a queue going up - moving slower than the ration queue of the old days. To cut things short, we reached the TOP in two hours. We had made it to the highest point in Japan.

What do you think would greet you? A Malayalee with a tea-shop? No such luck. A long line of Vending Machines on top of Japan's highest point. Now I knew why an American magazine had called Japan the land of the Vending Machine. We could have anything from ice-creams to Hot-cakes to soups from the vending machines. The time was 8:00 AM - the temperature 2C. The view was unbelievable. Fuji San is a Volcano. On the top there is a rim about 10 metres wide and a crater about 200 metres deep. There was no lava. Some people had climbed down into the crater. I did not venture. There was an observation tower and may other items that you would find at any tourist spot. There was also a small Buddhist temple. This cleared the mystery of the Vegetarian Restaurant down below. It seems that this was also a place for pilgrims. The pilgrims were not supposed to take any non-veg during the climb. Women were not allowed to climb FujiSan till the Nineteen Forties. Does this remind you of Sabari-mala? Well now-a-days people come here to climb Fuji rather than visit the temple.

We had some milk from the vending machines. The terrain was rocky with sharp volcanic rocks. We picked up some as souvenirs The down-path was not the same as the up-path. It contained loose gravel and we could even slide down. In three hours, we reached the Sixth Station and walked up back to the Fifth Station - back for some Veg Burgers. We had not had a bite since we started from camp five! Our legs felt like jelly - But the smile on our faces showed - we had conquered Japan's highest peak.