After 10 months and 10 countries I’m back living in Tokyo for a while! I originally left because I wanted to see more of Asia and the world, and I’m grateful I got to see so many amazing places and meet some great people in 2015.

My first stop was Thailand where I stayed with my friends Allan & Fanfan in Isaan near the Cambodian border. From there I flew to Kathmandu in Nepal where I was involved in the earthquake, something which I will never forget. The UK government flew me back to London and the Red Cross footed the bill for a flight back to Dublin. After resting up in Northern Ireland for a while I flew to Morocco where I got a nasty bout of food poisoning in Marrakech. Shitting and vomiting aside, I felt Morocco wasn’t for me and I couldn’t quite understand why so many people raved about it. So from there I flew to Costa Brava in Spain and enjoyed some time climbing coastal paths and eating seafood. That brought me up to July, when I visited Scandinavia for the first time – a quick trip to both Copenhagen in Denmark and Malmo in Sweden. Highlight of that trip had to be skinny dipping in the Baltic Sea!  August saw me fly East again to Sri Lanka where I spent three glorious weeks in what was my favourite country of 2015. I got to review some gorgeous hotels and meet the friendliest people I have ever met on my travels. I will certainly be back. From Sri Lanka I had a quick stopover in smoggy Kuala Lumpur before heading to Bali for the third time in as many years. I always like it there, but maybe it’s time for a change. It feels too familiar now. After Bali I took a small propeller plane to East Java to climb Ijen Volcano. This was a pretty intense experience, having to ascend the volcano at midnight wearing a gas mask. My final Asian stop was where it all began in early 2015 – back in Thailand with Allan & Fanfan before a few weeks in my favourite guesthouse in Phetchaburi. Last but not least I got to spend some quality time with all my friends and family in Northern Ireland. I definitely appreciate my home country the older I get, and despite all its quirks it’s where I call home.

2016 is going to be a lot more grounded. I will be spending time in Japan and Northern Ireland, probably nowhere else. That may well change, but for now I’m very happy to just take stock of last year and see what this one will bring. Right now I am back teaching kindergarten and also writing some articles for a new Art publication coming out of London. I’ll also be continuing to work with DAZED and ACCLAIM. I of course also want to update this blog as regularly as before, but please forgive my recent tardiness. It’s been a busy few weeks. Hell, it’s been a busy few years. I need to have a lie down.

To see all of my travel photos and articles from outside of Japan, click here.

And please ‘like’ IKIMASHO! on facebook here.

Justin

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