Looking Ahead Again: A New Adventure Beckons

I have been looking at flight prices for the past couple of hours, and I have decided on a date and destination for next year. The time has come yet again for my next overseas escapist adventure.

Cherry blossoms are a rarity I have always loved viewing, and I think being in my funemployment phase puts me in the perfect position to bite the bullet and finally take the opportunity to see them in real life, at their very best, in Tokyo. I remember going in fall last year and seeing all the autumn leaves in Ueno Park and Shinjuku Gyoen National Park. I was surprised at the lack of tourists there that time, but I have a feeling that springtime will be a very different story.

Today, I bookmarked a lengthy list of cafes, shops, museums, art galleries, parks, clubs, concert venues, and whatnot. Hopefully I will actually get the chance to see everything in the short duration of seven days, because last time I didn't even get to scratch the surface of this megacity. Although, simply strolling the bare streets and viewing all the Japanese signage and graphic design was already pleasurable enough in itself.

Hiking in Japan is also something else that has been on my bucket list for far too long now. I have to say, as someone who used to travel by foot daily from the CBD to Newmarket and back, I assume that I will do just fine walking the popular mountain trails near Tokyo, like Mount Takao. Maybe my Salomons can finally serve an unpretentious purpose for once.

All in all, my next Tokyo trip will also be an interesting one. It will be the first time I solo travel overseas, and it will be the first time I dig this deep into my pockets too. To be honest, I'm really no stranger to that city anyway, so rather than feeling nervous about it all, I feel rather excited. There is nothing quite like the feeling of anticipation, and the best part is knowing that I don't actually know what to anticipate. Life is so immensely unpredictable, but I can already bet that whatever comes my way, it will be a good one.

So here's to more novel experiences, and the growth that comes with it.