A Whole New Culture- Part 2

Travelling in Japan for the past two weeks have been an eye opener for me. The most prominent thing I have noticed is the friendliness of the locals. They are so courteous and respectful to everyone. I bet it must be hard to be always that well-mannered.

This was at a public onsen(hot spring) for your feet. The ladies who asked me to sit with them after seeing me burning in pain decided to join me for a photo.

I have been very lucky with having two friends who live in Japan. They were able to take me to awesome restaurants, cafes and even meeting the locals. Thanks again Carl and Sam!

I've covered Kobe, Osaka, Kyoto and Yamasaki with my two weeks in Japan. It was interesting to see how each city was different in terms of architecture, specialities and atmosphere.

My first main highlight with Japan would definitely be the food. There is such a huge variety of food to try as you can see from the pictures I have taken. I can't name half of them but the food was de-li-cious! I have to say that my favourite dish was the 'Chirashi bowl' (Thanks to Diana for giving me a name to the dish) which consisted of a variety of Sashimi on rice. Can you find it in the picture?

Another highlight for me coming to Japan would be the picturesque surroundings; both urban and natural. I'm a big fan of architecture, and Japan didn't disappoint me. When you think of architecture, people would automatically think of tall skyscrapers. However, in Japan, the quaint and distinct houses and short buildings are the standouts. I was just looking through my pictures and just realised I didn't take a lot of  the buildings but these will have to do for now...

As odd as it seems, my favourite town after all of the places I visited had to be the country town Yamasaki. Not only was I able to spend time on my own exploring this small town, it was my first time ever to experience fresh snow! I still remember standing on top of this hill looking at the whole town and when I turned around, these small white specks started floating down towards me.

I have to say that this trip will definitely be very hard to beat. I'm really blessed to see such a beautiful country and it has made me realised how big this world actually is. I will be back!

My next post will be on Kuching and it's amazing food, and of course Jo and Hieng Chiong's wedding!

A Whole New Culture- Part 1

What can I say about Japan? It's an amazing place with a very different culture and amazing people. The respect and manners shown by the locals are unbelievable!

I'm currently in Osaka at the moment and it is such an exciting and happening city. Communicating with the locals here are difficult, especially when my knowledge of the Japanese language is virtually zero.

So what have I been doing here for the past few days? Well starting off on the night I arrived, I was overwhelmed with the transport system. With only a few instructions given by my hostel, I lugged my luggage on the train and kept asking people for directions. I nearly got myself lost several times but made it to my hostel unharmed.

After I settled down at the hostel, I went about exploring the streets while waiting for Sam and Carl to arrive from Yamasaki. The landscape was just what I imagined it to be; it was very similar to Taiwan but at the same time unfamiliar to me. Short buildings on either side of the streets closely connected to each other and pedestrian areas called "Shopping Streets" are a common sight.

Look, I can keep going on with all the details about Japan but you really need to come here and explore it yourself! To sum it up, I have done so much such as going to the Aquarium, visiting several shopping streets, eating a load of food (I can publish a book on the variety of food here!!). And don't get me started about clubbing in Osaka. All I'm gonna say is that it was an eye opener!

Just before I finish off, I have to say thank you to Carl and Sam for being my tour guides. Without them, I wouldn't be able to experience Japan at a whole new level!
Alright time to fill up my belly. More to come soon!

Time to Move On

I'm currently waiting for Air Asia to get back to me for a flight they have delayed, which is affecting my connection flight back to Perth in February. Thought i'll just update my blog before the big trip begins!

I still can't believe it all begins tomorrow; my flight to Japan for two weeks, Malaysia for one week before heading back to Perth for two days to continue my journey to London. It hasn't quite sunk in yet...
So how am I feeling right now? STRESSED (as usual) There are still things for me to sort out before tomorrow afternoon.

For the past few weeks, I have started to ease myself into a holiday mood by catching up with friends and family, and basically doing nothing at all. The excitement of going away for the year hasn't quite kicked in yet, but once I'm on that plane, I'm sure that will change.

I'm also feeling a bit sad at the moment. Having to say goodbye to friends and family is something I never expect I have to do for a very long time.  However, everyone has got to do that one day right? It's time for me to leave all that has happened last year and move onto my next chapter.

I know that going abroad will be an eye opener for me. There will be so much to see, do and learn that time will just fly past! There is so much I am expecting from this trip. I want to gain confidence in myself which I have always lacked, I want to forget certain things that I had to face last year and just step out of the protective bubble that I've had in Perth my whole life. I need to stop depending on people and start fending for myself. I know there will be tougher challenges in life that I will have to go through but I know that as long as I have faith in God, it will all eventually work out.

I know I'll be back in Perth for two days in February but I might as well say my goodbyes now and start fresh. I'll keep you posted on the awesome adventures that awaits!