While I was away exploring some of Korea’s islands the last few days, my friend Sam and I had a conversation about travel that got me thinking.

Some travels almost feel like time travel and some days just feel like they have more hours poured into them than others.  I felt this way when I got back from Japan and really had a chance to look at the pictures I had taken of my trip.

On one of my busier days in Kyoto: I went to Nara, explored Gion, slept in a futuristic capsule hotel, plus saw a movie(I went and saw Brave, and it was awesome), ate some delicious octopus, and started the whole day off later than I had wanted because my neck was hurting from a wonky sleep the night before.  I still can’t believe that all of those things fit into one day.

If you haven’t already figured out, I’m not very good at the lay around and ‘relax’ types of vacations.  I’m really good at that kind of stuff at home, but when I’m in other countries my brain somehow functions differently.  When I’m somewhere else and I sit too long I start to get itchy.  I know I only have a limited amount of time in a particular place or country so I try to pack as much stuff into it as I can.

Seeing a lot and doing a lot can be great, but it can also be too much.  If you try to see too much you won’t enjoy it or really take in what you’re seeing.  My wonderful friend Annie knows how I plan for a trip (because she pretty much plans the same way) and she gave me some great advice before going to Japan.  She told me to make my plans and figure it all out, then erase one whole day from the plans. I thought it was genius advice for my over-planning self.  You can’t see and do it all, but sometimes when you remove a day from your list, you can go to a beautiful beach and an onsen instead.

From Busan with Time Travel Love,
Jenna

Filed under: Japan, South Korea, travel Tagged: transportation