Photo: Shibuya @ Night, by Nate

Well, it looks like I’m going to get to realise one of my dreams next April – I’m planning a trip to Japan. It’s been a place that has intrigued me since I was small, and someplace I’ve always had a burning desire to visit – just to experience a completely different culture, and the exciting bustle of Tokyo.

My mate John and I had talked about going for ages, but he called me a couple of weeks ago to say he’s actually going next April with another mate, so it seems like too good an opportunity to miss. We’re planning to spend a couple of days in Tokyo, before heading off into the country to see the other side of Japan.

I think once I get there I probably won’t want to come home. Tomorrow I’m off down the BBC Shop (staff discount and all that!) to buy a ‘learn Japanese’ book and CD. I reckon if I am disciplined with it I will pick up a tiny bit of the language, which will at least make me look polite when I’m there!

And thankfully I’ve got the AAdvantage miles for the trip, so at least the flight won’t cost me anything. I think this is the most excited I’ve been about a trip for a long time – most of my travelling recently has been to the States, where the culture isn’t really that different from our own. I’m just looking forward to seeing something completely new.