Konnichiwa, Hajimemashite!
If you've read the about me page on this here blog, this first bit is gonna get a bit repetitive, but it'll tail off in to more detail not included there. Apologies about the repetition all the same, but I need to kick the blog in to life!
This blog is inspired by a holiday to Japan. Basically, at my mom's 70th Birthday party, my brother-in-law suggested that he and my nephews fancied a trip to Japan, and asked if I was interested.. in short, fuck yeah! As I write this, four months prior to departing, I haven't been on a plane in about 20 years, or abroad in over 10, and while I always fancied Japan, I was never likely to venture there on my own due to said lack of experience of late, and being an introvert on the most part. I watch a lot of travel videos on YouTube, namely Collin Abroadcast at the haggle markets, and also Simon Wilson being one of my favourites, so my wanderlust has been growing. I also have a big interest in general leisure videos, especially anything involving collecting or general quirkiness, so I figured I could combine all the above and just have some fun with photo and video, shove it up on social media and YouTube, write a few blogs, and then anyone who wants to come on that journey(s) with me, can!
So Japan... I needed a new passport, for starters! I've had no valid picture ID in several years, but the passport office smashed out my application in fairness. I shot my own photo, filled out all the necessary online drivel, sent them my out of date passport back, and then within about two weeks I had this shiny new Brexit blue (that looks black) passport in my hands. I think it must have been roughly a month and a half after the party that we had sorted the plane tickets and had accommodation booked too. At this point, Japan was only just reopening again, fully, post Covid, as prior to they were only doing manned guided tours on a visa I believe. The requirements for entry when we booked (March I think) were three jabs or a negative PCR test a day or two before flying. As of this coming May 2023, Japan are stepping covid down to that of the flu, and no tests or proof of vaccine will be needed.. this is of course subject to change should the world change again, I imagine. Also, with the boarders only just opening, the Yen has been pretty weak to other currencies, so travelling sooner rather than later will make our money go further too, which is another reason we took advantage of getting in some cash early!
Japan is still quite a cash heavy society, although they have plenty of 7/11's in main cities with card machines
Anyway, this new wanderlust presented me with a dilemma though, as I didn't want to clutter and confuse the context of the photography pages that I have already that relate to my studio and work life, and nor did I want to just casually post on a personal page, so I figured I needed somewhere new to post this wealth of culture as I live through the lens. Work or otherwise, as a photographer, my joy is shooting something over physically experiencing it. Getting to capture the moment is more exciting than seeing it and forgetting it for me (my memory is THAT poor), so off the back of finally getting to travel, and having worked from home (my studio is home based, as epic as it may be) for the last couple of decades, I figured that maybe a bunch of new social media pages and a wandering blog would force me to get out more and do more leisure - and everyone needs a hobby right?
And that brings us up to date and why you're here and on my blog I guess! If you're crazy enough to have read this far and taken an interest, know it's appreciated, as it spur me on to have an excuse to continue blogging. Equally, if you can give the social channels a follow for the same reasons, that would be grand.
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