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Tokyo: the land of sushi, kitsch, and trains

It has been a whirlwind of a week. From writing the solicitors exam on Tuesday to attending convocation on Wednesday, moving back to Bradford on Thursday, and then leaving for Tokyo,Japan on Saturday, June 24, 2017. My super amazing mother dropped me off at Pearson airport for my 7:30 flight (yes, that meant leaving our house at 4AM). About 24 hours later, I arrived in Tokyo and checked into Nui Hostel in Asakusa. The lobby of the hostel was live with people, drinking and generally having a good time. I was informed the hostel was having a sushi night. After settling into my mixed 8-dorm bed, I happily went to the lobby to enjoy some delicious, albeit expensive sushi. It was worth every penny as it was indeed fresh and made right in front of me! I wouldn't expect anything less from Tokyo. After dinner, I wandered around the neighbourhood and found myself staring at a random gold horn - I was at the Asahi building (Asahi is one of the popular beers in Japan). I wandered some more before I became tired, as I assumed I would from the long travel day. I settled into my hostel for a good nights sleep. Day 2 started off early. I woke up at 7AM and found myself at the Senso-ji Temple, one of the oldest Buddhist temples in the area. The stalls in the nearby street had yet to open so I found myself one of few people walking and exploring the Temple and surrounding gardens. It was very peaceful, with some people lighting incense and offering prayers. I also gave an offering in exchange for my fortune: I received a small fortune which I still have yet to understand. It reads: "Just like looking at the treasure of other people beyond the valley. Let's stop to hurt your heart and give trouble to your mind. If once a chance comes you can meet an excellent fortune. Just like a giant happy bird fly up to the sky, you will succeed in this society, and rise to be famous in the world, meeting with so many fortunes". At this point, I was super hungry and Japan does not really have breakfast. I decided I took the subway to the Tsujiki Fish Market. Luckily I bought the 72-hour subway pass which meant I could go on and off the Tokyo metro and Toei line as many times as I want. The confusing part is that there are so many other private lines. Anyways, getting to the Market proved difficult as I could not find the right entrance for the subway line I wanted. The Tokyo metro system is remarkable but for a tourist like myself, it gets very confusing very quickly. As I stood there looking lost, a man asked me if I was lost. He, Santiago, offered to walk me to the subway. He seemed very excited that I was from Canada and that I had visited his native Italy. He invited me to lunch. I agreed because, why not? I then made my way to the Tsujiki Market. I explored, tried many different samples, and ultimately decided upon a fish, cheese, and potato patty. Then, I saw some icecream in sight and of course, I indulged in green tea icecream in a traditional waffle cone. I then tried taking the subway to meet with Santiago but of course, once again, I was lost. I ended up walking for an hour before I finally found my way. I visited another temple nearby, as I was lost already, so why not! I hopped on and made my way to Shibuya, home of the loyal dog Hichako and the Shibuya crossing, where a lot of people cross at once. Santiago and I then went for sushi at Uobei. It was very cool because you sit in a long line with people, order on a touch screen, and the food comes on a conveyer belt! It was a unique experience and the food was delicious. I also tried the local beer and some sake! When it came time to pay the bill, I realized I had inadvertently went on a date as Santiago insisted he pay. I tried to politely refuse but he was persistent. We then walked to Yoyogi Park which was serene. Sitting in the park, you would never think that you're in one of the world's biggest metropolitan! I politely parted ways with my accidental date and headed to the Meiji Shrine. It's a beautiful shrine in a forested area. Ofcourse, on my way out of the forested area, I got lost and ended up walking for an hour out of my way to make it back to the metro. At this point, I was extremely exhausted and although I wanted to see Harajuku (super close to the shrine), I decided to call it quits and head back to the hostel. I was out like a light by 10PM. Day 3 started off with what was left unfinished from the day before: Harajuku. Not before getting lost and taking the line ofcourse. Eventually getting back in track, I headed straight to the popular Takeshita Dori. Various clothing, jewelry, and makeup shops lined the street. As did delicious crepe stands! I indulged in a blueberry cheesecake crepe and called it breakfast. I could not resist the stores and ended up buying many, random souvenirs, from cat magnets to press on tattoos (why?). After walking around for what-felt-like ever, I made my way to nearby Kawaii Monster Cafe. When I think of Tokyo, I think of this type of kitsch cafe. I had researched this the night before and knew it would be the perfect amount of kitsch for me. I was not disappointed! I choose the Mushroom room which was decorated with baby bottle lights, giant animated mushrooms, scary rabbits, a creepy but playful merry-go-round and much more kitschy things! Some of the staff were dressed in classic Harajuku style. I was not sure why until the music started and realized they would be performing a show for us! It was quite interesting, playful, crazy, and fun. To really immerse myself in the experience of this cafe, I decided to eat a giant icecream parfait for myself. It was 2300jpy, so very expensive but I HAD to try it. After this experience, I took the metro to the Tokyo Metropolitan Building to get a free view of the city. I knew Tokyo was big and busy but I was not prepared for what I saw. The view was incredible and everywhere I looked, there were buildings on buildings. Truly a "city". Sadly, it was overcast, as I expected and knew from my research, and I was not able to see Mt.Fuji. At this point, I started to feel really hungry for non-dessert foods and decided to go to Tsuta Japanese Soba Noodles, a Michelin Star restaurant that Chris had been raving about and insisting that I go. I found myself in what appeared to be a residential area. The restaurant, a 9-guest only, bar-style