Fit Your Life in a Bag

The concept of minimalism has intrigued me over the last couple of years. Reducing dependence on material objects may sound like hippie nonsense, but for me it's about being just a little more conscious when selecting objects to use and accumulate so I can save my mental real estate to focus on what really matters - leading a happy life and making those I love happy as well. If you were to ask me what my most valuable possessions are, they're the objects that allow me to move about and travel the world comfortably (note: not necessarily essentially). They're the things that, given food and shelter and the clothes on my back, I can survive with in a single bag.

I came up with this list of objects that I could bring camping as easily as I could bring onto a plane as carry-on luggage. I actually had the list for a while but only recently finished obtaining everything that I needed to complete it (thanks mom and dad!). The exhaustive list totals 40 (- 2 + 5) things (or groups of things) that can fit into a bag with a total weight of 21.4 lbs. Beyond these items, the only things I'll consider for a trip are clothes (depending on climate and occasion) and gifts (depending on people to meet). See the picture below for a quick snapshot, and the corresponding list for an explanation of each object where necessary. I like to keep a checklist so I can run through it quickly and gather everything for a trip in a matter of minutes.

Edited with this

1. Bag - one of the more important items on the list, probably. Choose with caution - most airlines limit carry-on luggage size to 22 x 14 x 9 inches (H x W x D), though bags without frames can be compressed. ~_^ I highly recommend making modifications to lock the zippers, which is a simple way to deter would-be thieves who see a convenient opportunity to reach into a pocket.
2. Locks - to secure bag zippers, or valuables in lockers/cabinets. Choose something TSA-Accepted in case you need it on checked luggage.
3. Loop cable - good not only for securing belongings to something stable, but for rigging up a drying line for wet clothes (see #32).
4. Phone and tablet (including SIM cards) - I prep my devices for travel mode by entering travel itinerary into a calendar, setting up methods of contact (swapping international SIM cards and purchasing a Skype number), and downloading maps for offline use. If you have a Pixel or Moto Android phone, you have access to Google Fi (Pixel 2 or higher includes the SIM card digitally, woot), which automatically connects to data networks in 200+ countries; and even if you don't have those phones, you can still pop in one of their data SIM cards to any unlocked device. For media, I download a number of books, music albums, white noise albums (sleep = good), movies, manga, audio books, podcasts, and more.
5. Watch/fitness tracker
6. Chargers and battery pack
7. Outlets (surge protector, international adapters) - save yourself from the nightmare of a single outlet by investing in a mini surge protector with USB ports. If you can get international adapters even better, just be careful of wattage differences.
8. Travel wallet (ID, credit card, health insurance card(s), travel member card(s))
9. Cash
10. Travel documents (passport, travel info) - even if not expired, many countries require passports to be valid for the next six months. In this situation, expedited passport renewal will take around three weeks, and if you're near a major passport office (like in DC) you can do it in a couple of days. I like printing out my reservations (airline, hotel, train, etc.) so the info is on hand when getting the tickets, which you should keep in a safe place. Don't wait until you're on a train to board a plane to realize that you left your passport at home. ~_~
11. Portable bag - for day trips when your main bag is secure elsewhere.
12. Dental care (toothbrush, toothpaste, floss) - to save space and comply with the 3 oz. of liquids rule, I only bring enough toothpaste, contact solution, etc. to last a week or two. Any longer than that, and I'll just buy more products at my location.
13. Eye care (contact case, solution, etc.)
14. Deodorant
15. Personal care (nail clippers, Q-tips)
16. Optional: shower supplies (soap, shampoo) - most hotels have these; it's not stealing if it's in little travel containers ready to go. :)
17. Optional: mouthwash
18. Optional: hair product, comb
19. Glasses
20. Sanitation (hand sanitizer, tissues, gum)
21. First-Aid Kit (medicine or vitamins, Aleve, Claritin, band-aids, antibiotic, ace bandage, face mask(s), Tums, Melatonin, cough drops, Day/NyQuil) - perhaps a little on the over-prepared side, but pain meds are a life-saver in foreign countries that don't have such relief over-the-counter. The kit is small and fits snugly in the bottom of your bag.
22. Optional: Guidebook - a digital version is okay too.
23. Optional: Book - in case you run out of power on your devices.
24. Playing cards - not my favorite pastime, but a great way to socialize on trips.
25. Headphones/earphones - over-the-ear headphones are a godsend for sleeping, especially on planes. My recommendation is Audio-Technica, and consider saving up for noise-cancelling. An extra pair of earphones is good to walk around with.
26. Headphone splitter - if you travel as a pair. :D
27. Sleep aids (eye mask, ear plugs, Melatonin)
28. Slippers/sandals - one of the first things I do on a long plane-ride is take off my shoes. Slippers will keep you from having to keep replacing your shoes every time you get up, plus they double as sandals on the beach.
29. Pillow - Yes these pillows are expensive, but they're incredibly comfortable by virtue of using memory foam, and are portable by being able to roll them into a bag. In addition, you can strap the ends and wear it in front if that's how you need to sleep. Consider spraying it with a good odor before a flight in case the plane smells terrible.
30. Blanket Microfiber towel - these are very compact even at large sizes, and can double as blankets when necessary.
31. Sleep pants/clothes
32. Underclothes (boxers, undershirt, socks) - this is one of my favorite items. Ex-Officio sells high-quality, quick-drying underclothes that you can bring on trips in 2 sets - just switch between the sets each day and hand-wash the dirty set at night in the shower so it can dry on #3 by morning. Yes, I only bring 2 pairs of underwear with me on trips. And yes, I do feel clean even when I wear the same outer clothes for days on end. :X
33. Sun protection (hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, bug spray)
34. Waterproof jacket - chances are you'll be outside a lot when traveling, so you need a jacket that's waterproof, windproof, and breathable, and still lightweight enough to compress into a small bag. With colder climates, it still works great by layering underneath.
35. Walking shoes - feet can get sore easily when you're walking everywhere, so you'll want to invest in something that's not only comfortable, but looks appropriate for a variety of occasions. I also like to be able to slip my shoes on and off quickly, especially when visiting an Asian country.
36. Waterproof pants - to complement #34.
37. Writing utensil (pen or pencil)
38. USB flash drive (do people still use these?)
39. Tile tracker - I hadn't thought about this before I recently received it as a gift, but this is a GPS tracker that you can leave in your bag and locate it using the app on your phone if your bag gets lost. You can also press a button on the tracker to ring your phone. (keeping up with ordering new ones every time the battery dies can be... frustrating)
40. Pocket knife - obviously won't fly as carry-on luggage, but you'll depend on it when camping.

Looking forward to doing a final test drive of the full list in the near future!

UPDATE 9/4/20: Additional items!

