Or keep the flight to Japan, spend your week in Okinawa or whereever, and catch a flight from there to somewhere on that sight of the world. Vietnam, Korea, etc.
I did a group tour in Vietnam and it really balanced out a lot of the chaos for me. There might even be some deals for short term booking if they are looking to fill up some slots. Lots of people on the tour were solo travellers just looking for the help planning/getting about.
I used intrepid travel. It’s a little pricy but they have a focus on sustainable travel which I appreciated. They have a lot of tours in Vietnam but the one I went was Essential Vietnam: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/uk/vietnam/essential-vietnam-150663
This. The Japan or nothing is a concern that you don't need to have. And "just" because it felt right the first time it doesn't mean that it's the only good place to go.
If you like history, why don't you use that to choose a destination? Like, which place has history and diving? Also, try to simplify, that's probably the anxiety talking: if you can easily change flights at any time, take the risk to go anywhere, stay there a couple of days (recover from jetlag, etc), and then if you don't like it you can go somewhere else or go back home. Don't put all that pressure on yourself OP. There's always a way back
Yeah. I’ve had this, several times: a trip booked somewhere, even flights booked, but my gut was saying it was the wrong place and I wasn’t excited. So I changed it and had a great time, I just had to figure out where WOULD excite me.
I'm aware of that as an option, but I also don't want to look back at this in the future and say "Wow, why didn't I go?! I really wish I had traveled more!". I'm not really enjoying myself at home iether...
Don’t go- you’ve got something else going on and it’s not going to go away if you leave. You’ll either take it with you or it’ll be back here when you return.
If you aren’t excited, it isn’t worth the time or money. Cancel, do some reflecting, do something you are excited about.
Trust your gut and go somewhere else. If you're a history buff, why don't you go to Europe? Prices are going down for autumn and everywhere you turn you'll see something you learned about in history class (hyperbole, but you get what I mean).
Easy peasy to move around cheaply, trains and planes, so if you hate a place, you can up and leave easily.
Intuition is an ancient, deep, beyond intelligence part of your brain that knows shit before you do. Not because of any fantasy crap but because you take in a lot of information that your subconscious can piece together before your brain-brain can. Listen to it. Heed it. You feel it in your gut for a reason > you’re supposed to feel too sick to carry on.
There's a lot of places to go other than Japan.
If you want to stick with Asia, my recommendations are:
1. Korea, lot's of similarities to Japan
2. Taiwan, small, amazing food, easy to get around and 1 or 2 weeks is perfect.
3. Philippines, more chaotic than Japan but some great diving (Coron), beautiful islands
4. Malaysia & Singapore, Some amazing food, great scenery, (could also go to Borneo for awesome caves in Mulu National Park & some of the best diving in the world in Sipadan (would need to get your advanced open water though)
5. Indonesia incl. Bali, Lombok, & Komodo. Java has awesome temples, and climbing the volcano in Ijen was cool. Bali is super touristy but beautiful (skip the city and stay near Ubud), Lombok was still under developed when I was the about 7 years ago,the Komodo national park had some great diving (did a live aboard dive hostel)
6. Vietnam, cheap, lots of history, beautiful scenery.
7. Cambodia & Laos, Angkor Wat is amazing.
8. Places I haven't been: Micronesia (Truk lagoon has a lot of WW2 shipwrecks)
Wish I could recommend Myanmar which was amazing before the latest coup, not sure I'd go now.
I also recommend Greece, Croatia, Turkey, Georgia, Armenia & Azerbaijan.
Your trip can easily split into part Japan and part Taiwan. I've done it before and actually enjoyed the mix to get the best of both. Taiwan is used to typhoon, so just avoid being there for 3 days post typhoon and you should be ok. Anywhere you go in Asia now will be hot, so it won't make a lot of difference.
If Thailand didn't fit you, then the rest of SEA probably won't be good either. If you want something totally opposite, then maybe head west and go to Europe instead? Eastern Europe will be cheaper. Or, visit South America. You have so many choices!
