In October, we took a MUCH NEEDED week-long break in Ito. Ito is an area of Japan I have had on my bucket list for some time to visit. It’s known for its dramatic coastlines and abundant nature. Oh, and the dormant volcano that looks like a mini Mount Fuji. Alas, I need to get…
Category: Life at 30
Kawagoe and Train Museum
In September we spent a lovely weekend exploring the Saitama Train Museum, with a few days in the famous old city of Kawagoe. The museum was my birthday gift to Dan. It had been on the agenda for some time as Dan does love a good train, and I am partial to a bit of…
Life Plans!
The temporary experience of living in Tokyo that Dan and I signed up to in August 2018 just got moderatly more than temporary. By December 2018 we knew we wanted to spend a little more time living in this epic city as we had barely scratched the surface of our local area, let alone the…
The Fam Visit Japan
From February 14th to the 20th my sister, Katie, her husband, Steve, and their two little angels, Edward and Evelyn came to see us in Tokyo. We had a jam-packed few days showing of the best of Tokyo, and we become something of experts in “quick, where is the nearest play park, the kids need…
Swifty Does It: Turning 32 in Style
Screw turning 32. The title of my memoir? A little early perhaps… Anyway, there was NO chance I was going to do something sensible for my 32nd birthday. Nice meal out? Do one. Visit a gallery? No thanks. Instead I embarked on a rather more teenage adventure of…Taylor Swift in concert, plus alcohol (I am…
Moving on Up, Moving on Out…
The time has (almost) come to say goodbye to Shimonoseki. My two year contract has come to an end, and wow, what an incredible two years it has been. I am so proud of us for what we have achieved, overcome, and experienced. Living here will be an experience we will never forget and which…
Lush Miyazaki
After a few days of natural beauty in Aso during Golden Week 2018, we decided to hit the road and head to Miyazaki. We had an airbnb booked in the city, and were excited for real walls and city sights for a few days. The drive down showed Miyazaki prefecture to be beautiful, with lush…
The Best Days are Beach Days: Sunset Live 2017
Marking the end of the summer holiday in Japan this year fell to a weekend away at a festival. We had seen pictures of the festival beforehand, but hadn’t wanted to hope it could possibly be as beautiful and laid back as it seemed. But, ahhh, bliss, it was! The festival, called Sunset Live, took…
Hiroshima Weekender
Another fabulous contractual requirement gave me two extra days in June on top of a weekend. We decided to make the most out of the time and head to Hiroshima for a few days. It was a brilliant choice as we enjoyed trips down memory lane and the best zoo ever. When we came to…