miscellaneous rambling

Not going to give this post the time it deserves, because i need some serious sleep right now..
This is the mouth of Mt. Aso. It is an active volcano, and the caldera is the largest in the world.
Getting here wasn't so bad. It was getting out of the mountains around Aso that got us into trouble. ( see previous post )
Being here was quite exciting. There are volcano staff around with gas masks, constantly monitoring visitors in case anyone feels ill. There are warning lights at the mouth of the volcano indicating the level of sulfur dioxide in the air at any given time. There are even "bunkers" in case of emergency. Personally I think you'd be screwed if the volcano erupted and you were standing there.
Anyways, the trip was exciting, although there was too much SO2 at the time we were there. This caused us to cancel any short day hike since the trails around the volcano were closed. Probably just as well, because after an hour of exposure at the top, I could feel a bit of burning sensation in my lungs which probably wasn't good for my health.