I Sold My Seoul For Rock & Roll!
Sunday, July 22nd, 2007The Plan: Wake up early, three hour bus trip to Seoul, wander the city, see a Crying Nut show (Famous Korean punk band), party until the buses start running in the morning! [read on]
Articles Tagged ‘– Transport & Travel’
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Busan, South Korea
Tuesday, July 17th, 2007 
I boarded the Camellia Line ferry at Fukuoka and waved goodbye to Japan. The IYTC card I picked off more than paid for itself by saving me about $20 off the ticket. During the trip I met a Texan who has been living in Korea for the last three years. He juggled, showed me a few card tricks and gave me some advice about what to expect when I arrived. I also did some exploring of the ship looking for photo ops before passing out in the communal cabin. [read on]
Last Night in Kansai
Thursday, July 12th, 2007Well that’s it. Time to start making peace with Japan. I have less than a week left on my visa. My ferry to Korea leaves on Monday, and I still need to pay a visit to Megumi in Fukuoka before leaving. [read on]
Kyoto Part I: Zen
Tuesday, July 10th, 2007 
I did it! I escaped the magnetic grip of Osaka once again. Somehow evading its mysterious tractor beam, I found myself on a train bound for Kyoto. I intended to spend more time there, but the last month in Kansai has sped by in a blur. The biggest festival in Japan, the Gion Matsuri, takes place annually in Kyoto throughout the month of July. Although the climactic parade and main festivities peak after my visa expiration, I found information on the web about a lantern parade happening today. Perfect reason to visit the cultural heart of Japan that I have been neglecting the last month I’ve been in Kansai. [read on]
Kansai Bound!
Wednesday, June 13th, 2007 
Yesterday was a wake up call. I think I’ve seen enough shrines, temples and historical artifacts from Japan. Sightseeing is wearing a bit thin, but every experience with the current culture has been most exciting and has appealed to me most. Every day that passes, my visa expiration inches closer and I still haven’t been to Kansai to see the famed cultural heart of Japan. So I decided to say goodbye to Nagoya. It has been an extremely friendly and welcoming city, but I’ll just have to come back someday when I have more time. [read on]
Funny thing happened on the way to Kansai…
Monday, June 11th, 2007…I never made it! [read on]
On the road again!
Friday, May 25th, 2007Today is the first day I start my true travels through Japan. The time I spent at the Solar Cafe in Narusawa was an exciting experience and provided a different type of life than I’ve been used to, but it was too easy to make myself at home. By the time I left I had friends that were like family, 2 pet dogs and a rooster, a bed of my own, a favorite grocery store, a bike and even an SUV at my disposal (not to mention an office with a great view). Strapping on my daypack and taking weekend trips to Tokyo was exciting, but not much different from short hops to NYC or Phila back home. I never really felt like much of a vagabond… but that is all changing. Now I leave to begin my nomadic lifestyle. For the next six weeks left of my visa, I’m backpacking and hitchhiking south west through Japan bound for South Korea. [read on]
Konjaku: Past and Present
Tuesday, May 15th, 2007As much as I enjoyed the last night and day in Tokyo, it was mostly just great conversations with good friends. There is not much to tell that would captivate your attention other than Nabe and I making plans to play music when I come back to town, and a last minute lunch with Mihye (the Korean girl who introduced herself as Michelle last time I was in Tokyo). I really wish I could’ve stayed a little longer, but I have work to finish on the farm before starting my true travels through Japan. [read on]
Truck Surfing and Leaf Eating
Monday, May 7th, 2007At 9am on Monday I’d normally be waking up for a day of work on the farm. Fortunately, due to the massive recovery wake from this weekend’s festivities I arose for something entirely different. Jake let Adam and I have the day off so we could attend a vegetarian BBQ in the nearby town of Kofu. The only difficulty was that we had to find a way there. It was way too far to consider walking, and everybody else from the café with a car was still recuperating.
Luckily, the people who invited us, Marcel and Chris were kind enough to drive the two hour round trip to pick us up. The only catch was that Marcel drives a typical Japanese miniaturized pick up truck and we would have to ride in the back. Speeding around in the cab of one of these coffins on wheels is a terrifying experience by itself, but “surfing” in the back of one through the winding curves of the mountains is an absolute adrenaline rush!! [read on]
Farm Life: Q&A
Monday, April 30th, 2007
So… about farm life in Japan! A lot of people have been asking what I’d be doing here, and up until this week I really had no idea. Let me start by answering some of the more common questions. [read on]
Adam Shane