1. House keys/security key - take it from me, forgetting these can lead to a bad time.
2. Female items - self explanatory, but stick to the essentials ladies!
3. Laundry bag - keep your dirties separate.
4. Water bottle - helps you to stay hydrated throughout your trip, and if it folds up when empty then all the better!
5. Cold protection (thick hat/gloves/scarf/jacket) - this is especially useful to consider if you're taking a snowboarding trip.

14 Things You Can Do Only, or Best, in Tokyo

I did this series on Instagram last year after I went with Jasmin and her family on a trip to Tokyo, which if I'm not mistaken numbers around my 10th visit. I've never lived there, but I perhaps know Tokyo better than I know any other large metropolitan city I've ever been to, and enjoy acting as Interpreter-in-Chief for friends and family looking to have a good time. Though we're not experts, Jasmin and I are happy to oblige on making suggestions for places to go and food to eat in the capitol of the land of the rising sun. So instead of making you visit my Instagram account and scrolling through to the pictures from last year, I'll go ahead and list them all here:

14 Things You Can Do Only, or Best, in Tokyo

1. #BESTINTOKYO // We spent our time in Tokyo with Jasmin's family, a family meetup vacation of sorts between the states, Guam, and the Philippines. At the most there were 14 of us, including 4 young kids who were a handful in a bustling foreign city. In the picture are all of us except for Jasmin's brother Will's family. We went to the famous Tsukiji Fish Market, the largest and busiest fish market on the planet for some world-class, Best-In-Tokyo seafood. My mouth is watering just thinking of the fatty tuna sashimi bowl I got at this restaurant, Tsukiji Sushi Ichiban.

2. #ONLYINTOKYO // After 2-3 visits, Jasmin and I are Tokyo Disney Land (TDR) veterans. So we were excited to try something new and see Tokyo DisneySea with the fam, the one and only nautical-themed Disney park. And we were joined by my Japanese bro Yuuki and our friend Xochitl! If only we had timed our visit not to coincide with a Japanese holiday and Spring Break... Note to self: Always check line wait times via websites BEFORE looking for rides to line up for. -.-

3. #BESTINTOKYO // All 14 of us together on the mountain! Technically it's not Tokyo, but if you're in Tokyo one of the best places to go for snowboarding or skiing is going to be Naeba Ski Resort, near Nagano where the 1998 Winter Olympics were held. Major props to our teenage niece and nephew who were not only seeing snow for the first time, but learned to shred it on a board from day 1. And the best part is, even at the end of March, we managed to get some decent snow!

4. #BESTINTOKYO // Forget Tokyo, here's how to get the best sushi of your LIFE: 1. Go to Tsukiji Fish Market on a weekday when trains start at 5am (lesson learned: not holidays), 2. Walk into the heart of the market, past the initial street bustle, 3. If the line for no. 1 寿司大 (Sushi Dai) is unbelievable and the much shorter line for no. 2 大和 (Daiwa) is an hour and a half wait, you can find a place like おかめ (Okame) with no line that will still give you the most amazing sushi you have ever tasted.

5. #BESTINTOKYO // When the 桜 / sakura / cherry blossoms bloom in late March through early April, this is where you want to be. The Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden is a large park that offers the most beautiful scenes in the city. Then you'll just need to rely on the beauty of your subject. ;) It's open from 9:00-4:30 and admission is around $2. We went right when the sakura were just starting to bloom, so we didn't get the full experience - but we did get to taste some sakura ice cream!

6. #BESTINTOKYO #ONLYINTOKYO // This is it, folks. Tsuta is the only Michelin Star ramen (as of 2016). Their shoyu (soy sauce) and shio (salt) ramen will make you question the validity of every other ramen you've had. For me, this is #bestshoyuramen #besttokyoramen #top3ramen. Be prepared to wait, though. You need to put a ¥1,000 deposit on seat tickets for their 9-seat restaurant between 8-9am with EVERYONE who will be eating. Then come back at the allotted time to wait for an hour before finally going into the restaurant. It's worth it.

7. #ONLYINTOKYO ? // Daily Chico offers a cool treat, if you can manage not to drop it! Head to the basement of the Broadway Center in Nakano for an 8-scoop soft serve ice cream cone. Winona recommends the purple flavor! I think the blue ramune flavor is worth a try too. :D

8. #ONLYINTOKYO // An Otaku's dream come true. Tokyo is the only place you can go to see a 1/1 18 meter #GundamStatue (note the guy on the left for scale), which lights up from 5-11pm with steam spewing from its chest, and short video protections at 7:30pm, 8:30pm and 9:30pm. To get there head to Odaiba island, and it will be waiting outside the 2nd floor cafeteria of the Diver City mall.

9. #ONLYINTOKYO // At 634 meters, Tokyo #Skytree became the tallest tower in the world in 2011. This is where you want to go to get the best view of the city. If you're looking to spend less than 2,000 yen you may want to check out the classic TokyoTower, or you can go to the 25th floor of the Bunkyo Civic Center free of charge and see Mt. Fuji on a clear day.

10. #ONLYINTOKYO // Sunshine City in Ikebukuro was one of my favorite places to go in Tokyo for one reason: #NamjaTown. Think of an inside theme park, but with food as the main attraction: tons of gyoza (pan-fried dumplings) stands, weird ice cream flavors (snake, fried chicken, etc.), and games. But when we went a couple years ago, it seemed a little watered down with the opening of a new theme park next door: #JWorldTokyo. They cover everything Shonen Jump from the #OnePiece Sunny-Go ship, to the #DragonballZ Saiya-jin ship, to #Naruto ramen, to #HunterXHunter life-size manga, and more! If you love the Shonen Jump stores in Japan, you have to check this place out.

11. #BESTINTOKYO // Every year in September (just in time for my birthday!), Tokyo hosts one of the biggest gaming conventions in the world: #TokyoGameShow. I went solo my first year in 2008, and with @jasmin671 and family/friends again in 2010. This con is massive (between 200,000 to 300,000 attendants) and has everything you'd expect from a Japan-scale expo: superb cosplay, game testing, giant robots, and of course lots and lots of Sega.

12. #ONLYINTOKYO // We have been down #TakeshitaStreet more times than we can count, so there must be a good reason right? #Harajuku is the fashion capital of Tokyo and a must-see for anyone looking to do some serious shopping (ladies?). And for others who may not be so interested (guys?), it's still got some of the coolest shirts I've found (like my Ronald McDonald Joker shirt). Sundays seem to be "Cosplay Day," and everyday is "Packed Liked Sardines Day."

13. #BESTINTOKYO // #UenoZoo is the biggest (and only?) zoo in Tokyo, and a great place to bring kids. Of note are the panda bears and the petting zoo, but beware of paying money to ride the train in the zoo unless you really don't feel like walking up/down a small hill. And it might not be the best place to go when the kids are frightened of any type of bear. #learningthehardway

14. #ONLYINTOKYO // I've saved one of the best places for the 14th and final recommendation in Tokyo: the #GhibliMuseum. This museum is heaven for anyone who appreciates #Miyazaki movies like #PrincessMononoke, #SpiritedAway, and #MyNeighborTotoro. You do have to book tickets months in advance, and when you arrive photos inside are strictly prohibited. But this museum is packed with goodies and games and exhibits that are worth experiencing once in your life.

