Why denying your passion is dangerous

‘Discover what your soul has always wanted to do… and do it!’ Elizabeth Gilbert   Do you ever feel a longing to do something, anything? Does your mind wander to the same thing time and time again? Do you put that same thought to the back of your mind and dismiss it as a ‘silly…

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Is English widely used in Japan?

“Self-consciousness kills communication.”  ― Rick Steves-   English is the worlds international language. I feel very lucky and humble to be able to speak the main language of the world but I sometimes take it for granted in foreign countries and expect menus and signs to be written in English or in a way I…

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A day out at Ueno Zoo, Tokyo

    With a city as big and sprawling as Tokyo it’s surprisingly hard to decide what sightseeing to do first! After a few days exploring quirky Akihabara, bustling Shibuya and historic Asusksa it was time for something different. My hostel was not far from Ueno; an area with a large park filled to the…

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First Impressions of Japan

  I waited in line at immigration at Haneda airport, my shoulders aching with the weight of my backpack and feeling sweat dripping down my back due the the 5 layers of clothes I was wearing. When it was my turn I shuffled to the desk, sorted out the formalities and was handed a residents…

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An alternative to paying for excess baggage.

‘Miss, your bag is 2kg over the limit. That’ll be £100’. As if! My flight to Japan wasn’t starting out as the relaxing journey that I had anticipated. Despite flying with Qatar, a respected Middle Eastern airline they were extremely strict with baggage allowances, giving Ryanair a run for their money. I was moving to…

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Why I’m moving to Japan

On my birthday last year I cried all morning, now people who know me will understand how I hate getting older and how I cry on every birthday. This time it was different though. As well as being upset about being older I was upset about my life. I had a deep burning desire to…

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