Reflections From The Airport

Tuesday 7 May, 11 am – Sydney Airport

I have a few spare minutes at the airport before my flight to Tokyo, so let’s quickly recap what’s been going on.

I returned from Bali yesterday morning on the red-eye, which is just as bad as LA<>NYC or NYC<>LONDON – long enough to be a hassle, yet too short for any proper sleep. I slept not more than 90 minutes and spent the rest of the time in one of those half-asleep states where you doze off for a couple of seconds, have a complete dream and wake up, only to do it again shortly after.

With so much to do yesterday, there was no time for naps. I even managed to squeeze in a workout. You can’t waste a good opportunity in the Australian sun.

You might wonder why I’d return to Sydney only to fly back north to Tokyo 24 hours later?!

For reasons not exciting enough to dwell on, Sydney is my hub for this entire adventure. It is where I come to reset, exchange stories and experiences with my friends (I’m staying at theirs), do some laundry, and repack for the next part of this journey while leaving a big suitcase with many unnecessary items back at the apartment.

I want as much flexibility as possible for my trips. Aside from the first few days of accommodation, I generally don’t have much planned, and I want to ride the wave of serendipity to the maximum. The last thing I need is a giant suitcase to drag and always think about.

You don’t get to ride on a motorcycle across an island with all your luggage if you also have to drag a suitcase. And trust me, that was a lot of fun.

Many locals in Bali asked me if I was there on vacation. It was too long to explain, so I said “Yes” and smiled, but let’s be clear about one thing…this is no vacation.

No, no…This is bootcamp.

Bootcamp for the mind. Bootcamp for the soul. Bootcamp for the body.

An antidote to fear and the craving for comfort and certainty.

I wanted to experience as much change and diversity as possible during the time I had allocated for this trip – new cultures, new climates, new people, new food, new emotions, etc. A constantly changing environment and a constantly changing ‘you’.

I wanted to allow myself enough time to experience a place, yet not too much time to start feeling too comfortable. From the beach city to the desert, to the wine region, to multiple regions on several tropical islands, to the weird metropolis.

Some stays were a mere 24 hours to visit a friend; others were a whole week. The moment I started feeling comfortable, it was time to go.  

This is obviously not a sustainable way to travel (or live). I get that. Subjecting other people to this blitzkrieg, let alone a romantic partner, is a sure way to ruin good relationships.

That is why you do it alone—me, myself, and I (plus all the ‘monsters’).

A backpack, a large tote bag, and the desire to go for it – to constantly get hit by change, deal with new problems, adapt to the always-changing environment, spend time alone, meet new people with new perspectives, push through fear and sleep deprivation, let go of the bullshit and surrender. And do it all with a smile.

Once you do that many times in a short period, you learn a few things, remind yourself a few more, create many memories, do silly stuff, laugh a lot, cry a little, and suddenly, you feel different. You feel more confident, more determined, more…yourself.

You feel like a better self.

Suddenly, the next destination or uncertainty you are facing doesn’t feel that daunting. In fact, you are pumped to go for it (even in a middle seat on a 10-hour flight…).

And so, here we are, on our way to Tokyo.

I looked like an island boy 24 hours ago (beard, messy hair, jorts, wrinkled t-shirt, hickeys around my eyes from the dive mask), and now, trimmed beard, black jeans, black t-shirt, black worn-out Converse and a black trench, I think I look the part.

I will admit it: Tokyo seemed daunting at first. Everything just feels so different from what we Westerners know. There is not a single straw to grasp on.

So, I tried doing some research, which opened Pandora’s box.

I have never seen so many guides, blogs, IG accounts, YouTube videos, etc., on how to “properly” do a country, each city in that country, and each activity in each city.

It is frightening, to be honest, and the best way to subject yourself to constant anxiety that you are missing out on something or not doing something right.

So, I said, “Fuck it, we will do this a little differently.” – a few recommendations from friends, a few personal “must-do” items, and a thing or two from a semi-decent Tokyo itinerary blog. That is it.

I will likely miss a lot, and I am ok with that. Yet another reason to come back. But who knows what I might find if I let the city guide me more…?

Also, we are going ALL IN on Japan. I’m just gonna go for it and embrace the weirdness. What is the worst that can happen?!

As a start, there won’t be any of that “I’m blogging from my nice hotel room” BS. No, I’ve booked a proper capsule hotel—only for men. (Thanks for the recommendation, my friend.)

And yes…let me put this in writing…I very much intend to use the fancy toilets…with all their functions…

Time to board. Let’s see how many litres of sake I can have in a week.

As we continue…

G.