And with that, I've concluded my Tokyo recommendations. If you're planning a trip, there are tons more places to check out than I've mentioned, like Akihabara, Ginza, and Asakusa. And no trip to Japan would be complete without seeing a maid cafe, eating okonomiyaki, and entering a Tokyu Hands. But over my 10 or so trips to Tokyo I've been to the 14 places I've shown (often multiple times), and can vet that they are cool experiences that may fall under the radar when planning a trip. Good luck and enjoy!

6 Ways to Keep in Contact from Abroad

When going abroad for a long trip or to stay and chill for a while, you may be worried about how you can keep in contact with family and friends you're separating from, perhaps for the first time. I wrote up this guide as a way to share what I currently do since it seems to be working pretty well. It assumes that you have regular internet access, though, so when you first get to your destination these things might not happen right away. Also, not going to cover the basics - you probably use Facebook and send email, for instance, so there's no point of putting those kinds of things in here. These are mainly ideas that I've found others didn't seem to know about when I told them. So here are those six ways!

1. Google Voice - Do yourself a favor and get it. Right now (though if you're already in a foreign country, you may need to download Hotspot Shield first to mask your non-U.S. IP address, which has the wonderful side effect of allowing you to view Hulu, Pandora, Netflix, and more). Stop reading this post and register for a new phone number via Google, because you won't regret it. I won't go into all the cool features that they break down on their site, but here's what you need to know: you register a new free telephone number which you can use to text and call people (yes, for free) from your computer (you can use an actual phone too of course, but not in foreign countries). When other people text that number you can check it online, and when they call it will ring in Gmail. If you're not there and they leave a voicemail, the message and text transcription will be saved online for you to view, download, email to others, etc. at any time.
   
   NOTE 5/3/10: I just set this up for a friend in Japan, and one thing I forgot to mention is that you need to (temporarily) link your new number to a US cellphone or landline number to activate it. Maybe find a friend overseas and give them the activation number, and then afterwards go into your settings and remove their phone number. Then you're good to go.
   
   What you may not know: One of the cool things about Google Voice is that you can get email notifications of texts, missed calls, and voicemails. In addition, you can change your email address from the standard Gmail to whatever you want - even your phone's email address. That's right, if your phone uses regular email (as cell phones in many countries seem to do, especially in Japan), then you can receive and send normal text messages, get notifications of missed calls and voicemails, and get voicemail transcripts from your friends and family back in the states. Did I mention that it's free?
   
   
2. Gmail - So now that you know you can make and receive free calls with Google Voice through Gmail, that site should be open pretty much all the time. I mean, if Gmail is your primary email, perhaps you're already going there fairly often. I suggest you take full advantage of Google's free services, which would include using the Gmail Chat sidebar as well. You've probably made up your mind by now about how you want to use instant messengers, but at this point you can't get more convenient than Google Chat, which also allows you to sign into AIM.
   
   What you may not know: Actually, you probably already know this if you've used the chat before, but there's also a video function. At this point, Skype seems to be becoming outdated faster than my English living over in the Japan hizzouse. So in summation, from Google we can make phone calls, send text messages, send emails, send instant messages, and have video chats, all from your browser without needing to download anything (with the exception of a possible video chat plug-in). Trust.. in.. Google. @_@
   
   
3. Skype - Yeah, I said it was becoming outdated, but there are still a few good uses left for this popular video chat program giant. For one, you probably have lots of friends already using it living in the U.S. or abroad. For two, on smart phones you can use convenient apps that at least let you audio chat, and possibly video chat if you have a front-facing camera.
   
   What you may not know:If you insist on using Skype to make phone calls to the U.S. (perhaps you've got some credit you're looking to use up), you can actually use your Google Voice number as caller I.D. Sure, you can call your Google Voice number first and dial out from there, but there's a shortcut. If you go to your Caller identification settings on the main website, with a few short text verifications and a 24 hour wait (ugh...), your Voice number will soon be displayed to phones in the states when calling out.
   
   
4. Blog - I'm not so great at this one, but I recommend keeping a blog while you're abroad. It's not only a great way to record your experiences while you're living them, it also, you know, reminds people that you're still alive. Traveling blogs are probably the best reason to have a blog to begin with, but once you have one you should be looking for fun things to write about. Writing blogs in conjunction with posting pictures and videos that you've taken works particularly well in my experience, both in helping you remember and in providing a kind of wide perspective for your travels.
   
   What you may not know: I use Blogger mainly because after some research I found that it was the most widely used blogging software, and therefore would probably have the best support for features and connecting to other popular web applications. But you can use whatever you want, I just can't be bothered to write about other sites. Oh yeah, and Blogger is technically owned by Google too, so score. If you subscribe to others' blogs from your Blogger profile, then those blogs will show up in Google Reader as an RSS feed.
   
   
5. Twitter - People give Twitter a bad rap sometimes, but it's a very easy way to make small blog-like posts on your adventures abroad. I originally got an account so that I could link it to my blog as a current-status type of thing, but I soon found that because it was so easy to post I would use it much more often than my actual blog. Right now I have mine synced to Facebook, but the cool thing about Twitter is that it keeps all of those status updates in an easy-to-reference timeline. Then you can go back and read about when you were drunk in the bamboo forest fighting off an army of ninjas and wild boar and just happened to have your phone on you at the time to mention it on Twitter.
   
   What you may not know: Like Google Voice, there's an easy way you can tweet from any phone that supports general email. The site Twitter Counter allows you to make an account (signing in using your Twitter account if you want) and create an email address that will be linked to your Twitter. Just send an email from your phone to that address and there's your tweet, which of course would update Facebook too if you so choose to link them. Another cool feature is the option to send pictures as attachments on your phone, which show up in your Twitter post as a link.
   
   UPDATE: In light of the events in Japan, I've made sure to link my Twitter to a number of sites just in case. So when I send an email to Twitter Counter, my status automatically shows up on:
   * Twitter
   * Facebook
   * Mixi (a Japan SNS)
   * Google Buzz
   * This blog
   * My Japanese blog
   
   
6. Postcards - With all of these great technological solutions, don't forget to send some of these out too soon after you arrive. And because of all the hassel these days of walking to the post office to send them, they'll probably mean more to the people you're sending them to than any of the above options.
   
   What you may not know: They still exist.

So there you have it. If you didn't learn anything new, then I think we'd have some interesting things to talk about! I researched most of this before I left for Japan, but for some things like calling using Google Voice from Gmail it was just released after I arrived.

