Planning the Trip of a Lifetime: AudioBooing II

Yes, more lovely AudioBoos for your auditory enjoyment. Hit the jump to check them out and, as usual, you can check out my other Boos here. Read the rest of this entry »

Planning the Trip of a Lifetime: Packing, money and other loose ends

Scary no? I’ve been planning this trip for eighteen months and suddenly, it’s nearly time to go. Just over six weeks remains until my epic trip of a lifetime begins.

Holy crap …. Read the rest of this entry »

Planning the Trip of a Lifetime: Reality sets in

As my trip starts to become real (and yes, The Terror is back with a vengeance), I’m starting to properly focus on what I want to do and achieve. I’ve spoken briefly about this and my desire to write a book and spin out some fun features. But what exactly do I want to do? What do I want out of this once in a lifetime trip, this life-changing adventure in the orient? Read the rest of this entry »

The Sakura Front approacheth

Time is ticking away and the JNTO has updated their site with guesstimates concerning the annual Sakura Front. As seeing sakura was one of my main reasons for wanting to go – and behind my decision to go in Spring – I’m paying close intention. Essentially the blooms start in the west and move across the country over six weeks or so and I’m hoping to be in Tokyo, Kyoto and Sendai at just the right time. That said, it’s a bit like predicting snow and not an accurate science. Still it’s going to be an amazing sight, I think.

Planning the Trip of a Lifetime: AudioBooing

As my visual problems continue to make life harder for me, I’ve decided to AudioBoo instead of blog. It’s easier, doesn’t involve much typing and allows me to get my point across faster. If you can understand my hyper-Booing voice.

Check out the Japan-related Boos after the jump and you can listen to all my Boos here. Read the rest of this entry »

Planning the Trip of Lifetime: Japan, here I come!

Everything is falling into place. My flights are booked, as are several hotels (including a couple of amazing ryokan in Kyoto and Tokyo) and, this morning, my Exchange Order for a Japan Rail Pass arrived! The weird thing is, I’m now diligently reading a select number of guidebooks and I mean really reading them. I have four of them, which I intend to take them with me, and keep noting things to do and places I must see. Kamakura, Nara, Tenri, Osaka … Read the rest of this entry »

Oishinbo: A La Carte Edition – Volumes Six and Seven (Book review)

© Tetsu KARIYA, Akira HANASAKI/Shogakukan Inc.

It only feels like yesterday that VIZ announced its plans to release an a la carte menu of the finest chapters from the Japanese foodie manga Oishinbo. Each volume has been themed around a particular kind of Japanese food such as fish, ramen, sake, vegatables. The final two volumes focus on the rice, the most vital part of Japanese culture and cooking and the food of the izakaya, Japanese public houses. Read the rest of this entry »

Planning the Trip of a Lifetime: Finances and freaking out

Money, as they say, makes the world go round. Money is that necessary evil which allows us to live life and fulfill our heart’s desires. Mine being a trip to the Land of the Rising Sun.

This past weekend I sat down with the Parental Unit (who also happens to be my financial adviser) to do some maths. Not my favourite subject, or one I’m particularly proficient in, but it was something I needed to do in order to figure out the logistics of my trip to Japan. So we sat down with a pen, paper, basic itinerary and the internet to work out how much this trip is going to cost.

The answer: £7930. Read the rest of this entry »

Itinerary update: The plan

Plans are good and, as a somewhat anal control freak, I excel at them. It’s the only way I can keep my terror at bay long enough to get where I’m going. The itinerary page has finally been updated with my plan as I have it. Needless to say, it’s subject to alternation, change and tinkerage between now and April. I’m planning on staying longer than the 22nd April, too, I just haven’t worked out how long for or where I’ll be going.

I’ve also started inputting the data into Google Maps, which you can see above. Again, this is a work in progress but it’s giving me a nice pictorial reference of how much of the country I’m going to see.

Where has time gone?

I’ve just realised it’s nearly November and my last post was in July. Ek! What with freelancing and my personal life, I got a little distracted but Japan is still happening. Indeed, I’m more eager than ever and in the middle of planning my itinerary. I now have dates and prices so it’s just a matter of working out the kinks and maybe even getting some commissions.

Stay tuned!