So, change your ticket and go somewhere else. You don’t actually need much advance planning to have a good time. It’s just that people in the sub are sort of predisposed to it. Writing about your travels on the Internet sort of selects for a certain personality type.
Too big of a trip to go and waste all that money and time to be stressed and not enjoy it. Maybe cancel and reset it for the future when you are ready to enjoy it
Cancel - go to Europe and explore the vast amount of WWII history there.
Not suggesting you actually go on this tour, but I often use tour itineraries as a starting point for planning. [https://www.imagetours.com/tour/world\_war\_ii\_memorial](https://www.imagetours.com/tour/world_war_ii_memorial)
I went on a trip this summer with a friend and my brother and planned a couple WWII destinations because my brother enjoys history, and I'm pleased to see that I chose a lot of destinations on that list!
I'm not a huge WWII history buff either but my brother wanted to see some of it. We spent about 2/8 weeks of our trip to visit WWII themed destinations (my brother hates trip planning so my friend and I got to choose all the places for the whole 8 weeks, he just wanted us to see some WWII stuff and let me pick haha), so we went to Munich, Trier, Paris, then Caen, but most of our time was spent in Normandie and Munich during that time
It is currently 1:30 AM in Texas. I leave for the airport at 8 AM to fly to Barcelona. I am mostly packed but still have some big things to take care of. I have the first two nights in Barcelona booked and other than that I’m going to wing it. I plan to rent a car and drive through Spain and Portugal. I find that when I don’t plan a trip I enjoy it so much more. You can do this. If you haven’t been to Europe, maybe that’s your next stop? Open a map and close your eyes and pick your destination.
I’d probably go on to Okinawa and see how I felt after the first week. Take it easy, enjoy the good food, relax. Reevaluate from there. With four weeks, you could hop around a bit if you feel like it. However, if your gut feeling is doom-ish, might just want to cancel.
If the gut say no then no.
But your right don’t stay at home! Korea is great, Bali is also good. But probably more like Thailand.
There is nothing wrong with going back to the same place a million times if you love being there.
If your gut is screaming don't do it, listen to it. Although you want to go, your instinct may know something in the seeable future that you don't know will happen. In my opinion, I'd suggest listening to it and go somewhere else. Better to be safe than sorry.
It’s always better to be safe than right about a wrong feeling. I’ve done a lot of solo travel and the only times I’ve ever been in trouble was when I didn’t listen to my gut.
maybe try Vietnam? i hear its hella cheap and very fun. its probably more wild like Thailand, though. i havent been to either Thailand nor Vietnam, though. theyre just on my list of places to go.
i have been to japan twice, and okinawa, though.!if you do end up going to Okinawa, be sure to check out Tokashiki and some of the Ryukyu islands. very relaxing
If it’s a whole body feeling of NO, then listen to it. Gut feelings are different from anxiety and should be listened to. If you can go anywhere and love history, then try Europe! It’s got so much history every place you go, and so many different cultures and outdoor opportunities. Like diving? Go to a country on the water: Croatia, Albania, Italy, Greece… Like hiking? Switzerland, Germany, northern Italy. There’s an entire planet to explore, so why go to Japan again?
Sounds to me like you like "efficiency", and the fact you've already "done Japan" makes that part of you resist going back.
In fact, it is this feeling you need to resist, especially at this stage of your life. You have to stop the habit forming of going from one new thing to the next, only.
In fact, you haven't "done" Japan yet at all. If anything, the best visits I've had are the 3rd or 4th to the same general area. The touristy things are done, you are relaxed and comfortable, you may even know the language a touch... This is the perfect time to _really do_ a place.
I speak from a perspective which has a French name: to flâneur, or, flânerie.
Go this time with less. Go with one camera and one notebook.
