In a few weeks, Darrell and I will be flying to Japan, spending 10 days in Osaka and Kyoto. This is the trip of a lifetime for both of us. We have been planning to go here for many years, even booking a holiday to Japan in 2021. Sadly, with the COVID-19 pandemic raging across the World, we had to cancel at the last minute, and our dream was put on hold until now. As first-time visitors to Japan, we have decided to give Tokyo a miss, choosing Osaka instead. This large city is close to areas we want to visit: Kobe, Nara, and, of course, Kyoto. Both of us wanted to avoid travelling too much, happy to spend our time leisurely navigating the more historic side of this great nation, and avoiding the suburban sprawl of Tokyo itself.

I have booked one of the best rooms at the modern four-star Miyako City Hotel in Osaka, with panoramic views of the city. Japan is expensive. In fact, it is the most expensive place I have ever arranged to travel to. However, I have a feeling this will be worth every cent. Naturally, I am not looking forward to the flight, but thankfully, living in Australia, it is a much shorter distance than if we were living in the UK. Flying Singapore Airlines, I am hoping for a relaxing and, most importantly, clean flight. I am determined not to contract any deadly diseases this time we travel. I am an absolute nightmare when flying, having contracted various weird and wonderful afflictions on my previous journeys. Fingers crossed, this time will be different.

I will, of course, be blogging while in Japan, keeping you all updated on my travels. For me, going on vacation is a busman's holiday. I spend a good few hours a day writing and documenting my globe-trotting, more traditionally: with pen, paper, and a laptop. Just the other day, I had a message from one of my readers thanking me for writing, rather than vlogging online. Writing is my number one medium of choice, but even I like to make the odd grainy video. Not a masterpiece — edited and polished — but just a short chat with people like you. I think it's rather cathartic and allows me to offload my thoughts and feelings in a more measured way.

I have been warned of what to expect in Japan and have hopefully prepared for every eventuality. No longer a person who pays for things on credit, I pay for everything up front. Thankfully, I am in a position to use my own hard-earned cash for travelling, and that actually makes for a more relaxing time. Food is expensive in Osaka, but after researching the costs, it seems the costs are no different from Australia, which is also exorbitant. It isn't a cheap destination like Vietnam, Cambodia, or Thailand, but it is a journey into one of the most technologically advanced societies in the World and a brief introduction to this fascinating country. More importantly, it will be another destination crossed off my bucket list.

The most enduring obstacle to overcome will be the language. I am under no illusions as to the difficulties involved in navigating this small part of Japan, which is why I picked Osaka over Tokyo. The locals appear to be friendly and welcoming, and although the language barrier will be challenging, I am assured that Darrell and I will be helped every step of the way.

When we travelled to South Korea, I had similar reservations about our trip, but on arrival. I was pleasantly surprised by the support we were given from locals. The subway, trains, and buses were all straightforward to use, and I am hoping Osaka will be the same. Having watched numerous YouTube videos, I feel confident we will be OK. We won't have my aunt's expertise in Asia, as we did on previous journeys, but we will at least have the benefit of personal experience. Today, we are very seasoned travellers, and despite my ongoing health battles, I am determined that this trip will be as memorable as all the others we have been on. For now, I am counting down the days until our biggest adventure yet — see you there!