A Drink With A Stranger

I recently had a drink with a stranger...from the comfort of my own home, in front of my iPad mini screen. Actually, I didn't get a chance to grab anything since I'd actually forgotten about our date and scrambled to get on Skype in time. Oops!
Luckily, Phil waited for me and we had a great chat.

Contact him if you want to have a drink with him, too. He's a pretty cool dude.

One Woman, Three Currencies and 10 Days

uh, I *think* I made a reservation for this place: http://9hours.jp/
Not sure because the site was all in Japanese and didn't ask for a credit card, as far as I can tell. I don't know what the hell is going on half the time. Not sure if I booked a hotel or if I'm trying to sleep in an Apple Store.

It's only $10 more than the hostel (which is all booked now!) and I feel that I need the capsule experience in order to truly appreciate Japan.

I decided to skip the breakfast rate after reading this description:

the bread chunks with coffee and drip authentic, "and Motchiri" "plump" 
original used ♪ Please Come savor toast ○ ○ contents breakfast -drink (all eight species. blended coffee, and orange juice) , green salad (you can choose from a type. 3 pizza toast, tuna onion toast, bacon and eggs toast) Toast

They have toast I take it? And I can drink all eight species!

I have all nights booked now except for one because I haven't decided if I will spend it in Tokyo or Kyoto. It will depend on a mix of Dfly and how much I like Tokyo after one night. I am presuming we can wing this and not end up sleeping in a subway.

So now my trip goes like this:

Montreal-Toronto-Beijing-Tianjin-Great Wall-Beijing-Tokyo-Kyoto-Kurama-Kyoto-Osaka-Seoul-Narita-Toronto-Montreal
10 days of insanity and adventure!

I got my visa pic taken at the CAA and spent way too much time and money there. I bought 2 pairs of those high-tech undies. I know, undies don't take up a lot of space, but any little bit helps these days. I just can't and won't do the 30lbs backpack mistake again. It's minimal all the way now! I think maybe 3 shirts, 1 jacket, 2 pants and maybe a change of shoes. I bought a fancy hanging toiletries bag also. My fancy high-tech travel towel fits in it, so that's all that really matters. I checked and can get all my liquids in those stupid TSA baggies, so all should be good. I might go back and buy a special anti-theft over-the-shoulder bag.

Still looking for a door stop alarm and inflatable hangers at a reasonable price.

Travel Doesn't Always Change You

I look back fondly at the experiences and memories I had from my first solo trips because they changed me so much. They were filled with a energy and purpose, also prompting me to start this blog, because I was so excited by what had changed in me and wanted to share it.

I may have gone into some trips expecting changes to take place and they may or may not have happened because of the trip. In other words, they may have simply happened because I was ready for a change.

I was in a very different place mentally for my most recent solo trip. I had just quit my job. I am mother to a young child with special needs. I went across the country to help a best friend - not because I was looking for adventure or particularly wanted to go there, but out of sense of duty. Still, I resigned myself to see it as a new adventure and make the best of it.

At 6am, I held my son and said good-bye. I took a cab to the metro station, where I caught a bus to the airport. I had a backpack and a small carry-on bag on wheels. I sat at the airport and ate toast and jam I had brought with me. I then went through security. I boarded a plane to Edmonton and the flight took four hours. I landed in Edmonton, bought lunch and a toy for my son. I waited an hour and a half for a bus to take me to Cold Lake. The bus to Cold Lake took over four hours. I was picked up by my best friend's husband at the air force base. I arrived there around 6pm their time (which was 8pm my time). That's 14 hours of travel time!
Believe me, the fact I could have flown to Europe or China was not lost on me!

Unlike other solo trips, I did not feel nervous at all. In fact, I may have even been too relaxed. But I felt comfortable in my homeland of Canada and I also stayed with my best friend most of the trip. I spent only one day and night alone in Edmonton on the way back. Unlike other times, it didn't feel liberating, it just felt good - like a comfy old sweater. I'm past the liberation stage and into the "Old Hat" stage!

In the end, it was more reaffirming that I still have some travel left in me. My life has changed drastically - I'm a mom responsible for another person - but I'm still the same old solo traveler inside.