Hawaii: Waimanalo (pt. 2/2)

Now that my new drive is fully operational, AND I got a freaking job (woot!), I'm going back and doing this second and final blog on Hawaii that I had wanted to have done Thursday. Jeez, is falling behind in blogs inevitable for me? haha


Sunday, the 10th of January, my family and I had finished our tour for the day and were in search of the base that would become our home for the next six days. The base was relatively small but included a gas station, a rec center, a beach, a mini-golf course, plenty of running trails, and of course the cabins where we would be staying. Our family had one cabin, and attached was the cabin that my dad's friends stayed in after arriving shortly after we did. The cabin itself wasn't the nicest in the world (we had to kill a few cockroaches during our stay) but it had the essentials: internet, TV, small kitchen, internet, separate bedrooms, a view of the water, and of course, internet. In fact, we were so close to the water that if we walked out the back and took 20 steps we would have fallen down the big rocks and landed in the water.

The first full day we were in Waimanalo, my dad's friends, a nice couple from Utah, took us around to some of their favorite hot spots. First though, according to news reports the waves that day were supposedly going to be as high as 40 feet, and everyone was warned to stay out of the water. So naturally, we were going to hit parts of the coast to see some waves. During our numerous stops the waves indeed seemed to be getting bigger and bigger, but I don't know if they were really 40 feet high. Some of them looked smaller than the waves we get sometimes in Bethany Beach, Delaware. lol On the other hand, we did come away with some cool videos which I implore you to check out on Facebook and YouTube.


We also went to the macadamia nut house, complete with pictures of Obama visiting at one point. More importantly, there were lots of Japanese tourists and I had fun doing my nonchalant eavesdropping and seeing if there's a way to jump into the conversation. The highlight of the day, though, was going on a hiking trail that took us through a really cool forest with lots of different plants and flowers, ending at the Waimea Falls waterfall. It was a very natural and serene swimming hole, which you could tell because the water was cold as anything despite being in the sun. lol We sat under the waterfall for a bit and swam around, but since the bottom was so deep and we had to tread water we got tired fairly quickly and walked back through the trail. Dinner was shrimp from a truck on the side of the road, which my dad's friends claimed they went to every year.

Tuesday morning we started the day with a nice, long two hour hike up a hill and back. It wasn't quite as bad as it sounds, the view was incredible, but it was getting hotter by the minute and so was our hunger, so we went into town for some lunch. My parents' friends recommended going to a place called Tubby's Bigger Burgers, and by God the name doesn't lie. We each ate one of the bigger (as opposed to big or biggest) burgers, in addition to fries and a milkshake, and we weren't hungry again for the rest of the trip. Wasn't cheap either for a fast-food-like-alike. The rest of the day was spent walking around a couple other places along the coast (we even saw some whales), and ended with a return to base and relaxation on the beach.


The next day we had wanted to start by going to a beach to do some snorkeling, but we found out the hard way that the parking lot fills up pretty quick. So in the meantime, we went into Waikiki city, which wasn't too far away, and visited the aquarium. Audio tours were included in the price of the ticket so I got the Japanese version again, and we had fun exploring both the inside and outside versions of the aquarium. We walked along Waikiki beach for a little bit, and then returned to our original destination: Hanauma Bay. The day was really nice, but the water was still kind of cold, and getting colder as the sun continued to set. Snorkeling offered an interesting opportunity to see some fish and coral, but unfortunately a lot of the coral had turned gray and was so close to the surface of the water that I came close to cutting myself a few times. Plus the water was a little misty and I couldn't see many fish, so I much preferred my experience in the Philippines.

Our final full day primarily consisted of us finally going to a Luau, which is sort of like a traditional Hawaiian festival and banquet. The place we went to, the Polynesian Cultural Center, was really big and really nice, dedicating specific areas to each of the Polynesian countries and performing shows that incorporated them all. We spent a lot of time walking around and getting acquainted with the culture before the Luau itself started, which is the actual epic feast. They had a ceremony for the main course, the kalua pig, and then the dinner began. The pig was basically pulled pork and was delicious of course, and they had other good foods as well. Our experience for the night ended with a show called "HA! Breath of Life" where people danced out a story of a man's life in an ancient tribe.


Friday, the 15th, was our last day in Hawaii, and since my family loves hiking so much they couldn't resist to finish off the trip with one more that morning. The view was awesome once again, and the whales were clearer than ever. We returned again to pack up our stuff, and also to play a little mini-golf before heading out. Our plane left that night so we had time to drive to a few more key places, but I was honestly ready to leave. I did miss Jasmin a lot, after all.

Pictures on Facebook
Pictures on Photobucket
Videos on YouTube

Hawaii: Waikiki (pt. 1/2)

Well, after being on hiatus for a LOOONG time, I think I'm going to jump right in by starting with the Hawaii trip I took in mid-January. My favorite blogs to write are of my travels (if you haven't noticed already!), so I can't miss this opportunity for documentation. Soon after I returned to the continental U.S. I uploaded my pictures and videos on Facebook, Photobucket, and YouTube, and as per usual I'll be linking to them at the bottom of my post. If you're following me on Twitter and I mention going on a trip, your best bet is to check those places until I get around to blogging here.

And speaking of blogging in general, I decided to go ahead and create a new blog on this account for Japanese: 日本語ッポイ (Romaji: nihongo-ppoi, English: Japanese-ish). It's still under heavy construction, though, so don't expect much. I technically have a website (click) I was using for Japanese blogs already, not to mention mixi and Lang-8, but none offered the kind of optimization that Blogger gets me really excited about. So since I had started before, I went ahead and copied my six existing posts in an attempt to have something to start with and to motivate me to keep going. I'm also going to try to work around a schedule of getting out posts every Tuesday and Thursday, whether that be for my English or Japanese blog, or both. Yay!


From the 7th to the 15th of January I took a trip to Hawaii with my parents and brother and some family friends, staying in a hotel on the beautiful Waikiki beach, in addition to a cabin on base in Waimanalo. Both locations were on the main island of Oahu, the island with the Honolulu airport, where we came through after a good half a day of traveling. Our day started so early that we arrived at the airport before 6, but despite how early it was I resisted the temptation to stay awake overnight. Turns out I am really bad at sleeping on planes, so that's a good thing. lol

Once in Honolulu, we got our rental car and drove into Waikiki, during which I was reminded of some Bennie K songs ("Waikiki, why are you so sweet...". haha Our hotel, the Hale Koa, was nice despite the small room size, but the best part was the view from the balcony of not only the beach, but the mountains and the rest of the city as well. It was hard not to notice the Hawaiian touches that you can't find in a lot of other places, like open entrances void of windows or doors and numerous outside eateries. We had dinner at one such place, and naturally I made sure to order Hawaiian pizza as a first meal. The relaxing evening was concluded with a walk on the beach as the sun set, and I continued to explore once my family went to bed. I actually felt reminded a lot of Guam while there, in the scenery as well as general feel. Of course, Hawaii has got nothing on Guam when it comes to having a Jasmin. I missed her!


