Hey, everyone π I thought I would change it up a bit while Melbourne continues to wallow in its seemingly eternally endless lockdown. I am so very sick of myself, my own voice, my thoughts and the four walls of my lovely, but claustrophobia inducing home. I have decided to have a chat with some … Continue reading Feel like a chat?
Or, when should I travel to Japan after borders reopen? I'm not sure about you, but I am literally frothing at the bit to travel again. The suggestion that Australia's borders may reopen by the end of the year has me very excited. I am desperate to visit family in Canada. I am also longing … Continue reading Sakura (Cherry Blossom) 2022?
As of 8pm last night Melbourne entered its 6th lockdown. We only emerged from number 5 eight days prior. My lockdown fatigue is oppressive. It is being made infinitely more difficult by a number of factors. Foremost, the Tokyo Olympics. We started seeing the preparations for the Olympics in Japan from 2018. The very cute … Continue reading Tokyo Olympics and Lockdown Fatigue
It has been nearly a year since COVID put a big, fat STOP sign on nearly all international travel. Being obsessed Japanophiles, Super Sake Boy and I have tried to take the travel ban graciously, while feeding our need for Japanese food, sake, culture and connection with the language. We were last in Japan in … Continue reading The Enduring Exploits of Super Sake Boy and Nihonshu Girl
My first time travelling in Japan was just over five years ago. We travelled for a month and I tried to see as much as I could. We stayed in Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima, Kamakura and had booked to stay in Hakuba. We also stayed in Kyoto. For only four short days. We had loved Tokyo, … Continue reading Guesthouse Soi- My Home Away From Home
Wednesday morning we were up, a little worse for wear after our sake day, and a little hard to motivate (me), which is always the case when leaving Kyoto. As much as I feel I am coming home when I arrive, I feel I'm being dragged away from a friend when I leave. A reasonably … Continue reading All the Tradition…..
Last time we were in Kyoto, our friend Maki-san took us to a pet store. I'm not sure what I expected, but it was definitely not what we encountered. I was blown away, amazed with the cuteness, slightly disconcerted by the types of pets for sale and amused by some of the services available.... The … Continue reading Japanese Pet Store Surprises
A lot of friends and family have recently been or are planning to go to Japan soon, and a major concern for many people seems to be whether Japanese people, in general, speak English. Firstly, I think it is pretty funny that we assume most people speak English. It is only spoken by around 20% … Continue reading Lost In Translation….Is Language a Problem When Travelling in Japan
Inemuri translates roughly to "snooze" or "doze". There is no dirrect translation, however "sleeping while being present" or having some awareness about you while you sleep is potentially more accurate. It very common, in fact, an every day experience, to see Japanese people sleeping in public places. Most regularly, on trains. It is quite alarming … Continue reading Uniquely Japanese- Inemuri ε± η γ
After a bit of a break from blogging, and a bit of a break from travel (I have been very distracted.... thanks, Super Sake Boy βΊοΈπ) I am happy to report, I am returning to both. Yay. Firstly, my return to blogging. I am very excited to sink my teeth back into writing my blog. … Continue reading Return to Japan and Return to Blogging
