We're going camping

Temperatures here are bouncing around, but generally heading south as winter approaches, today was a sunny 20˚C but yesterday was a wet and grey 12˚C. Americans are wishing everyone Happy Thanksgiving (although I was very thankful for a friend on Monday acknowledging that that isn't our family's tradition).

Our annual just-before-winter-starts camping trip approaches this Thursday. This is the fifth time we've been camping at this time of year, but this time we're trying a different campsite. I'm looking forward to getting away from Tokyo and the camping, not so much the fact that it's going to be cold and we'll have no heater or anything substantial between us and the outside temperature except what we're wearing. Oh, but the toilet seats are heated!

This is the campsite. There are mountain bikes for hire as well as canoes.
Also a bat cave nearby and we can go for a drive around the lake too, looking
for scenic spots.

Apparently the view from the campsite (from here)

This lake is one of the "five lakes" around the base of Mt Fuji. Among missionaries here, Lake Yamanaka is the most famous because one mission has some holiday houses there. This lake, Lake Sai, is less commonly known, but equally beautiful if the photos are to be believed.

Mt Fuji is in the middle at the bottom here and Lake Sai above that with an arrow pointing at it.

 This gives you some perspective as to where Tokyo is in relation to Mt Fuji and Lake Sai. We'll only be a bit over 100km from home, but a world away. I'm going to try not to look at email for a whole 48 hours!

Each year I look at the forecast and hope for warmer weather. When it's looking like this I wonder if we're crazy and how I will cope (as I'm the one who feels the cold the most of everyone). But we always do. We'll stuff the car full of blankets and sleeping bags and plenty of good food. All key elements to staying warm. 

This year we also have access to free Japanese-style baths that are open until 10pm as well as in the morning until 10.30am, so I will be bathing just before bed and diving in there warm. If I'm cold on Friday morning I can also have a bath.

I'll report back when we get back on the weekend about how it went (hopefully with some awesome photos).