The next morning we watched the sun rise with another walk on the beach, as I showed my family some places I had found the night before, like the koi ponds behind the Hilton next door. It was also hard not to notice the sheer number of Japanese tourists, which would be a great opportunity to practice the language! The first chance would come when we went to hike the Diamond Head volcano; I asked some Japanese people to take our picture, and afterward offered to take a picture for them. :D At one point when we were coming back down after reaching the peak, I told a lady in Japanese, "You're almost there! Good luck." After telling my parents what I had said, my mom repeated what she thought she heard: "You said, 'Hello, my little friend' to her?" XD

Full day #2 was our obligatory trolley tour around the island, taking us from the beach, through the city and some museums, and into China Town. We spent some time in China Town with botanical gardens and shrines, one of which was a rather authentic-looking Japanese shrine. I got to show my parents and brother the proper way of behaving at shrines, and it felt like I was practicing for when we all go to Japan together one day. When we finally got back for the day, we relaxed in the pool and took a nap. Not at the same time, mind you, but I wouldn't have minded that either.


Our last day in Waikiki was packed with Pearl Harbor, exploring, finding our way to Waimanalo, and meeting up with the family friends I mentioned earlier. Pearl Harbor was (maybe not surprisingly) the first location where we were not greatly outnumbered by Japanese tourists. Despite this discovery, when I went to purchase an audio tour I made sure to ask for the Japanese version, and this led to an interesting conversation with the Japanese guide as to why I didn't want the English tape. lol I do highly recommend the Pearl Harbor tour. The USS Arizona Memorial is actually completely free to take a boat ride to the remains of the ship, one that was almost entirely destroyed during the attack. The only thing you pay for is an optional audio tour (which I did), or tours on other boats which we didn't do. Oh yeah, and two days later Hillary Clinton arrived to visit the memorial as well, when it was supposedly going to be down for "maintenance."

For lunch we went to a nice Japanese restaurant with rather authentic food in my opinion, after which my dad said, "Now we can cross that off the list." :[ Guess he's not as big a fan of the food (& cost?) as I am. >_< To conclude the Japan theme for the day, we drove into a cemetery, took the road all the way to the back, and semi-hidden among the trees was a straight-up authentic Japanese temple. Not just any temple either, it was a replica of a Kyoto temple called Byodo-In, though not one that I had personally been do. It was another great experience for the day, being surrounded by beautiful natural scenery and simple Buddhist architecture. Made me miss Japan. *sigh* So that's part one of Hawaii. Coming up is part two, which includes my stay in Waimanalo with the family friends I mentioned before. Check it out.

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P.S. Sorry about the lack of graphics in this post. My hard drive died recently and I've been trying to get things up and running again. Long story short, until I get a permanent replacement I'm not going to be putting my pictures onto my temporary drive.

Destination Philippines III (P.I. part 6/6)

It was Friday, June 5th - my last full day in the Philippines. I was so busy that I didn't get the chance to finish taking pictures of the outside of the house, but when I woke up I took a quick video of the inside (see the video blog) because I knew my time would be limited. Being around sick kids for the last three days didn't do well to improve my initial sickness, and for the rest of the time I had to deal with an additional head cold, lasting until about a week and a half after I returned.

That morning, we had breakfast and got out the door so Jasmin could have a dentist appointment with her uncle. She also had a doctor's appointment in Manila, meaning another 2 hour drive up there once again. I'm told that medical treatment is extremely cheap in the Philippines, and Jasmin takes full advantage of that when she visits. I talked to Mrs. Valencia and learned that mental health care is quite similar to the U.S., whereas if you can afford what's not covered by insurance then people who need it will get it. Unlike the U.S. though, it's easy to get round-the-clock treatment because you can pay people willing to live at your house to take care of you. All-in-all, the image of the Filipino worker is one of someone who works hard for often very little, such as doing dirty jobs like repairing heavily damaged cars that would have been thrown away in the states. There are a number of instances in the Philippines where things have been adopted from the West, like style and food and language, and with little difficulty according to Jasmin's mom. I would have liked to see a Philippines more authentic in its own culture, but I feel it's still a distinct and interesting country nonetheless.

In Manila, Jasmin and her mom first went shopping at a supermarket for cheap equivalents of U.S. products, or for cheap things only found in the P.I. Then we went to the doctor's appointment where Jasmin was just fine, and finally came home to Pampanga for dinner.

Jasmin had been telling me about this great Chinese restaurant near their house, and Friday night we finally got to eat there. I thanked her parents for their hospitality and told them I had a great time with all of the experiences I went through. Though I offered to pay for the meal, her parents refused no matter how much I insisted, since I am still an unemployed college student. :X Guess that means I have to work hard so I can repay them for such a great vacation.

There were a lot of first experiences for me during this trip. Just to highlight a few:

• First time in the Philippines
• First time going on a trip with my girlfriend by plane
• First time at a foot spa
• First time getting a massage
• First time snorkeling
• First time drinking from a coconut
• First time parasailing

I can also take this opportunity to note my favorite Filipino foods. These are must-eats for anyone visiting the country:

• Tocino (sweet pork)
• Kare-kare (meat and vegetables in peanut sauce)
• Chicken Adobo (chicken and vegetables)
• Mangos (jello fruit)
• Fried bananas (ditto)
• Pan De Sal (Filipino bread)
• Pancit (thin noodles)
• Lumpia (Filipino egg roll)
• Siopao (meat bun)
  

I'll try to remember more, and in the meantime - Jasmin, please correct my spelling. :p That just about covers my trip in the Philippines. This huge update all at once should be good for a little while before I return to Japan blogs. Enjoy.

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Palawan, P.I. (P.I. part 5/6)

Our trip with the kids to Palawan started on Monday, June 1st, after Jasmin's and my 2 hour "nap." We were in a rush and barely had time to buy doughnuts for breakfast before boarding our plane in Manila with Jasmin and her parents, Gyles, Coleen, and myself. Like Boracay, the flight only took an hour; unlike Boracay, the van to the hotel was only about 15 minutes, the hotel was much nicer and included a pool, and there was no beach in sight. :[ Jasmin and I took Coleen in one room, and Mr. and Mrs. Valencia took Gyles in the other because he was sick. We ordered breakfast food in the dining area for lunch, but there were so many flies around that I couldn't really completely enjoy the food.

After lunch, we began our tour of Palawan, which included a church, the Iwahig prison and penal farm, a crocodile farm, and a bakery. The prison, according to Mrs. Valencia, is where most criminals in the Philippines go when sentenced. It's out in the middle of no where so there are no gates around apart from at the front. Prisoners generally spend the day doing hard labor, but when we went inside there were some working at the gift shop, though with shirts that read "Minimal Sentence."

