To be lost — how does that make you feel? Uneasy, nervous?

To me, it is unbelievably refreshing and exhilarating! Whenever we are in the comforts of our own world we always know what to do. We know where to go, how to get there, who to talk to should we get lost, and how to talk to them. Well, all of that went out the window when we boarded American Airlines flight 153 on a one-way trip to Tokyo.

Being lost gives me the chance to see things I never would have dreamt of seeing before, and do things I never thought I could do. We have walked for miles not knowing where we were or even what direction we were going in, and that has given us the chance to really feel what this city has to offer.

When telling people that I was coming to Japan, I heard that not many people spoke English (surprisingly enough) and that the people were a bit on the abrasive side. Well, the English part is true, but the misconception here lies in communication itself. When we have asked any Japanese local for help they have been overtly kind with their response even if they didn’t speak english! And, the abrasive nature of the people is not due to them being rude or coming off as impolite, but just because the city is incredibly dense! Exponentially more dense than New York City, or any other destination in the US for that matter. We have been on subways where personal space did not exist. Rush hour in the Shinjuku subway station was like something that I have never seen before in my life. People fly through these terminals so fast, not moving in straight lines, but somehow extremely efficient — it is organized chaos!

We have already experienced some incredible stuff that you cannot witness anywhere else in the world, and I cannot wait to share it all with you.

Onwards and Upwards,
Mike