Tag: mountains

Takaosan, peaks, snow and ice

On By HikerIn Day Walks2 Comments

Japan is a fascinating country one of the most advances nations on earth, but also one of the most traditional. The juxtaposition of high rise multinational corporations, moving billions in trade and products, next door to temples that stood when the rest was all forest.

Tokyo is the seething heart of this island nation with over 20 million people passing through it’s arteries. Wedged in on Tokyo bay and hemmed by the mountains, the forerunners to the Japanese Alps, Tokyo offers the intrepid traveler and vacationer alike a unique experience.

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Chickens legs for lunch, it’s no KFC

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In a previous post I wrote about my  once in a lifetime experience with the Great Wall of China, a childhood dreaming. At the conclusion of the walk we pushed further north within 300km of the Mongolian border to a little village for lunch, all part of the tour.

It was close to Chinese New Year and there were signs of the impending festivities everywhere making great photo opportunities of the celebration preparations. zig zagging our way through the cars, people and bikes it was becoming very apparent I was no longer in “touristville” and somehow had become the attraction. It didn’t help I was in a  private vehicle, sitting in the back like I was being chauffeured. I guess I was.

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Great Wall of China, a childhood dreaming

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During the 70’s in the remote Northern Territory we had only the ABC, the government funded Australian Broadcasting Corporation to deliver us the news, soaps and educational viewing. As the 80’s dawned we started to receive commercial television courtesy of a set of videos flown in from Darwin and replayed locally. The news was a day or two late and so was the weather. Aside from these anomalies it opened up a whole new viewing experience and one of the programs that captured my imagination was The World Around Us.

It inspired a generation to explore our environment, with spectacular footage of the some of the most amazing places on earth. In one such episode the host adventurer was exploring the Great Wall of China. I was captivated by the history, the construction and most of all the environment, towering steep mountains and narrow ridge lines. I dreamt of walking it myself, stepping on its ancient stones and hearing the distinct music of China as I moved across the landscape.

It was just a pipe dream and I didn’t truly expect I would ever visit the far flung communist nation, but I could imagine. There were many documentaries throughout my teenage years that explored the Great Wall of China experience and I remained captivated by it.

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Day 2 Crosscut Saw, views beyond compare

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We’d had a great walk into Macalister Springs and treated to a brilliant sunset over Mt Howitt Day 1 Crosscut Saw, is that a toilet?. But this day was to be even more spectacular.

I wake from a restless sleep with those same feelings of when you are strapped in a roller coaster ratcheting your way to the top knowing there is no turning back from what lies ahead. Relieved the tent is dry there are many more of them with a great number of campers having arrived overnight. There is a line up for the toilet and it not just for the view. We get on with the packing up and woofing down breakfast, we’re ready to head off. What we didn’t know is the rest of the party’s breakfasts are little more substantial and that equates to time. Never mind there is plenty of it, or at least that is what we think.

Finally on our way we cross the saddle and with one of our younger walkers, Lachie, who is training for the army setting the pace, we’re quickly up past the Howitt Plain and into the walk proper. The view is amazing a panorama stretching from Mt Buller to the far reaches of the Alpine National Park. I’m distracted by the majesty of this place and enjoy the early part of the journey, the walk so far is similar to the Mt Feathertop razorback.

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Starting out on the Crosscut Saw

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