The crocodile farm was cool and had an equally appealing gift shop, though ironically few souvenirs were related to crocs (see picture of nun chucks). We got lots of pictures of crocodiles and other animals, including birds and snakes. The bakery was our last stop, and had some interesting food that we picked out. Nearby they also had a garden, as well as loony toon statues that kept the kids entertained.

When we returned to the hotel, the kids were really eager to swim, but due to Gyles' sickness his grandparents kept him in the room. Meanwhile, Jasmin had borrowed Oliver's water-proof camera and we took advantage of the remaining battery to get some shots we wish we had taken in Boracay. For dinner, we ordered in from a popular fast-food chain called Jollibee. In the Philippines, all fast food delivers, even McDonald's.



The next day, Tuesday, we took the same van as Monday down to the water for island hopping. A boat took us to "Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park," the longest navigable underground river in the world at 2 and a half miles, and nominated by the Philippines to be one of the new 7 wonders of the world. While waiting for a boat, monkeys were hopping all along the area, and even began approaching when someone held out food. After around 45 mins. we finally got a boat and went through the tunnel, trying to take pictures where we could, but considering the cave was pitch black not all of them came out good. It was interesting, but not my vote for a wonder of the world. lol

We got back to the shore where the van was parked and had lunch before heading back for more swimming at the hotel pool, this time with Gyles as well. Dinner involved watching the kids as we ate from the hotel buffet, which wasn't bad but I saw ants crawling over some of the plates. o_O

Wednesday we took a long boat ride to slug island (that's what it looked like, anyway), bringing food to cook and snorkeling masks to swim with. It wasn't until we actually got to the island that we saw clear water, and even then it was kind of musty and not great for snorkeling. After we ate the wind began to pick up, and rain increasingly fell harder until we were in the middle of a full-on storm that forced us into the hut where we were eating. We waited it out, then hurried to the boat and eventually back to the hotel, where we swam yet again. For dinner, all 6 of us took a tricycle to look for restaurants on the street, and finally settled on a fast-food chain that served chicken on a stick.

Thursday was when we left, but we had time to swim one last time, and because the kids never got tired of it I was dragged, kicking and screaming, into the water. In the early afternoon we headed to the airport, back to Manila, and home to Pampanga for our last couple days in the Philippines.

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Destination Philippines II (P.I. part 4/6)

The next couple days were without question the calmest of the entire vacation, the eye of the storm if you will, before a straight shot of activity that would eventually lead to Jasmin and I coming home to MD. We woke up late Saturday and took our time getting up until the kids arrived. I'd met Jasmin's young niece and nephew, Gyles and Coleen, on Guam, and every summer they come to stay with their grandparents in the Philippines for 2 months.

We helped them bring in and unpack their stuff, then relaxed with them the rest of the day. We had brought presents - paper airplane books and paper, Littlest Pet Shop drawing materials, bubble blowing materials, etc. - and by the end of the day the kids had gone through them all. Their cousin came over and helped them build tons of airplanes, Coleen drew on all the sheets for Littlest Pet Shop, and they went through a whole bottle of bubbles. So we just laid around and played DS for the rest of the afternoon.

Jasmin still didn't feel good from the day before, and I started to feel kind of bad as well, finding myself constantly running to the bathroom. Jasmin's brother Oliver, the kids' dad, suggest that it could be the ice in the drinks, which comes from the ground and isn't as sanitary as the bottled water that's poured into the glass. He said that this is what catches a lot of his friends off guard, and for the rest of the trip Jasmin and I were careful to stay away from it. Let that be a warning to anyone thinking of going to the Philippines: stay away from ICE!

Sunday was another day of playing DS and trying to get better. In the afternoon, we went to a blessing for one of Jasmin's parents' buildings, which consisted of following a priest through the rooms of this new building, to be used as apartments for students, I think. From there, Jasmin and I went with Oliver and one of their cousins to an acrobatic stage show called Wanders in Manila. It was modeled after a Vegas show, and had a little something for everyone, with singing and dancing, slow romantic pieces, martial arts, etc. It was really cool, albeit with a few mess-ups, then we got in the car to be driven home. Oliver, however, wanted to go out drinking with his friends, and it wasn't until we got there at 11:00 that we found out we'd be leaving the next morning at 5:00 am for Palawan. So Jasmin and I just stayed in the car and slept, finally getting home around 2:30 am and had to do all our packing before going to sleep for a good hour and a half.

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Boracay, P.I. (P.I. part 3/6)

Jasmin's parents were so nice that not only did they let me stay in their really nice home, but they brought me along on two truly amazing trips within our trip to the Philippines. The first was to Boracay (pronounced bore-ah-kuy), which can be summed up as the ideal getaway - a bright, warm place with white sand, clear water, palm trees, where everything is cheap. We had to wake up super early to make the long drive to Manila, where Jasmin, her parents, her brother Will, and I took a plane an hour or so to Boracay. But little did we know that it was just the beginning of our traveling. We took 2 vans, a boat, a jeepney (sort of like a mini bus or large taxi often used in the Philippines), and finally walked in order to get to the main beach where we'd be staying in a hotel a few steps from the water.

After we dropped our stuff off and got changed, we walked down the beach and were approached by many people selling us sun glasses, hats, massages, souvenirs, toys, or other entertainment on the water. One guy was trying to get me to buy sunglasses for around $18, and when Jasmin's dad came to bargain we ended up getting 3 pairs for the equivalent of $8. We went swimming for a bit, though I thought it wasn't as good as Guam since the sand felt not quite as soft, the water was a bit colder, and there was some seaweed lining the shore. Will, on the other hand, thought it was better since there weren't as many rocks on the bottom.

We came in, and after showering and napping went to dinner. There were a lot of buffets, inside and outside around the beach, but we were so full from an Asian all-you-can-eat lunch that we got something quick and walked along the sand. There were cool things like fire dancers and live musicians, and we got parfaits before returning for the night.

Thursday morning we went to a local wet market to get food for later. These markets are a big part of Filipino culture, where you can buy a large assortment of fresh fruit, vegetables, and meats, though this one clearly specialized in fish due to the location. We got on a boat and left for a day of "island hopping," the first stop being just off the edge of an island. The water was some of the clearest I'd ever seen, and we put on snorkeling masks and jumped in for my first-ever snorkel experience. There were tons of fish, especially when you threw in bread, but we had enough from the market so we didn't need to catch any more.

Our next stop was Crystal Cove Island to cook the food we brought, or at least.. have it cooked for us while we hung out and explored the island. :p We soon realized that a better name for the island should have come from the caves we found that you could swim or snorkel in. After some close calls of nearly dropped my camera, Jasmin, Will and I returned to the food which was great, especially the lobster.