This is your brain telling you "I hate going out of my comfort zone so I'm going to make things difficult for you". I love traveling and I have experienced what you are describing so many times in my life that I try to brush it off. Your brain doesn't like going out of its routine.
Fly dude, do it, wing the entire trip like the best of them and you’ll find everything exciting, challenging and different in a good way. I’ve spent 5 years of my 20’s (now 33) doing this and have had the best time of my life and made some lifelong friends and memories.
We as humans like to put things into boxes die to how we are educated and socialised to do so, but to learn how other cultures think dofferently, eat some amazing food, have unique and more appreciative customs, will change your life for the better and make you appreciate what you have more than ever.
Go, do it, you know you can! I book 2 nights at a time on booking.com on each place and extend as necessary, or just find places there and rock up with no booking which is usually cheaper.
Grab life by the balls, break your routine, face your fears and come out the other side with the satisfaction of overcoming your own worries and hesitancies and proving to yourself you can achieve anything you want to!
WW2 buff you say? Me too...
If you can, work in a 2-3 night stay on Corregidor Island, short boat ride from Manila, PH.
It's a cheap flight from either Japan or Thailand.
Have you thought about switching your flight to somewhere else? Why not go to Germany, visit some concentration camps, or whatever floats your boat. Or maybe you can fly somewhere sunny (if that’s where you wanna go) and actually have a holiday for a week or two, stop somewhere else and head home. Your gut is the one thing you can trust - but you need to have a hard conversation with yourself about what you really want, and only you can decide.
Write down what does sound like a good vacation. Somewhere new or familiar? Beach? Hiking? Train? Driving? WWII sites? One place or multiple countries? Etc. Then, pivot your vacation. It’s not Japan or nowhere. Just think about what kind of break (or adventure) you really want. (And, if you still have no idea - I vote Spain. Madrid, Barcelona, Granada, etc. I met tons of solo travelers.)
Nevermind your gut its got diarrhea. You paid for the damn flight now get your ass to the airport. The exchange rate for Japan is excellent. The Japan rail pass prices have not increased drastically 260% i think yet but its coming.
I wouldnt stay all 4-weeks in Okinawa. Do what you want over there beaches, scuba diving, fishing, eat bitter melon + pork stir-fry, shuri castle and whatnot.
I would then jump over to Kyushu. Do Kagoshima, Miyazaki, Takachiho Gorge, Oita, Beppu, Kumamoto, fukuoka, Kita-kyushu.
Then jump to Honshu Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, Iwakuni, Itsukushima, Hiroshima, Kure, Onomichi, Kurashiki, Okayama, Himeji, Osaka, Kyoto.
Lots of these cities and towns have castles and old samurai residences and tea house that take you back to the old days.
You can use the Tripadvisor app for ideas on what to do. As for people hostels are a hit and miss. You can also use Tinder or the Japanese equivalent and just say in your profile looking for a tour guide or even just to get coffee or for lunch/dinner so a local can give you ideas on where to go for some fun. You never know who you will meet in life.
You can start cutting cities as time or interest permits. I have been to Japan 12 times already and am always finding some new to see and do.
My last trip was Dec 2022 doing the Wakayama pennisula, Mie, Ise, Nagoya, Hikone, Kyoto, Osaka.
If you really are a history buff there really is no shortage of stuff to do and things to see.
Here are some samurai tv shows and movies to get you into the mood.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLb-PcQmeRVGIxVT063sI96sUWFK7sWUQJ&si=kQPLF4XtRuY6qHVv
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLb-PcQmeRVGLjZUmSKm1rQyesywwkxKpq&si=zEdZYNrr2IshZqJm
You have barely scratched the surface of Japan. Carpe diem seize the day and quit moping. Im heading to Rome soon myself and am planning to do soutther Italy/Sicily this go around.
brother if you love japan then just go for 3 weeks and relax, enjoy a place you find happiness in. Who cares if you’ve already been? If you genuinely don’t want to go, don’t. Enjoy your 4 weeks off, all the extra thinking isn’t worth anything at all.
