The Travel Peoples

Revenge travel is real. After the series of lockdowns amid a pandemic, someone like me only used to imagine leaving the house for new scenery. But now, it was a relief when an opportunity to fly came. That opportunity was in Japan. So, I did not hesitate to say "yes" to applying for a business visa and extending my stay for some leisure. The first few days of my trip were part of my earlier blog . I had three days to revisit some parts of Tokyo and Ota City in Gunma Prefecture. The latter is where my cousin and her family live. I had not seen them for 12 years. The last time I visited was in 2010 when my nephew and nieces were still young. They have been living in Japan for more than 20 years. They already speak the language fluently and have become accustomed to the country's lifestyle. They are Filipinos, so we spoke in Tagalog at their home. Anyway, my cousin toured me around. I immensely enjoyed the sites and the experience. Odaiba City is a beautiful place I want to ...

Ohayou gozaimasu ! (It's one of my often-uttered words in Japan together with arigatou gozaimasau , sumimasen , itadakemasu , oishi , and daijoubu . Google their meanings if you don't know.) My recent travel to Japan was unplanned. First, it was during a pandemic. Second, I just recovered from COVID-19 on May 28. Lastly, it was for business, not pleasure. It was for business every time I visit.  Japan is very strict in observing COVID-19 border protocols, but I was amazed at how easy and systematic the whole documentation process was. I had to make sure that I was already COVID-19-negative before flying. It was a last-minute decision to go because the first test showed I was still positive. I tried again after three days, and it's no longer positive! That was when I booked a flight through Japan Airlines.  It was a seven-hour evening flight. I thought I would be able to sleep on the plane. I did, but only for an hour. I was tired and sleepy, but I could not manage to even c...

When I flew to Tokyo, I was preparing myself to experience jolts from time to time. Many have said that they’re a widespread natural occurrence there. True enough, at a Starbucks at Narita Airport, I felt little tremors. The people around me were not mindful of it. So I acted naturally as if it did not bother me at all. I just stared at my cup of hot chocolate with mini-waves moving with vibrations. Anyway, I came to Tokyo to attend a training on “visual diplomacy” with topics on editing techniques and content creation. Another goal while in Japan was to visit my cousin and her family. Her husband has been living as an expat in Japan for more than a decade. After a week of training, I traveled alone for an hour by train (shinkansen) to Gunma prefecture to see them. What’s interesting in Japan is that there are hardly any English signs! The language barrier is a real problem. To ask for directions, I conversed with the locals using my improvised sign language and the signature bow to ex...