We came back to the main island and took the people along the beach up on their offers for entertainment on the water, beginning with parasailing. Jasmin was scared at first, but they take you into the air relatively smoothly and slowly, and at the highest point it was just surreal, as if we were in front of a huge green screen. William really wanted to try wake boarding, so I tagged along to take some pictures. If he thought his snowboarding skills would help him, it seemed he was mistaken, and after maybe 12 attempts he was able to actually stay on the board to ride the water. After that, he got it down pretty quick and it was smooth riding from there. We finally made it back to the hotel again, and Jasmin and I passed out while Will continued his boarding, this time with skim boarding. We woke up and had a similar night to Wednesday, walking along the beach eating and getting another parfait.

We woke up early Friday morning so I could help Will with skim boarding. I have one at home so he wanted me to show him how it's done, since the day before I was just too tired. Unfortunately, the tide conditions weren't great for boarding that early, so I showed him what I could but asked him to take my word for it that it could be a lot funner. We packed and soon found ourselves following the same path we had come by before to return home, up until one of the last modes of transportation by bus. We were going to fly out from a different airport, which turned out to be 2 hours away. The worst part was that Jasmin was already starting to feel sick, and it only got worse with the bumping of the van. At the airport we waited for a bit by watching some Naruto in Tagolog, then took the plane to Manila where we had another long drive home.

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Video Blog: Philippines House (P.I. part 2/6)

I'm going to test something out here with a video I uploaded to YouTube. Let me know what you guys think of blogs like this. Here's the description I had of the house from part 1:

Though all-in-all the house probably isn't much bigger than mine in MD, the layout and furnishings make it look like a manshion. Their neighborhood has a booth and guard when you come in, and their house is surrounded by a tall gate. When you walk in the front doors, you're greeted by a large winding staircase leading to the second floor with Jasmin's, William's, and Oliver's rooms, their parents' room, and the attic. The guest room, where I'm staying, is on the first floor, next to the entertainment room with a projector, built-in karaoke machine, and surround sound. Each bedroom is completely furnished very stylishly, and includes a bathroom with a shower and separate tub. There's also an office, a dining room when you walk in the front, a kitchen and eating area, and probably more I haven't seen.

Now here's the video so you can see it yourself.


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Destination Philippines I (P.I. part 1/6)

I'm going to be on rapid fire in order to get up all the blogs from my trip to the Philippines before the end of June. Yes that's right, 6 parts are planned. But they're a lot shorter than from Japan (I hope). Alright, so the trip was two weeks long, from Saturday, May 23 - Saturday, June 6, 2009. Some of the blogs were written in the Philippines, and some were written afterward. Let's jump right in.

Three days ago I arrived in the Philippines for the first time in my life. Last summer I had gone to visit my girlfriend, Jasmin, in Guam, and this summer I'm going with her to visit her parents in the Philippine Islands. They've been inviting me since I first met them last year for Jasmin's graduation, and now that summer's here we finally had the chance to travel together (also for the first time). Even if I'm dead broke and jobless when I return, so far it's proved totally worth it. The first thing you might think about with the Philippines is the weather, though is hasn't been unbearably hot and humid for much of the time; if anything, it's a relaxing heat. You might also wonder about the language barrier. In fact, in addition to the national Tagolog with various dialects, virtually everyone speaks English, so it's easy to get around. Lastly, you could wonder whether poverty is a big problem there, being a second world country. While I've seen it in the streets, Jasmin's parents are.. well, fairly well-off, so we've been able to avoid this issue.

The only thing that really bothered me so far is the 30 hour travel time. Two stops, each with 5 hour layovers, plus a 13 hour flight to Japan in between. I was really looking forward to being in Japan again for the first time in 5 months, but even then I got tired in a few hours. In that time though, I had the chance to practice my language skills in a variety of stores, make a call to my host parents, buy some snacks and eat some real Japanese food again, and even run into a classmate from Nanzan on her way home from her second semester! During the last hour, Jasmin and I were completely exhausted and waited at the gate until our 4 hour flight to Manila.

When we finally made it to the Philippines, Jasmin's parents picked us up and drove 2 hours back to their home in Angeles City, Pampanga. Despite a stop at Starbucks on the way, I was extremely tired and knocked out soon after we arrived around 2 am, the morning of Monday, May 25th.

I didn't get the chance to really appreciate Jasmin's parents' home until I was awoken for breakfast the next morning. Though all-in-all the house probably isn't much bigger than mine in MD, the layout and furnishings make it look like a manshion. Their neighborhood has a booth and guard when you come in, and their house is surrounded by a tall gate. When you walk in the front doors, you're greeted by a large winding staircase leading to the second floor with Jasmin's, William's, and Oliver's rooms, their parents' room, and the attic. The guest room, where I'm staying, is on the first floor, next to the entertainment room with a projector, built-in karaoke machine, and surround sound. Each bedroom is completely furnished very stylishly, and includes a bathroom with a shower and separate tub. There's also an office, a dining room when you walk in the front, a kitchen and eating area, and probably more I haven't seen. In addition, they have a cook and maids, a driver, and a house boy who does various things. If that's not enough, you'll get an idea of how well-off they are as this goes on.

So we ate breakfast with Jasmin's parents, her brother Will, and his fiance Marina. Virtually every meal by the cook was delicious and plentiful, and by the end of the trip I'll probably be able to name my favorite Filipino foods. My tour was after breakfast, and then I took a shower before we headed out to a foot spa (they treat you good in the Philippines). Mrs. Vaencia brought us lunch - something similar to mac and cheese but sweet - and we played DS while we waited. We didn't have anything else on the schedule so after Jasmin and I looked through photo albums, we said goodbye to Marina who was going back to Guam, and took a 5 hour nap. At around 8 we were woken up for dinner. Though it was a bit early, Jasmin had gotten her dad a card and present for Father's Day, so we watched the present - Iron Man on DVD - after dinner on the projector until we fell asleep.

The next day was Tuesday, but one of the great things about my trip is that I lost my conception of time and didn't even mind. No cell phone, no internet, not even a computer for two weeks; this is a true vacation. Before breakfast, we hit the road, passing by farmland and towns very typical of Filipino life, until we arrived at Jasmin's grandmother's. I had met her before in Guam, and when you greet an elder in the Philippines you're supposed to take their hand and put it up to your forehead, but I forgot to do this until sneaking in a second handshake. We weren't there for long, and next went to the family ranch. This was an area they were working to clear out to build a house, in addition to making a pool, 2 fishing ponds, and a duck pond; right now, however, the only thing they're using it for is a mango tree. If there's one delicious fruit to try in the Philippines, it's mango. Jasmin likes to make fun of my for how I describe some of the Filipino food, but I swear this type of mango has a jello consistency and almost melts in your mouth. After boxing up a ton of mangos, we headed home to breakfast.

