Getting Ready for Japan and South Korea - Oct 1

My big trip this year with Judith is to Japan and South Korea.  I'm starting this trip visiting my family and friends in Vancouver before Judith and I fly out on Sunday on October 4th.  

We're leaving for Tokyo (Narita) about 12:30pm from YVR on a 10.5 hour flight arriving the next day around 3:00pm.  Our seats will fold down into a bed, so I'll get some shut eye to make myself ready to explore that evening as we're on our own once the tour organizer gets us to the hotel.  

I was fortunate to see parts of Japan last year when I went with my awesome kids, Jennifer and Cameron.  We spent extra days in Tokyo and Osaka and sandwiched between those cities was a small group tour (there were about 12 of us) that we took with G Adventures.  The 9 day Japanese Express tour was lots of fun and I had a great time learning about Japan with my kids.  We spent an extra 4 days in Tokyo after the tour and I spent lots of time watching my kids shop for endless amounts of knick knacks.  

I'm excited about going back.  Japan is so organized and clean, so very different from other parts of the world I've gone to.  There is such a reverence for beauty and nature and people are polite and respectful.   Wherever I've been, the history is fascinating and Japan is no exception.   I'm busy trying to remember the phrases I learned last year so I can use them again but for the most part, it seems I'm starting from scratch.

South Korea will also be interesting.  There's a lot of history that will be new to me as it was never covered in the education I had.  I lean towards being a foodie, so I'm looking forward to exploring the markets and street food.  

Stay tuned for updates.  These blogs help me remember what I experience so the content reflects my personal tastes.  Keeping the blog up to date is always a challenge.  Both getting tired/needing sleep or feeling less than 100% has affected past blogs. 

Japan and South Korea is 16 hours ahead of Victoria.  When you're having breakfast, Judith will likely be sleeping soundly and I'll be finishing up some blogging.  I always get Judith to read the blog at our breakfast which gives her the opportunity to correct all my mistakes and to veto anything I've written about her...  That means the blog should appear in Victoria in the late afternoon assuming there is one to post.  

I thought I'd include our itinerary for your reference.  

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/lwi834rqz1qdj6wt38jym/Nippon-Hanguk-Trip-Summary.pdf?rlkey=kfp09wvs6zswoco4lo76btaon&dl=0



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