The company where I work gives its employees a week and a half (11 consecutive days) for summer vacation. This happens every year in mid-August and coincides with the Obon period in Japan.
Normally, I would plan some kind of summer adventure by plane or train or both. This year, due to the pandemic, my summer adventure will have to be safely at home. I can walk to nearby places. I have some books downloaded to my iPad to read or listen to. I can listen to music or watch programs on YouTube. Since I'm not carrying my things, I don't have to choose only three projects to work on, like I usually do for an away trip. I can choose from any in my apartment or even start new ones.
I don't know when it will be safe to travel again, but I can spend some vacation time this year planning for that next trip. I can work on my destination files - files where I save links or articles about locations I want to visit.
One of the places I want to visit is Sado Island. It's in the Sea of Japan and part of Niigata Prefecture.
Hiroshima is another place in Japan I'd like to visit.
There are many castles I want to visit.
Matsue Castle
Kochi Castle
Uwajima Castle
Are you making any "some day" travel plans? Where do you want to visit?
It will be an August to remember! Occasionally it is good to have an odd holiday, it is a time when one can do home improvement (repaint, thoroughly clean, sort out) or study something one has not had the chance of doing before (learn and master.braille, how to make a sufflé, try out all the functions of the mobile phone, plant a seed and study how it grows...) You have already made good plans for your 11 days. Enjoy them. As for castles, the only one of those you mentioned I have been to is Matsue. There is a moat with boat trips so you can see the castle from below. It is not high up on a hill, I'd call it a city castle. I will have no holiday in August, so no need to make any holiday plans.
Our "someday" trip is our honeymoon, at this point. We were hoping for somewhere romantic and probably tropical. Not decided 100% on destination yet, but Maldives was a big contender. Hopefully someday we'll get to belatedly celebrate. :)
Our vacation of the future is to return to Myanmar and continue cruising the Irrawaddy River. Our return to Japan in November will be cancelled and rescheduled. Hiroshima is wonderful. In the meantime I’m relaxing at home and walking along our beautiful river. Enjoy your 11 days at home.
You can choose what ever project you want to do now you are at home for your holiday. I have started a bucket list of places I would like to go to within the State here, places that are an easy drive to,under 3 hours, have geocaches for me to find and maybe a caravan park with cabins for us to stay in overnight. Getting a list ready so when we can go, we will go. Gotta be safe first though.
When you do go to Matsue, make sure that you see Adichi Gardens. It is about a 20 min train ride away and is a wonderful garden. I went there on my last trip to Japan a few years ago.
Ah, yes indeed, making traveling plans is a bit risky, this year... Yet, as you say, we can always enjoy making plans for the future, and visualize our next discoveries... As to me, I'm taking the opportunity to catch up on long due stitching, which gives me a great sense of accomplishment (together with starting on new ones, Ha! Of course :))
LOVE your stitching, by the way, I've always been so much in love with your little ladies fabric. ENJOY, Pam !
I hope we'll all get a travel vacation soon but it sounds like your plans for staying in place are good ones. I think you would find Hiroshima very moving. And it looks like you've no shortage of spots to visit -- or projects to work on while you wait!
I'm not really on plan making mood right now, and I am quite happy with having another staycation or two this year. I hope you're having a great time off and getting a ton of crafting done!
It will be an August to remember!
ReplyDeleteOccasionally it is good to have an odd holiday, it is a time when one can do home improvement (repaint, thoroughly clean, sort out) or study something one has not had the chance of doing before (learn and master.braille, how to make a sufflé, try out all the functions of the mobile phone, plant a seed and study how it grows...)
You have already made good plans for your 11 days. Enjoy them.
As for castles, the only one of those you mentioned I have been to is Matsue. There is a moat with boat trips so you can see the castle from below. It is not high up on a hill, I'd call it a city castle.
I will have no holiday in August, so no need to make any holiday plans.
Our "someday" trip is our honeymoon, at this point. We were hoping for somewhere romantic and probably tropical. Not decided 100% on destination yet, but Maldives was a big contender. Hopefully someday we'll get to belatedly celebrate. :)
ReplyDeleteOur vacation of the future is to return to Myanmar and continue cruising the Irrawaddy River. Our return to Japan in November will be cancelled and rescheduled. Hiroshima is wonderful. In the meantime I’m relaxing at home and walking along our beautiful river. Enjoy your 11 days at home.
ReplyDeleteYou can choose what ever project you want to do now you are at home for your holiday. I have started a bucket list of places I would like to go to within the State here, places that are an easy drive to,under 3 hours, have geocaches for me to find and maybe a caravan park with cabins for us to stay in overnight. Getting a list ready so when we can go, we will go. Gotta be safe first though.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos.
ReplyDeleteWhen you do go to Matsue, make sure that you see Adichi Gardens. It is about a 20 min train ride away and is a wonderful garden. I went there on my last trip to Japan a few years ago.
ReplyDeleteAh, yes indeed, making traveling plans is a bit risky, this year... Yet, as you say, we can always enjoy making plans for the future, and visualize our next discoveries...
ReplyDeleteAs to me, I'm taking the opportunity to catch up on long due stitching, which gives me a great sense of accomplishment (together with starting on new ones, Ha! Of course :))
LOVE your stitching, by the way, I've always been so much in love with your little ladies fabric.
ENJOY, Pam !
In stitches,
Nadine
I keep finding more places to visit but we won't be going for a while. Next year?
ReplyDeleteIt is definitely hard to think about travel plans. One can only speculate if we will ever feel safe to be in public again.
ReplyDeletexx, Carol
I hope we'll all get a travel vacation soon but it sounds like your plans for staying in place are good ones. I think you would find Hiroshima very moving. And it looks like you've no shortage of spots to visit -- or projects to work on while you wait!
ReplyDeleteI'm not really on plan making mood right now, and I am quite happy with having another staycation or two this year. I hope you're having a great time off and getting a ton of crafting done!
ReplyDelete