was at the base of an apartment building. Luckily, I did not have to wait in line, as I had been warned that many people do since the restaurant has become famous and only seats 9 people. As with many services in Tokyo, I placed my order on the vending machine, and prepared myself for some Soba noodles. I decided to go all out and get one of the more expensive dishes of Noodles in beef broth, pork, beef, and wontons. It was delicious, although I'm not sure if I'm a huge fan of ramen. After dinner, I headed back to the hostel. I decided to make a pit stop at the Senso-ji Temple and get some more souvenirs, as I wasn't able to find anything for my dad at Harajuku. I found him a cool shirt and even managed to find Noori a shot-glass for his collection. With my many random souvenirs in tow, I went back to the hostel to pick up my bag. I was couchsurfing that night with Ayako M, a girl I found on the popular couchsurfing website who had a ridiculous amount of positive reviews. Her apartment was far from where I was staying, in Kodaira, but she had so many great reviews and seemed like an amazing person. Inevitably, I got lost on my way to her place. What was supposed to be a one hour train ride turned into two hours. I arrived at her house around 11PM. Normally, I would be a little scared in an unknown place, being lost and trying to find my way, but the city was bustling with people: the trains were packed for the most part even though it was late at night. Luckily, Ayako was still awake and had just returned from work half an hour earlier. We stayed up and chatted for a bit about Japan and Canada. The reviews were all correct about her; she is really kind and welcoming! I was not sure about what I wanted to do the next day, Wednesday but she helped me come to a decision. I wanted to go to Hakone but the weather did not look promising and it was about 2 .5 hours away on train...or in my case, it would have been more like 3.5. The reason I keep getting lost is because google maps isn't the best and I did not have a map of all the different train lines. The map for the Tokyo Metro and Toei line was helpful for those stops but I didn't have anything similar for the private lines. Day 4, I slept in as I was exhausted from walking everywhere and seeing so much in Tokyo. I went to the station, bought a Pasmo reloadable card, similar to the Presto, as I would be needing this for the remainder of my trip, as the metro and toei line do not run in this part of the city (I guess I should have just bought a 48 hour pass instead of 72 hour. Oh well!). I made my way to Mount Takao for a classic Onsen experience. It was rainy that morning so probably the best thing to do was to soak in natural hot spring water in a spa-like atmosphere (butt naked). Yes, in an onsen, you cannot wear any garments. Because it was a random weekday, there were only a few people there. I was probably one of 10 people there the entire time. It was a freeing and relaxing experience. After the onsen, you can shower there using products they have. I used some magical shampoo and conditioner, to the point where my hair two days later feels just as good as it did when I first washed it. After the onsen, I returned to Ayako's house. We were supposed to go for drinks that evening but both of us were too tired and fell asleep after chatting about our travels. Ayako is adventurous and has to many countries alone like Iran, Jordan, Israel and more! It was nice to hear about her experiences. The next morning, day 5, I packed up my belongings and headed to Shinjuku Station, a station that holds the world record for most people visiting a day (3 Million people use the station every single day!). In Shinjuku, I would be staying with Misato, another girl from couchsurfing. I arrived early, left my belongings in a locker at the train station, and headed out for lunch. I decided on a classic "fast-food" conveyer belt sushi restaurant. I still cannot believe that sushi is a fast-food in Japan, since it is typically an expensive outing in Canada. After lunch, I explored some stores in Shinjuku and wished that I brought a larger luggage so that I could bring many souvenirs for myself and my family. Tokyo is definitely an amazing food and shopping mecca. I met with Misato at the train station and we walked to her place, a small-ish two story, modern apartment. We chatted about our lives and I followed her around as she did some errands around Shinjuku. We then went out for dinner at a place selling mostly yakitori. We ordered so many different kinds of yakitori, edamame, and shishito peppers. Misato informed me that I, like many North Americans, was not properly eating edamame (now I know)! After dinner, we went back to Misato's place, where her friend joined us for drinks. We drank wine and talked some more. I learned that Misato likes horse back riding and has done many WWOOF's around Canada and New Zealand. Day 6, I woke up at 4AM to catch my flight to Bangkok! Sadly, I was forced to check-in my carry on because it was over the 7Kg limit allowed by Air Asia. I wish I knew earlier, as I thought it was 10kg, so that I could have purchased many items and brought a larger luggage for souvenirs! Some mental notes I made about Tokyo: people generally keep to themselves and are not loud or rambunctious. Japanese people are extremely orderly. They wait in an orderly fashion for the trains, always stand on the left side of the escalator, never talk loudly, if at all, on the trains or in public. The women are always fantastically dressed! I adored their outfits. The men all wear white shirts and black or navy suits. I did not see a hint of colour even once! This was quite interesting to me as the women were so much more fashionably dressed. Misato tells me that the women in Japan are very judgmental of one another so it's necessary to keep up with the latest fashion trends. All the department stores have grocery stores and food stalls in the basements, which is very handy when you're shopping and get hungry or want to take home groceries. Lastly, I noticed that there were few babies and children in and around Tokyo. I probably only saw about 5 babies total in my entire trip! I asked Misato about this and she told me that there are few births in Tokyo and that the population is declining. That's it for Tokyo. It was a great time. I would love to go again when I have more money and for shopping mostly. On to Thailand!

