We left home at 8am and arrived at about 12:30. It took very long because much traffic!
There are many things to see around the mountain area. First we stopped at Daikonbo, which is a great scenery spot to take pictures. While there I took many pictures of the beautiful scenery and saw some guys flying RC gliders around. Here are some pictures and a video of the RC glider.
From Daikonbo you can see the mountain near Mt. Aso. This mountain looks like an old volcano.
Here is me
Here are pictures of the RC gliders
A video of the RC Glider flying around.
Also while we were at Daikonbo, I saw some paragliders. Instructors teach you how to paraglide all for about $75 US. Usually it's a long course but I literally begged the old Japanese instructor to let me try. I had a crash course and he suited me up and let me go! I was scared outa my mind, but after awhile it was kinda fun! He told me to catch thermals to gain lift. I caught one that just took me super high and freaked me out. I was scared and shaking but the view was amazing! I tried to see how high I could get but the higher I got, the more windy and cold it was. It was my first time ever to try anything like this so it was a great experience. "Besides the old man telling me literally, if you get hurt or die.. Not our fault"
Here I go, right when I left the ground a big wind blew me very high!
Some other instructors joined as well.
Here is two videos, first one is of me floating around and the second shows others flying. In the second video I am the one very high up! I caught a thermal that shot me up and the view was amazing. I added some music to the second vid.
So while we were about to leave Daikonbo to head up to Aso I spotted a yellow Lamborghini Murcielago. The owner was kinda a chunky Japanese guy that looked 50 and his g/f was a cute young Japanese girl that looked 18. "Lucky guy" He was a BIG show off, wanting everyone to know he drives a Lamborghini. He parked and opened the doors and the engine cover trying to show everyone. I took some pictures because it was a pretty cool car.
Here is a video of him leaving, he was reving the engine showing off BIG time! Can't blame him though, I would to!
So after that we drove on up to the Mt. Aso area.
Here I am, driving up the mountain!
Cows are all over the place on the sides of the road.
Some great scenery all the way up.
On the way up we saw a helicopter. They were giving rides over the crater of Mt. Aso
I begged my wife to let me ride in it and for about $45 US they took me up! My wife got some video but sadly missed the part when I got in it.. UGH!
I'm sitting on the left side in the back. I waved during take off, don't think you can see it though.
Was my first time in a helicopter and was a great experience!
After that we headed up the mountain more.
Here is a video of me driving.
On the way it was a good chance to get some nice pictures of my car with the mountains around the background. So I snapped numerous shots of it.
Once we got up to the top of the mountain I took a video and pictures.
The ropeway to get to the top.
The view down from the top
This thing is supposed to protect you in case the volcano erupts, HA!
After a great long day we headed back down the mountain at around 5pm. On the way down there was much traffic, we stopped at a crosswalk to allow people to cross when wouldn't you know... WHAM! Some moron slams into the back of my car. A French guy driving a Toyota box car with two girls from Spain in it were not paying attention and hit my rear bumper. When I looked back the guy was driving looking down at something. My wife and I were pretty upset, this is the 4th time in 8 months I been hit from behind. We pulled over and the two girls jumped out. One girl went off saying it is nothing and no damage at all. She had quite a big mouth and was trying to say they didn't hit my car. I showed her there was indeed damage and she went on saying that was there. The guy got out finally and tried to say it is impossible that he hit me and caused that damage. My wife told them we will call the police to handle it. Once she mentioned police, the big mouth girl got some serious attitude saying the police don't need to come because they did no damage. She was really wanting to argue and I wanted to slap the bitch but my wife told me to calm down. They didn't even wanna stick around for the police and tried to leave but we told them we have a picture of their license plate.. So if they leave the cops will arrest them!
Two hours of dealing with their crap the police finally came. They got all our information and said the guys at fault! He had to give us all his insurance info so they can pay the damages for my car. The two bimbo girls were rambling the whole time we were telling the police what happen. Trying to say the damage was there already. I smiled, pulled out my camera and showed the police all the pictures of my car I took that same day to show there was NO damage. The policeman smiled and told the girls to hush, haha!
Here are some pictures of my car after it happened.
Not so bad, but I'm still not happy over it!
After that, it pretty much ended our long day. I snapped 2 pictures of Aso during the night and we drove home. With so much traffic we got home at about 1:30am. Ugh was I tired.
