We arrived in Japan exactly 4 years ago and this was one of the first pictures I took.

I loved my first few weeks of exploring – I enjoyed the safety and walkability (yay to proper sidewalks!). Drinkable tap water! Very low possibility of food poisoning! Functioning public transport that gets you into every little corner of this vast city!

Moving from living in Southeast Asia to Japan was a total change of scenery.

What I didn’t like was the freezing cold. OMG – was I cold during those first few months! We didn’t have proper winter clothes and footwear, proper winter bedding, you name it. Plus I just wasn’t used to living in a country with proper seasons anymore. I’ve got to admit it: there were a few “What have I done?” moments. 🤓

Fast forward 4 years and we are still here. I’ve now lived in Japan longer than in in New Zealand and longer than in Malaysia and Thailand combined. The next benchmark to beat is my 10 years in the UK. Where has the time gone?!

Alex x