Departure: Japan 2014

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Well, let's keep our fingers crossed that there aren't any earthquakes overnight. I don't say that to sound facetious, but the first time I tried to make it Japan in 2011, the most devastating earthquake to hit the region happened right as I was packing the night before departure. I'll never forget the disbelief as I turned on my TV to watch the tsunami rolling in. So here's to another kick at the can. This is the most structured trip yet, as the popularity of the time of year in Japan makes accommodation hard to come by. I'll land in Tokyo and make my way south, stopping in key spots such as Nikko, Takayama, Kyoto, Nara, Mount Koya, Osaka, Hiroshima and finish off in beach bum style with a few days in the tropical Okinawa. Oh, and how could I be so close to China and not pop in to see my pal Richard Forbes and the other Shanghai Ren I've managed to keep in touch with.

Later dudes...

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