1. The initial reluctance to visit Japan
As many of my friends have already known, it is super difficult for my ADHD brain to comprehend taking the risks to visit a country whose language is foreign to me. And even more so the Japanese aren't the type to prefer conversing in English, compared to the likes of Bangkok or Bali. It took me a very long time to think of emergency procedures and backup plans before deciding that it is safe for me to visit Japan.
To the newcomers in my life, you probably may be wondering why go Japan need to worry so much when many families have already had holidays in Japan over so many years? Well, I'm not your typical traveller. With hyperactive ADHD, I have to move. Like really move. Climb mountains, bash jungles, all the crazy stuff. And to do all that while potentially encountering an accident, a language barrier would probably kill me faster than the accident itself.
There hasn't been a single solo overseas trip that I didn't try extreme activities, and there probably won't ever be one. So I planned and planned for Japan. I've noted down that cars with left-hand driving make up like 1% of the car population, meaning if I encounter an accident and needs to drive a civilian's vehicle, there is a 99% chance I am able to drive a particular vehicle, which is still good odds.
Hospitals are evenly spread around the city areas, which any 1st world country should, so all I needed to plan is the fastest way into the cities. I have noted that sirens clear the way much faster in Japan so all I needed to do was to drive to the nearest siren shop to speed up the driving process should an accident occur. Most hospitals are equipped with WiFi so translations shouldn't be a problem.
The jungle terrain of Japan isn't too harsh in winter. So if I get stuck somewhere without food and water, I could still hunt and survive for a maximum of 2 days given my knowledge of wartime scenarios. There are a lot of mountains near the Kansai region so that would be the best place to get lost, as the waters upstream are safer to drink.
These are just some of the initial plans in my long list of plans. I crammed so much knowledge about Japan's geography into my brain that I eventually think it is okay for me to visit. And so I booked the tickets 6 months before the trip.
If you ask me right now, I still prefer holidaying in Australia or New Zealand. As a rule-breaker and a law-bender, I am very familiar with both countries and will try not to do anything that lands me in jail. As for Japan, I'm pretty sure jail is the last thing on my mind when the gangsters are still around in the country.
2. The trip itself
On the 16th of December 2024, I left for Japan. The first one week of the trip was tough for me as I tried to adapt to the Japanese landscape and culture. My body was burning every time I don the jacket, so I had no choice but to dress down. I intended my trip to go from the quieter parts of Japan to the noiser parts, and the weather from cold to colder.
The first one week was at Fukuoka and Hiroshima, which was actually quite nice for me, but still a little too many people for my taste. The second week is mainly Osaka and Kyoto, which is still not too bad. I loved those two areas a lot. The final week is a little more of Kyoto and then Tokyo. Even though Tokyo was the most crowded, its accessibility to quieter places was actually much appreciated.
At the end of the trip, I fell in love with Japan a little. The convenience stores were amazing and they were always open. The public transport, although expensive and confusing, is great in the fact that there are always a few ways to reach my destination. Even though I dressed like a retard throughout my trip, the locals always extended their warmest hospitality towards me, be it in hostels or restaurants.
The best part of my trip is still buying Pokemon merchandise and musical instruments. The cost savings of buying things native to Japan is just too great to resist. Pokemon is a big part of my life, since I was a kid. Guitar too, but much later in life. To save almost $2K by buying guitar in Japan is crazy.
3. Post-trip thoughts
Never thought I would say this, but I kinda miss Japan because it is the coldest country I've ever visited, and I love the cold, a lot. Zero degree celsius is my ideal temperature to live in. Japan is a country I'll never ever visit alone again. But with friends or family? Count me in! The country is just too foreign for a solo traveller like myself.
Of course, I met two different friends in my short stay at Kyoto, which was a blessing. I'm always happy to see familiar faces after not talking to anyone for a long while. While the memories of meeting them are nice, I know those are one-off experiences that I can never hope to encounter ever again, because ultimately, I still prefer my solo peace.
If I'm ever in the area, be it Korea or China, I wouldn't hesitate to pop by Osaka or Tokyo to carry one guitar home. Legit. The costs saved is enough to cover a detour to Japan. I may not have much to say about Japan here, but I definitely said enough in my videos. So go watch them if you haven't.
4. My place in Engineering
Throughout my trip, there is one thing constantly on my mind: My future. This is the final holiday trip I'm taking as a student. The next trip will be as a graduated degree holder already.
I have studied engineering all my life, had many years of job experience in this sector. But as the future is upon me, I realised I could do much more than engineering. I have one foot in the education sector already, a few fingers in the transport sector and a whole open mind in everything else.
I know I came from an internship with Siemens Mobility, and I would really love to return. But with whatever I can do in life, is there more? I can't shake the feeling that I might walk different paths than I initially intended to when I took on this degree.
It's like, I've planned everything for the past few years, from the routine I take everyday, to the very people I kept in my life. Whatever I wanted to do in life, I made sure I have 5 other backup plans to it. I was ready to keep dumping money and effort into myself.
But somehow, my gut tells me I won't be needing all those planning. Whatever it is, please have mercy on me.
5. The hobbies that I love
In 2024, I gave up a lot of things in pursuit of this university degree. My ADHD started to get in the way again and my grades dropped. I knew I had to give up some things in life to prevent history from happening again. I'm determined not to get kicked out again.
The biggest event that I remember for 2024 is the sale of my motorbike. Even though it was a faulty component that triggered the sale, the real reason was far from that. I know I eventually will get a car for safety, and I cannot own both. So the sale of the bike is to make way for a car in the near future. If you really ask me, I would take a motorbike anyday. But for now, it's sad that I cannot feel the lightning anymore.
Of course, guitar. I forgot when was the last time I picked up my guitar to play. I still have enough equipment for a full band to record in my house, but I have never touched a string for a really long time. Again, life itself gave me no reason to do so (but I suspect that might change with this Gibson Les Paul I brought back from Japan).
The third hobby that I stopped is rock climbing. I mean, I bought a lot of climbing gear in 2024, but I saw myself climb lesser and lesser. The logistics and preparation I need to do each time I climb is outweighed by running. Running was so simple and can be done anywhere.
With a few things important to me gone, I managed to scrape by 2024 just fine. This trip to Japan gave me a lot of time to think what I really want for myself now that I'm out of the SAF. As of now, I really don't know. But I'm open. I'm ready to do anything and walk any path.
6. What I want to achieve for 2025
Like mentioned, I actually don't know. I hope I can fill in this portion in time to come. But as of now, I really don't know. And following a friend, the best plan is no plan. Just gonna dive right into 2025 and give my all in everything that I do.
