Wednesday, February 11, 2009

I'm leaving on a jet plane....

So it is official, I am embarking on an epic adventure to the other side of the world!!!

It has been a distant dream of mine, since this time last year, to go to Japan in April to see the cherry blossoms in bloom and to experience the culture and beauty that Japan has to offer. The dream's tangibility has risen and fallen as time has passed and I became somewhat disenfranchised with it, to the point of excepting that it might not happen at all. During the later part of 2008 a friend of mine proposed a short trip to Cabo San Lucas, that never panned out, but still I got the travel bug. That very same friend just recently made the decision to move to Noosa, Australia for an indefinite time and after hearing this I created the plan of visiting him and also realizing my dream of visiting Japan. I figured that because I am still a student am in school, and I have a lack of certain obligations that will soon follow graduation, now would be the best time to take this journey; the ease of picking up and leaving might become a little more difficult the further into a career I get.

The next step was figuring how to take this trip and fit it in with my year-round school schedule. I made the decision to present a request for an independent study, at school, that would allow me to travel for the entirety of the session (7 weeks) and receive credit for a class. I submitted a proposal that loosely estimated by departure and arrival dates with a rough outline of what each week might entail. The first submission was a little rough, but after a meeting with faculty and a thought out revision I submitted a proposal that had a little more clarity and as a result I received approval, from school, to receive class-credit for this independent study.

So I decided to split my seven weeks between Australia and Japan and book the trip. It's done. it's happening!!

I am going to be leaving Los Angeles on March 3rd and flying to Auckland, New Zealand, where I'll be staying, at the Base Central Hostel, from Friday through Monday morning. Next, I fly to Brisbane, Australia, on March 9th and from there I will take the train to Noosa, where I'll be staying with my long time friends Mike and Seton. My flight to Tokyo, Japan leaves from Melbourne on March 24th so I will be making my way down there to visit my friend Lex for a few days before I go. I arive in Tokyo on March 25th and I will most likely stay there for a day or two, before making my way to Osaka. I will be staying there with my good friend Luke. I am really looking forward to my stay in Japan, and this whole adventure in general. I fly from Osaka back home to Los Angeles on April 23rd.

So there you have it.... Those are my plans and I am truly thrilled to have them. I am STOKED ON LIFE!

1 comment:

  1. That sounds incredible. I am envious and so excited for you!! I wanted to something like that too before graduation, and graduation came and went and here I am just back from work, my real job now, with only Paris from years ago to hold on to.
    I saw the Vanity Fair show as well for my birthday and had the same thoughts. :) My family and I loved it! I don't know why going to museums doesn't pop up as an option for entertainment more often!
    Ill be checking in to see how the travels treat. :D

    -Bayouth

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