This section will look and feel very much like a blog. It will reflect personal accounts and experiences while traveling abroad or closer to home.
To see city/state/country specific details please see “Destinations“, as that section will provide more facts about traveling on a budget, attractions, and lodging.
Experiences so far:
Europe
- Experience Rome in a DayRome, or Roma as you see on signs everywhere as you are walking around…is a gorgeous city. It is incredibly easy to get lost in ...
2016 Holiday in Italy, Spain, and France
- Exploring Europe via Paris$900 to Paris! -meaning little leg room and bad airplane food…on Condor Air. The experience successfully delivered us into the heart of the City of ...
- Good Morning Paris! – And on to MarseilleSay hello to a bright new day in Paris! Fresh off the plane from the US, visited Notre Dame and the little parks, then off ...
Japan
- Week 1: First Site of Tokyo
- Chicken Heads in TokyoOur Tokyo experience began by riding the Sky Train from Narita Airport to catch a local train to our Ryokan, and eventually the chicken ...
- Heart of Tokyo: UenoUeno is the historic center of present day Tokyo, containing the imperial palace, Ueno park and zoo, and Tokyo Station. A great place to ...
- Odaiba and beyondTrying to visit Tsukiji fish market, successfully visiting the Gundam on Odaiba, vantage of Shibuya crosswalk, and on to Yokohama rounded out day 3 ...
- Hakone TransitHakone had been mentioned by one of my colleague’s; with multitudes of transit forms taken, the lucky black eggs, and fabulous views.
- Middle of nowhere Katahara OnsenKatahara was WAY out of the way, and didn’t have the fireflies or the hydrangea festival we had planned on attending, still too early ...
- Kyoto the Land of GeishaKyoto Pontocho Geisha dance and tea ceremony topped off the end of our sixth day Japan with our Hammocks set up behind a centrally ...
- Field of Torii’s & Bamboo: KyotoOn the top of the Kyoto list was Kiyomizudera Temple which provides a great view of the city, Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine of Torii’s, ...
- Chicken Heads in Tokyo
- Week 2: Resident of Banshu Ako
- Attack by Nara DeerKyoto was an amazing experience, but it was time to move on. Nara was close by and was famous for their native deer. On to ...
- Himeji Castle and FoodHimeji Castle was a wondrous place to sleep, explore, and learn about. We ventured about the grounds, bought breakfast from a friendly local vendor.
- Banshu-Ako Camping and ClammingBanshu-Ako was not on our list of places to visit, but was our favorite. It provided laid back charm, friendly atmosphere, sea views, and a ...
- Industrial OsakaWe had yet to visit Osaka; we had a couple of attractions we wanted to visit; the Tempozan Ferris Wheel, Umeda Sky Garden, and the ...
- Somber Hiroshima & Floating ToriiHiroshima was a must stop due to our United States nationality, to learn, see the Peace Memorial Park and museum, ending with the Floating Torii.
- Beppu’s various OnsenWe were ready for a relaxing bath and Beppu was just the place to find one; being famous for the largest concentration of onsen and ...
- Volcanic SakurajimaWe were off to Dinosaur park on Sakurajima Island. Urban camping at, which then came with 2 story location, pet hawk, and viewing of a ...
- Attack by Nara Deer
- Week 3: Exploration of Mononoke Island
- Kagoshima & Sakurajima explorationWe were in Sakurajima for the dinosaur park and Kagoshima for the 4-hour ferry to Yakashima. Staying here another day wasn’t in the plan, but ...
- Yakushima, Onaida Nature TrailOnaida Nature Trail was rigorous and beautiful, it helped us understand our limits and push past them. This Lonely Planet hike is not for the ...
- Turtles of YakushimaTurtles being turtles, they only come ashore during the night; continuing our crazy streak we went out in a torrential downpour to watch them. ...
- Ferry from Kagoshima to YakushimaOur exploration of Yakushima had been intense and exciting, pushing us to the limits and rewarding us with natural beauty and exploration of the wild. ...
- “Wind Rises” in NagoyaA huge fan of Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli, it was a lot of fun stopping off on our way to Toyota in Nagoya. Then ...
- Kagoshima & Sakurajima exploration
- Week 4: Castle in the Sky & the Beach of my Dreams
- Toyota Factory TourVisiting the Toyota Factory Tour and museum was a highlight of the trip. It provide insight into corporate businesses and the Toyota Production System.
- Castle in the SkyVisiting the Taked-jo Castle in the Sky was high on my priority list as huge fan of anime, but while in Osaka we had to ...
- Introduction to Shirahama BeachCastle in the Sky was interesting, pretty far off the beaten track, and a lot of fun; all in all though, we were ready for ...
- Pacific Ocean SwimmingPeering between palm trees we saw the lapping of the waves and heard the ocean. We fell asleep content that we would be swimming in ...
- Rejuvenated at ShirahamaThe white sand beaches, the clear blue waters, and the convenient location of everything, and the perfect temperature makes us yearn to return to Shirahama.
- Start of Kumano Kodo PilgrimageRecommended by National Geographic, the Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage is a difficult but interesting trek on the Kii-Peninsula, including multitudes of wildlife.
- Kumano Kodo PilgrimageWe were a little over the National Geographic recommended pilgrimage by the second day. We were ready for trains and buses and a boat through ...
- Toyota Factory Tour
- Week 5: Conclusion of Pilgrimage
- Kurano Nachi Grand Shrine, Kii PeninsulaTrains, stairs, and lockers were normal. Visiting Kurano Nachi Shrine with a breath-taking waterfall, pagoda, and beautiful old growth trees was not.
- Yamaguchi…Maybe notThe way to Yamaguchi was a very non-touristy experience and one of the more realistic experiences we had, as we were not visiting an attraction.
- Akiyoshido CavesThe longest limestone cave in the world was extraordinary and worth the trip. Far from traditional attractions, we felt we were experiencing real Japan.
- Kurano Nachi Grand Shrine, Kii Peninsula
- Week 6: Monkeys, Fireflies, and Sea of Japan
- Week 7: Northern-most Japan
United States
- Grand Canyon: Havasupai Indian ReservationThe Grand Canyon Havasupai Indian Reservation hike down to moody falls and the campground took longer then we had expected, but it was gorgeous.
- Wilderness of Jackson Hole, WYJackson, Wyoming or “Jackson Hole” is best known for its multiple ski/snowboard resorts. It is how I got to know the city in my youth; ...
West coast road trip along Hwy 101 and SR 1
- Road trip begins on US Hwy 101US Hwy 101 was our moving “destination” on our way to San Francisco, California. Highlights including Haystack Rock, Devil’s Punch Bowl, and Thor’s Well
- Redwoods of Hwy 101Josh had never seen redwoods and I only once. The Avenue of the Giants was the highlight for the day and was very enjoyable; we ...
- Sickness strikes California Hwy 1Sickness had struck Hwy 1 and it wasn’t playing nice, but first was say Point Navarro and saw a lot of the coast before stopping ...
- Alcatraz: Nature and History of San FranciscoFrom Point Reyes to San Francisco; our main, required stop was Alcatraz Island, but also visited Golden Gate Park and Sea Lions of Pier 39.
- San Francisco’s Chinatown & Coit Towerwe were on to San Francisco proper for Chinatown and Coit Tower which we really wanted to see before leaving to Napa Valley for hopeful ...
- Napa Valley – Great Wines, Fun AtmosphereNapa Valley has it all! Great wine, amazing food, awesome views, fantastic tours, a wine train, and wine tasting all day long!