End of Japan time approaches

Sitting in a Mister Donut, sipping decaf and reflecting

After 10 of the most intense days of travel in over a decade, it’s hard to summarise what I’m thinking and feeling. So, I’ll just start with my body.

I don’t think I have ever sweated so much, so continuously, day after day after day. My sweat tide marks and tide marks. Although I’ve had washed a few things along the way, I’ve barely kept up. My legs and arms and covered with insect bites and minor scratches. It’s the middle of summer and the bugs came out to play. And my body’s is always their playground. Always.

Hiroshima style okonomiyaki. Challenging to eat with chopsticks

Although I’ve been trying to keep my electrolytes up, my fingers are constantly swollen such that I can barely move my wedding ring. It’s calmed down by morning, but it doesn’t take long for the inflammation to build up again. Keeping my electrolytes and hydration up during this hot period of 35+C temperatures and very high humidity has been the biggest challenge. Over the last 4 days, I walked over 90,000 steps, much of it uphill, and all during high temperatures.

My body is looking forward to some rest.

Constant inflammation was a challenge

From an organisational point of view, it’s been a mission. If anything, it. Has made me realise just why so many big YouTubers have big teams working for them. Just keeping on top of logistics - especially when travelling in the busiest period in Japan - takes a lot of effort. I started planning and booking this back in April, and a typhoon threw me a curveball in the middle of my trip. Everything worked out ok, but it was just another thing to keep on top of. For example, receiving and translating emergency evacuation broadcasts on my phone from Kyoto City authorities and monitoring NHK World where there was no-one at my accommodation to advise me.

Everything worked, but only because I put in a lot of work - into planning my itinerary and securing seats, beds, and timed slots a month ahead of my planned activity. And as I refreshed the screen even a month in advance, those slots were disappearing fast.

It took work, but it’s paid off astonishingly well. I hope that also shows in the footage I captured which I will start to edit and produce when I get home.

I’ve been lucky too. When I arrived at Shibuya Sky yesterday for my pre-booked sunset slot, outdoors roof access was closed due to risk of sunstroke. But as I waited for my slot in the queue to open up, a risk assessment judged that it was acceptable to open the roof viewing area. I spend a lingering 90 minutes up there and I managed to finish my trip on the literal high that I had planned so many weeks earlier.

Emotionally, it’s been both incredibly rewarding and challenging. I love Japan. Have done since I first came here in 2006. I designed my itinerary to contrast the urban, cultural and natural facets of Japan, and that has been wonderful to experience. It;’s also been so enriching to catch up with old contacts and friends along the way.

Having said this, my wife and kids have had a challenging time back home. So it’s sometimes felt hard to dismiss that from my mind and focus on the task at hand. SI think I managed the balance, and I am glad that I am headed home. I am needed, wanted and loved there and it is time.

Time to head home