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I will be in Japan from September 1st to September 18th. This blog will serve to chronicle my travels. Though the two will contain most of the same content, updating my personal blog is the priority while I am traveling; my relatives check it. They're concerned about my safety or something. If you'd like to follow along in closer to real time (though not much closer), http://www.likeasorethumb.com is the URL. Either way, enjoy!
Frequently Asked QuestionsAndy, why Japan?
After traveling along the European side of the Mediterranean Sea, I wanted something different.
You have "yellow fever," huh?
No, and before you ask, I'm not into anime or manga, either.
Are you going with anyone else?
No, but I will be meeting up with Manifesto7 and, with a little luck, Panorama.
How long is the flight?
From San Luis Obispo, my total travel time is around 14 hours each way. My flight from San Francisco to Tokyo is non-stop and will take around 11 hours.
Do you speak Japanese?
I don't speak more than three words of Japanese, two of which I've forgotten. Arigato?
Are you going to eat [insert strange food here]?
Yes, as often as possible.
Where are you going to go and stay? Do you at least have hotel reservations?
I like to keep my travel plans flexible so that I can take the time to appreciate where I am. Too many people seem more concerned about getting to their next destination than enjoying their current one. So no, I do not have any hotel reservations. I do have a tentative travel plan that includes Tokyo, Osaka, the island of Shikoku, Okayama, Matsue, Fukiya, and Kyoto.
How do you plan to, like, survive?
I have two hefty guidebooks, two small phrase books, and a pocket dictionary. My main plan of action, however, is to abuse my status as a helpless, smiling, young, white male.
What is your bag situation like? What are you packing?
I'm only bringing one bag, a good-sized backpack that Kelty claims is best-suited for "day and overnight trips." For some reason, this doesn't concern me. Inside of this backpack will be books, clothes, a camera, a compass, three legal pads, a water bottle, toiletries, a flashlight, six Clif Bars, and a Nintendo DS.
With planning like yours, what could possibly go wrong?
Exactly!
That was sarcasm, jackass.
Oh.
  
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WHY YOU HATE POOR PEOPLE ANDY?
<3
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United States24803 Posts
With just a backpack it's going to be difficult to carry enough clothing unless you can figure out a way to clean a few items (and even then it's pushing it for several weeks...)
I really hope you don't have any major problems, and I'd like to do a similar trip if conditions allowed.
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hahaha sounds like it will be fun.
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shoulda let me know faster ;( although in all honesty i probably couldnt have made it anyway
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Sounds like a good trip. I would like to visit Japan at some point in the future, I have no interest in anime or manga either but there's interesting history, nice scenery, cool cities and completely different culture. Good luck with your journey!
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Pretty nice!! I always wanted to go to Japan sometime, I really love their culture and their style!! Lucky you :D, and have a nice trip
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Fugu is one of the things I'm looking forward to most.
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I'm looking foward to your blog about Japan 
I don't speak more than three words of Japanese, two of which I've forgotten. Arigato?
If you need anything like a sign translating or something, just ask.
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On September 01 2008 03:49 DJEtterStyle wrote:
With planning like yours, what could possibly go wrong?
Exactly!
That was sarcasm, jackass.
Oh.
haha
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why so short?
thats a little over 2 weeks =/
stay longer~
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Gonna pick up any chicks etter?
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On September 01 2008 04:50 Phrogs! wrote:
If you need anything like a sign translating or something, just ask.
Thanks. I may take you up on that.
On September 01 2008 05:13 kpcrew wrote:
why so short?
thats a little over 2 weeks =/
stay longer~
I wish I could. This entire trip is on my dime. I don't think I could afford more than a month, and that would come close to bankrupting me!
On September 01 2008 05:31 SiZ.FaNtAsY wrote:
Gonna pick up any chicks etter?
I won't rule out the possibility, but that's not the goal.
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On the flight, consider learning the katakana alphabet and the kanji for 1 through 10. That will only take a few hours and will help out immensely for reading signs, menus, and prices. Katakana is used to write loan words from other languages (mostly English) so you can read those words without having to know any Japanese vocabulary. Prices are typically written in Arabic numerals, but sometimes, especially in restaurants, you'll see smaller numbers written in kanji like 七五０for 750. All the numbers are simple 2-4 stroke kanji.
You'll find plenty of people that speak English in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, but good luck in the other places. Younger Japanese that haven't forgotten everything they were taught in school are your best bet, although most are too shy to even try to speak in English.
Have fun!
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Pictures or it didn't happen. xD
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Sound like some TL Survivor:Japan with 1 contestant only...Enjoy the trip
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EPT