El Morro

#puertorico #america #vacation #travel #ocean #paradise

Cheap flights to expensive Puerto Rico

At first glance, a roundtrip flight from Toronto to Puerto Rico appears to be an excellent bargain. Why would you not want to travel to a beautiful island in the Caribbean for approximately $190 roundtrip? While it is tempting to leave our snowy nation behind to soak in the sun, travellers need to understand that Puerto Rico is undeniably expensive. Although it is possible to travel this American territory on a budget, it is not easy.

My journey to this tropical territory coincided with the plummeting Canadian dollar. I arrived in San Juan, on a relatively inexpensive flight (CAD $380), on January 21, 2016 when the Canadian dollar ranged between 69-72 cents. While I had done research on the daily cost of living and had anticipated this trip to be expensive, I was still shocked by the prices. For example, eating at a local, no-frills restaurant cost approximately USD $20 after the 11% tax. Beer ranged from $6-$10 at a pub in Old San Juan to $3 at La Placita, a neighbourhood visited by locals. Even food at the grocery store was expensive. The exorbitant prices likely reflect Puerto Rico’s downward spiralling economy.

What made this trip most expensive was the cost of travelling from city to city. The public transportation system in Puerto Rico is unreliable and time-consuming. Even renting a car was expensive when taking into account the actual cost of parking, not to the mention the cost of the stress induced by worrying about the parked car. We opted for a one way car rental from San Juan to Fajardo instead of renting for the entire 9 days we were there. This meant we spent a lot of money on taxi’s.

