Countdown to Japan

If you’re following me on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter), you might have seen my post about my upcoming trip. I will be in Japan for 2 weeks in October, visiting Tokyo and Kyoto in the span of 10 days. This is my first international trip as a solo traveler. I have either traveled with friends or family. Back in March, I travelled to Amsterdam and Paris with my friend Anthony. 

And 4 years ago, I attended the Iceland Airwaves Music Festival in Reykjavik, achieving a lifelong dream of visiting Iceland.

Obligatory photo next to a waterfall. Me at Gullfoss in Iceland (November 2015).

The last time I traveled alone was back in 2008 when I visited a friend in San Francisco - which was a huge disappointment on its own, but the actual travel was a bit of a nightmare. I missed my connecting flight home and was stranded in Cleveland for the night. And since I was not of legal drinking age then and couldn’t go out to check out the nightlife, I ended up staying in my hotel room (which was kindly provided to me for free by airlines) all night. So, it is understandable that I would be a bit worried about travelling by myself. 

I have been to Japan during long layovers from Manila to the U.S., most recently in 2015 (a month before I traveled to Iceland) where I stayed in Osaka. It is a fascinating country and is a bit intimidating - especially since I do not speak the language, let alone read its scripts. Nevertheless, I will persist. 

Language barrier? Don't worry about it.

After all, I managed traveling to Iceland without Icelandic, Amsterdam without Dutch, and Paris without French. So I think I should be fine in Japan without really knowing any Japanese.

Nevertheless, if anyone has any advice for me, please leave them in the comment box.