is very much alive. Traffic is almost hypnotizing: thousands of scooters weave their way in the streets, like a school of fish. Four tips: 1) take Uber motor rides. Adrenaline, sightseeing, quick, local and super cheap. You don’t have to negotiate and you don’t [...]
Disney, Snoopy, dinosaurs… Japanese adults seem to have a weird liking for children’s cartoons. I am getting sooo many compliments on the Hello Kitty socks I got from my Airbnb host! Nobody seems to have second thoughts about an adult wearing these. And what about [...]
My first impression of Kyoto is even better than Tokyo: the old town is almost like a village, with beautiful old wooden houses and temples and great tiny local restaurants. I stayed at a simple, very conveniently located Airbnb apartment. Walking distance from public transport and the famous [...]
Just 160km from Tokyo (one hour by shinkansen bullet train) and you’re in a different world. Mountains, villages without the facilities of the big city and lots of snow. Most Japanese people work so hard that they can only go skiing for one day. [...]
People work really hard in Tokyo. Many times I saw passengers on the metro falling asleep, some even while standing. I prefer to take it easy, have a good nights sleep and then pick a beautiful work spot to get some things done. My [...]
Three examples of how ordinary things (such as buying groceries in a supermarket, finding a shower and flushing a toilet) can become ‘adventures’ when you don’t speak the language…. Next in line, please Even going to the supermarket is an adventure in Japan. [...]
Japanese people live in tiny apartments because there is so little space and so many people… Check out these videos of a subway station and a busy intersection: The people in the subway station are trying to get home, I was trying to get to [...]
I first stayed in a tiny Airbnb apartment in Bunkyo, a very local area in Tokyo. No more than 14m2, but it has everything, including a mini kitchen with a mini washing machine and a cozy bathroom with a mini bathtub! I had to squeeze myself to the [...]
Cruising back to my roots After working as a hostess on a cruise ship for a season when I was in my twenties, my only cruising experiences were the ‘cruise your business’ workshops I recently organized on repositioning cruises. Entrepreneurs, nomads, young people: workshops, masterminds, parties; a fun [...]
Tantra with a control freak Why on earth had I signed myself up for a 6-day tantra yoga workshop? I had already stepped out of my comfort zone when I did a 7-day fast on this hippie island (check my blog: 'Fasting with a foodie'). Why did I [...]
