One year ago I was in Tokyo. I still think about Japan every day but lately more so than usual because of this anniversary. It’s difficult to not just buy another ticket and go back for another visit. I have to keep reminding myself that money is for my boat.
One thing that I keep thinking about is the rollercoaster of emotions I ran through that day. I started with the excitement of going, then the boredom of sitting around Pearson airport in Toronto for I think 13 hours or there abouts. Then annoyance in Calgary at having to get off the plane only to get back on an hour later. Panic on the flight when I lost my 360 camera then relief when it was found. Trepidation clearing customs and worry my luggage wouldn’t be on the carousel. Finally in Japan and got my stuff, everything going well and then I discover my bank card wouldn’t work. Several hours of worry and feeling sick to my stomach sorting that mess then finally cash in hand on a train into Tokyo from the airport. I recall the train ride being kind of surreal, I was exhausted and it was dark so I couldn’t really see anything out the windows, I could have been anywhere. Getting off the train in Shinjuku and even though knew what to expect being blown away by just how big it was, I remember thinking it was at least 3 times bigger than I thought. Then out onto the street, into the neon lights with the kanji characters and hordes of people and a feeling of calm came over me and a feeling that I was home. That was the weirdest feeling, being somewhere I’d never been and where I didn’t speak the language and yet it feeling so comfortable and familiar to me.
I’ll go back someday I hope. If I get a boat as planned I’ll sail there, if I don’t get a boat I’ll be cycling around the world and I’ll go there then. If something happens to me that I can’t cycle I’ll just go. I can’t not ever go there again, somehow, someday, I will return.
So what else have I been up to? Haven’t posted in a while. Not much lol. Work, that’s about it. Coronavirus hasn’t affected me, my job is essential so I’ve been working regularly, same as during snowmageddon. Still putting away money but I’m a little below my goal, life has a way of getting in the way when you’re making other plans. Still saving enough though.
I was going to cycle around the Irish Loop here in Newfoundland this summer for a short, cheap vacation but with coronavirus I’ve changed my mind on that one. I’m thinking a week hike instead, maybe hike up Old Petty Harbour Rd (it’s an overgrown dirt road impassible to anything but 4 wheel drive and feet) to Petty Harbour then back along The East Coast Trail. I could do it in less than a week but I would take my time.
I have two proper vacations planned to keep me amused over the next 5 years while saving. Iceland and Cuba. In between I’ll do local vacations to save money.
I’d like to go to Iceland in the summer and bring camping gear. Spend a couple of days in the city then either hike into the hills or look into a bus out into the bush. There are tour bus companies but those are organized day trips, I have to find the local Greyhound type of service that goes around the ring road and use that. I’d like to get off somewhere, hike and camp a few days, get back on the bus and off again somewhere else, rinse and repeat a couple of times then back to the airport and home. I’d love to cycle the ring road but I wouldn’t want to have to rush it and doing it slow would take more time than I want to take off work.
Why Iceland? It’s a fascinating place, I always thought it was interesting from watching documentaries about the geologic activity there since I was a kid. I also don’t see myself sailing there so it’s a good place to go even though it’s expensive for food and accommodations. Camping is cheap everywhere.
For Cuba it would be a winter vacation. I don’t want to stay on a resort, I’m thinking air bnb, maybe one place for a few days then somewhere else on the other side of town for a few more. I’d like to look into bicycle rental so I could really get around the city. I haven’t thought about it much more than that.
Why Cuba? It’s cheap. I might sail there someday so it’s kind of redundant but I’m going to want to go somewhere hot and I’ve already been to the Dominican Republic.
I still haven’t done anything with the video I shot in Japan. I tried to a couple of months ago but watching some of the clips just made me sad lol. One of these days I’ll edit it into something watchable. At least I hope it’s watchable.
That’s it for now, not much point posting when there’s nothing happening. Take care everyone.
jOdyssey 