Our itinerary was as follows:

Day 1: Arrived at San Juan Airport

Day 2 + 3: Explored Old San Juan and went to the Bacardi Rum Factory

Day 4: Rented a car to El Yunque Rainforest, Luqillo Beach, and Fajardo

Day 5: Returned the rental car in Ceiba and took a Taxi to and from Seven Sea’s Beach in Fajardo

Day 6: Took the ferry to Vieques

Day 7+8: Stayed on Vieques

Day 9: Returned by ferry to Fajardo and then took a Taxi to Carolina (near the airport)

Day 10: Departed San Juan Airport

Beginning with our arrival at the San Juan Airport, we took a taxi from the airport to Old San Juan. The taxi’s have a flat rate from the airport, which cost us USD $25. They charge $1 per luggage and we had 3 bags so the cost must have been USD $22. We settled into our hostel, the Fortaleza Guest House, a sweet little house nestled between souvenir shops on the busy Calle Fortaleza. The cost for a single bed in a four person mixed dorm was USD $25 a night. We explored the adjacent streets and ate dinner at Los Yoyos, a locally run establishment near our hostel, for approximately USD $15 a person. It was a no-frills restaurant with great service, enormous portions, and delicious food. We also got a small taste of the nightlife on Calle San Sebastien before calling it a night.

On Day 2, our first “real” day in Old San Juan, we explored the city and admired the narrow streets lined with cobblestone paths and colourful buildings. Although the city is very walkable, there are free trolleys that run all around the city for those that need a little help getting around the hilly landscape. There are two different routes for the trolleys; we took the shorter one that has few stops and takes you to the San Cristobal Castle and El Morro Castle. We took the trolley before realizing how walkable the city was to El Morro Castle. We took the trolley from stop 14, in front of Pier 2, instead of getting on at stop 1 because I had read online that it gets busy at stop 1, which it definitely does! We spent most of the day exploring the castles and scenery (I think we paid about a USD $5 entry fee for the castle). It was a lot to take in and was simply breathtaking. In the evening, we ventured to La Placita for drinks. It’s basically a giant street party with lots of live music, DJ’s, cheap drinks, locals, and good times. We had to taxi back from La Placita because it was dark, late, and too far to walk after an entire day of walking around.

On Day 3, we explored more of Old San Juan and decided to take the ferry to the Bacardi Rum Factory. We initially wanted to go to the popular caves but were informed at the Tourist Information Office (right across the street fromPier 2 at the ferry dock) that we should have arrived much earlier and that they only allow approximately 200 people to enter the caves on any given day. As an alternative, we decided to go to the Bacardi Rum Factory. The ferry cost USD $1 roundtrip, with an additional $6 taxi ride to and from the ferry to the factory. We chose the historic tour package at a cost of USD $13, which included an alcoholic (or non alcoholic) drink, a short tour, and plastic souvenir cup. They had more tour options, which we deemed too expensive (USD $45 and up) for our budget. In the evening, we ventured to Condado Beach via bus (CAD $1.50 roundtrip). The bus here was quite reliable, albeit slow because of traffic. However, it is important to keep in mind that the buses typically do not run late and the last bus from Condado Beach to Old San Juan was approximately 7:30 PM. So, if you are planning on staying out late, you will likely have to taxi back to Old San Juan and, as I mentioned earlier, they have fixed rates so it will be pricey.

On Day 4, we packed up our belongings and headed to the bus station to take us to the Avis car rental place in Condado (near the beach we had explored the night before). We waited and waited for the bus, before being informed that buses do not run before 11 AM on Sunday’s! Keep in mind that very little happens before 11 AM on a Sunday in Puerto Rico. We went to a Walmart on this date and they would not conduct any business/check us out until 11 AM unless it was necessary (i.e. for purchasing feminine hygiene products). I’m still not sure why the place is even open before 11 AM. Anyhow, we were forced to take a taxi to the car rental place which set us back USD $23 (so the set fare is approximately USD $20 + $1/bag from Old San Juan to Condado). We rented the car for two days (approximately CAD $140.94). We booked the car prior to arriving (hence why the price I’m listing is in CAD) and we’re glad that we did this because it is impossible to get a car when you arrive. We tried to book a car on Day 3 for the day but were unsuccessful because they were all sold out save one large gas guzzling SUV.