That afternoon, Jasmin drove Will and I to the family hotel, and then to lunch at the mall before returning to the hotel to drop off Will. Jasmin and I went back to the mall and the first place we went to was a comic store with anime paraphernalia. Unfortunately, only the most popular anime was there, but with Naruto, Death Note, and Soul Eater I wasn't complaining much. We walked around a bit more until ending up at the arcade. It wasn't until we were leaving that we realized we left our shopping bag by one of the machines, but by the time we ran back it was gone. This was when I learned a very important lesson of the Philippines: never leave your bags unattended, or they won't be seen again. So Jasmin and I had to go back and re-buy our merchandise and her new contacts, a total of around $70.

The last big thing we did that day was have my first massage. It was late when we finally called them over, but Jasmin's parents brought out the massage tables and the two ladies got to work. There was a lot about it I liked, particularly the upper back, but there were also parts like my legs that were overdone, or parts like 2 spots on my back that just hurt when they rubbed it. I don't have anything to compare it to, but I'll say it was just okay. After the massage, we went to bed to get up early for our flight to Boracay.

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Guam pt. 2

Sunday in Guam began with a Filipino-inspired flea market, where Jasmin, her brother, and I ate breakfast but didn't have time to haggle for cool items or do much else unfortunately. We went home and changed clothes to go to church, as Jasmin's whole family is Catholic and attends mass. Though I no longer belong to an organized religion, I still dressed up rather nicely, but when we got there others had on either casual formal or very casual. So Jasmin had to break the news that I wasn't Catholic, but the bombshell that I'm not even Christian is still to come. >.> Brunch was at a nearby hotel, where we met up with even more of Jasmin's family (and took plenty of pictures). The food was delicious and consisted of an interesting mixture of East and West, which is what Guam does best.


That day was actually one of the most exciting days of my stay. We hit the road in the early afternoon with the kids and Jasmin's cousins to drive around the entire island. Sounds like quite a task, huh? Well.. in Guam, it only takes a few hours. XD But we had a lot of fun stopping a couple places, like Two Lovers Point and this mountain area. Two Lovers Point is a cliff that tells the tale of a Chamorro woman who was ordered to marry a Spaniard when they came over to claim the land. Well the women was in love with a Chamorro man, and instead of obeying the order they tied their hair together and jumped off the cliff to their deaths. So as you can imagine, the location was sooo romantic.


We also stopped at a mountain area with a beautiful view from all directions, but it didn't have much else going for it so we didn't stay for long. The trip would have gone faster if it were not for a campaign of around 50 cars driving slow and honking in support of some candidate for senator. DON'T VOTE FOR EARNEST!!! The worst part was that at one point the cars pulled off to the side momentarily to get beer from another lady who was part of the campaign, so we had drunk idiots driving around and leaning out of the window, yelling at people to vote for their dude.


After going most of the way around, we stopped for dinner at this place with really good ribs, and then went downtown to an aquarium called Underwater World. The coolest part about this place was the long underwater tunnel with various fish, sharks and turtles swimming around and above your head. There was even a portion for petting sea creatures! All-in-all a great time was had, and right next door they even had a Godiva Chocolate store. @_@ So tempting, but so expensive!

Monday was my last day on Guam, and Jasmin and I began our somber morning eating at Fuji Ichiban Ramen, which I was to learn later is popular in Japan. We washed my clothes and packed my stuff, then took everything to the airport early. We were hoping to hang out and go bowling with Jasmin's best friend on Guam, but that never materialized, and I ended up never meeting him. Lunch was kind of random, and soon it was time to say goodbye. Or at least, see you soon in Japan, and when I return to the beautiful area of Guam in the future.

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Guam pt. 1

So yes, it's been one of those periods of activity that are too busy to even find time to write about. It's already been almost 2 weeks since I arrived in Japan, and I have yet to blog about it. However! Prior to reaching the land of the rising sun, I had an amazing experience in the land of the beautiful woman -- Guam!! ..and yes, the beautiful woman is my girlfriend. :D

The first thing I noticed about Guam when arriving on August 26th was the humidity. Though it was night time, as soon as I left the airport it felt like I was in the sun. Jasmin was there to pick me up with her nephew Gyles, and we dropped my stuff off at her house before going to eat at a nearby restaurant. It was apparent soon enough that her 9 year-old nephew was a very energetic and talkative handful, but he's just a nice kid with a wild imagination.

The next day was Wednesday, and Jasmin took me to another local restaurant for breakfast. We ate out a lot; in fact, we rarely did otherwise, unless of course it was a delicious home-made meal from her mom or other family members. But there were so many cool restaurants to choose from!! So later on, we picked up her nephew and niece (Coleen) from school and took them to Jasmin's place where we could entertain them for a few hours until dinner time. Jasmin and I went on a little date on a boat called Micronesian Dream, which set sea just before sunset so we could watch it from the deck and take beautiful pictures. They served food and held a show which made for an overall interesting experience, though when we got back we realized -- uh oh -- they never took our money, all $120 of it. The Japanese people who were there had their money collected beforehand, so maybe they forgot to do it for the "locals." Oh yeah, we were the only non-Japanese, which wasn't uncommon seeing as Guam is a popular tourist location and isn't that far from Japan. We then went to the Chamorro (Guam's indigenous inhabitants) village, a very busy place with a lot of cool stands, and we saw Jasmin's brother's fiance helping her family's business.


On Thursday, we went with Jasmin's mom to Ross and then to get food for dinner. We hung out at her parent's business with her niece and nephew, and then ate a delicious meal that her mom cooked that night. I think that Thursday was kind of uneventful.

We picked up the kids from school on Friday and took them to a nearby mall that had a small amusement park inside. Gyles, Coleen, and Jasmin's cousin Abby rode on rides and played in the arcade, and Jasmin and I rode a few rides as well, like the roller coaster, which was short but went around about 4 times. lol The arcade wasn't too great, but it was a lot of fun watching the kids win their prizes. We then went to Denny's in the mall for a short meal before going to Jasmin's grandmother's house and having a MUCH bigger dinner (omg I was stuffed). It was a nice opportunity to meet her family of many aunts and uncles, but alas, that was mainly just her mom's side. x.X Though intimidating at first, everyone was really nice.

On Saturday we went to one of the nicest swimming pool and beach combinations in the world, I'm sure of that. The pool felt like one was surrounded by wilderness, complete with mazes, slides, and of course, waterfalls. Palm trees are everywhere in Guam, and this was no exception. And when we finally got to the beach, it was almost too good to be true. Clear blue water. Bright white sand. The perfect temperature water. Palm trees lining the beach. It was perfect, something out of a postcard. Upon leaving the beautiful beach, we went to Pizza Hut for "lunch" and then took the kids to Ross to go shopping. I was in charge of watching Gyles in the toy section, and he took me on quite an adventure involving space ships and swords with his imagination that tired me the heck out.

Here are the corresponding pictures on Facebook: Click. Enjoy! Stay tuned for the last two days of my trip and a ton more pictures.