On this day, we travelled from San Juan to El Yunque Rainforest, which was approximately a 45 minute drive. The highways were clean, without potholes, and easy to navigate. We avoided the toll route and enjoyed a better scenery while also saving money. El Yunque Rainforest was completely free to enter and park. The most expensive part is getting here. We were told that at Posado Hostel, there is a sign up list where people can sign up to carpool with other people and save money on the rental costs. So, if you are a solo traveller, check out this hostel to see if you can share a ride with others going to the forest. It was worth every penny getting there. It was my first time in a rainforest so it was especially magical, particularly being able to swim in the waterfall! Bring good hiking shoes and your bathing suit if you plan on going.

After touring the rainforest, we realized that we still had most of the afternoon and evening left, so we drove to Luquillo Beach. It is not a beach for the quiet, lay and rest beach-goer. It is more of a party beach with lots of kiosks lining the road, loud music, and lots of people.

We ended the day by driving to Fajardo (near Luquillo Beach) and checking into the Moon Light Bay Hostel, or should I say Mosquito Infested Hostel (I got eaten alive by mosquitoes). it cost USD $30.52 per night at this insufferable hostel in a 6 person dorm. The only upside to this place is that it is steps away from the ferry dock which takes you to Vieques and Culebra. We thought there would be more to do in Fajardo and booked a two night stay. However, we quickly discovered that there was very little to see, eat, or do in this place.

On Day 5, we woke up early to grocery shop at Walmart (approximately a 15 minute drive from the Ferry Dock) and return the rental in Ceiba. Avis was one of the few rental companies that allowed one-way rentals for affordable prices, which is why we chose it. However, there are no rental offices in Fajardo meaning we had no choice but to return the car to Ceiba (approximately 15 minutes away from Fajardo). The employees at the car rental in Ceiba provided us a free ride back to our hostel, which was helpful since we were basically in the middle of nowhere. It seems that they offer this service to everyone but I would still call ahead and check. We travelled approximately 80 miles and spent only $USD 6 on gas!

We spent the day lounging around and resting from our vacation. We took a taxi to and from Seven Sea’s Beach in Fajardo for approximately USD $20 roundtrip. There are plenty of taxi’s at the ferry dock, especially during the time that the ferry arrives and leaves the port. However, since the Seven Sea’s Beach is isolated, we took the taxi driver’s business card so that we could call him (his name is Joel and he was amazing!) when we required a return ride. It was helpful that I purchased some long distance minutes prior to leaving to make these calls (I paid CAD $20 with FIDO to get 100 incoming and outgoing international text messages and 25 talk-time minutes).

On Day 6, I woke up early to purchase our ferry tickets (USD $4 roundtrip). Apparently they sell out quickly so I had to be awake and ready at the ticket booth at 7 AM to purchase them. One person can buy more than 1 ticket, so there is no need for everyone to go. They do not sell tickets the night before (although I heard they make some exceptions). You can buy a roundtrip ticket though, so no need to worry about waking up early once you are on the small islands. The line for Culebra tickets was much longer than Vieques. Note that there is a line for locals meaning they get priority on purchasing tickets. Go early and avoid any disappointment, especially if you are travelling during peak-season.

We set out on the 9 AM ferry and arrived on the beautiful island of Vieques. The fare from the ferry to our hostel in Esperanza was approximately USD $5 per person. We stayed at the Lazy Hostel, in a 8 person dorm, for USD $30 a night. The location could not have been more perfect, as it was right across the street from the beach and had a bar attached to it’s premises. We definitely could have saved this money by either purchasing a cheap tent at Walmart or renting a tent from Abe’s for USD $10 a day (Abe’s is down the street from the Lazy Hostel in Esperanza). You are technically not allowed to camp on the beach and must contain your camping to Sun Bay, but we saw plenty of people camping right on the sand. This may be a cheap option for people looking to save money and who have more of a sense of adventure than I. For us, it was not worth skipping the hot shower and comfortable sleep! Be careful of the ants in the sand; we met a girl who had been eaten alive by bugs and ants because she slept on the beach for several days before throwing in the towel and indulging in a hostel stay.

On Day 7, we explored the beach and did as beach-goer’s do. In the evening, we went on a Bio-Bay Tour, which we had signed up for at the hostel (USD $45). The tour company picked us up from the hostel, drove to Mosquito Bay, provided us with kayaks, guided us around the Bay and the beautiful bioluminescence, and drove us back to the hostel. A fun adventure for any one who enjoys evening kayaking and has never experienced a bio-bay before! Apparently, the bio-bay in Vieques is one of the brightest one’s in the world.

On Day 8, we had planned to go snorkelling (for the first time) with Abe’s. However, the water was not very clear and we were unable to do so. Abe flat out refused to take us out for a terrible experience, which I thought was very kind of him and showcased his excellent customer service skills. It is no wonder that his tour company is highly rated. I believe the cost would have been approximately USD $50 for a 2 hour snorkelling tour.

We decided to rent scooters from Fun Brothers for 24 hours, at a cost of USD $61.33 after tax. We scootered around for a while and then received a phone call from some locals we had made friends with that they were going spear-fishing. We returned to Fun Brothers to rent snorkelling gear (USD $18.85 including a life vest) and join our local friends. They took us to Mosquito Pier (different from the Bay I mentioned on Day 7) for endless hours of snorkelling. Truly an unforgettable experience.

On Day 9, it was time to bid farewell to our new friends and beautiful island. We explored the island on the scooters (since our ferry to Fajardo was not until 3 PM), visited more beaches on the island, and hesitantly returned our scooters. We took a USD $5 taxi back to the ferry dock (with tears in our eyes of course) and said goodbye. I wish we could have spent the entire trip on this island.

We arrived in Fajardo and took a taxi to San Juan (Carolina specifically). We had made friends who offered to split the fare with us. It cost USD $65 total. I had made prior arrangements with Joel (from above) about picking us up and driving us to San Juan, which he did. He dropped us off at our hotel (and our friends at their respective places). We spent the night in a 2 star hotel near the airport (since our flight was at 9 AM, we did not want to be too far). This cost us CAD 196.92 for quadruple occupancy (i.e two double beds). It was also conveniently located one block away from the beach, which served as a prime location for our last evening in Puerto Rico.

On Day 10, we awoke, ate breakfast at a Denny’s downstairs (Haha, how American of us!), and took a taxi (USD $16) to the airport.

Overall, the trip cost approximately CAD $1300, which includes my flight, taxi’s, car rental, hostel stays, food, and excursions. I tried to be extremely frugal with the food and drinks, but it was nevertheless expensive. Although, the trip was worth every penny.

TL;DR Costs in USD unless stated otherwise

Accommodation: $30/night per person in a hostel dorm Taxi from Airport to Old San Juan: $25 for 3 people Taxi from Condado to Airport: $16 for 3 people Bus fare: 0.75 cents in exact change (they do not take bills) per person Ferry to Bacardi Rum Factory: $1 roundtrip per person One way rental for two days from San Juan to Fajardo: CAD $140.94 + $6 USD in gas for approximately 80 miles Ferry to Vieques: $4 roundtrip per person Taxi’s on Vieques: $5 per person Taxi from Fajardo Ferry to San Juan: $65 with Joel Taxi (I think his number is +1 939 644 2817) Average food costs for a standard restaurant: $15-$20 per person (without alcoholic drinks) Bottle of the cheapest wine: $5 Average alcoholic drink costs: $4-8

Notes

Buses do not run before 11 AM on Sundays. Most places are not open before 11 AM on Sunday or will not serve you until then even if they are open, including Walmart.

The cheapest place to buy anything, especially alcohol, is Walmart.

Arrive early to the Fajardo ferry dock to get your tickets for Vieques and especially Culebra (as early as 6:45-7AM for a 9AM departure).

#puertorico #unitedstates #america #trip #travel #cost #backpacking #vacation #beach #island #paradise

Things that take your breath away

#Puertorico #america #travel #unitedstates #carribean #palmtree #beach #landscape #beauty #backpacking #vieques #travelling #paradise

Starting the year off right with a trip to Puerto Rico! 8 nights, 9 days of adventure, beaches, and Latin American culture.

#puertorico #travel #map #unitedstates #usa #backpacking

We stayed at Brisas Santa Lucia, which was a beautiful little resort in Santa Lucia, an hour bus ride away from Camaguey. It was not very busy at this time and we basically had the entire resort to ourselves! The rooms were adequate and dated but the amenities were clean, the food plentiful, and the entertainment enjoyable.

#cuba #south #vacation #sundestination #sunny #travel #allinclusive