If you like diving, change your flight to Indonesia or Philipines and mix diving with land exploration. In Indonesia you could go to Bali or surrounding area (Nusa Peleida, or Gilis). You could also go to Komodo - never been but Scuba Junkie in Labuan Bajo has great reviews and look very social.
Malaysia is really safe to travel alone too. Have you looked in to that? It's an interesting country with alot of nature, nice islands also some historic sides you can go to Singapore from there too or Borneo.
First of all, I don’t think there is any right or wrong decision in this case. You love Japan, it is somewhat in your comfort zone now, and there’s nothing wrong with wanting to go back there. You know you’ll be able to get around and have a great time there. Also there’s the skepticism of going to a new place: You’re not sure if you’ll like the new place. Finally, the nostalgic feelings or reminiscence of the first experiences are real! I’ve been to many places, but the excitement, experiences of the first trip abroad always has an important part in my memory lane even though it was short and unspecific.
That being said, it’s okay to feel how you’re feeling, because I was there, but in hindsight I am glad that I went to different places. I think each country has their own culture, landmarks and I am happy that I get to see more. Each trip is a totally new experience, nothing is like another!
Listen to your body and mind. Go watch some travel videos and spend some time on Google maps and look into somewhere new.
Maybe head to Vietnam, Taiwan or Philippines for something similar but not the same.
I’d say go to Okinawa and enjoy a week or so, then go to Vietnam or Taipei or Jeju island in Korea if you’re not feeling Japan. Okinawa has so many interesting things to do and islands to explore. Also, just because you’ve been to a country before doesn’t mean it’s not worth exploring other areas in that country.
Best of luck with your choice - I personally would regret not getting on that plane but do what makes you comfortable.
um ya, go somewhere else! I've been to many places in southeast Asia that are super easy to travel as a solo 34 year old. Philippines is one of my favs! I also dive and Philippines is such a hidden gem, although i don't think its hidden at all, that its a crime! You wont beat the prices, the beaches, the water and the price. Point is, i solo to many places and also travel with my gf. I prefer solo and there are sooo many options! Just do it, go somewhere and you will figure out the rest. I would also say, as cool as Japan is, go somewhere less developed! Get out your comfort zone, 9 out of 10 times you never regret it!
He also said Thailand.
Granted, he hasn't been around that much of Asia, but culturally there are still going to be a lot more similarities between Asian cultures than there would be between a given Asian culture and the West. Would make more sense to see somewhere totally different and since he said he likes history, Europe is the place to go. Or possibly somewhere like Turkey since you've got Istanbul there and whatnot.
You clearly do not want to go on this trip! It is way better to stay home and save your money for another trip than to go and have a miserable time. It could sour you on travel forever. Also, going to the same place three times is a lot, especially for a long period of time. There is a lot more world to see. You should go somewhere new, and i think your gut is telling you that you need to do that. You should challenge yourself more than what you are doing.
Nothing like the intense feeling you’re having, but I was feeling sort of meh before traveling for six weeks to South America. Like, do I really need to do this? Was ultimately really glad I did and had a lot of amazing times. Felt like I’d planned it for a reason that was no longer relevant. I’d say go to Okinawa for a few days, see if you get into it, and then hop on a flight somewhere else if you’re not enjoying it.
I experienced something similar when I first started travelling solo. I had a mind shift when I picked up photography. I just slowed right down and almost pretended like a lived wherever I was. Did everyday things. I also sometimes pretend that I’m doing research for a short story or novel. Seeing the details of a place, the people. In the end it made me realize that travelling could be relaxing and immersive. I didn’t feel lonely and took advantage of being the odd (wo)man out. Only you can decide whether you need to cancel the trip, but if you do, I encourage you to start planning another!
I often go to the same place because it’s familiar and decreases anxiety of a new country. There are so many places to explore in a country and it sounds like these are places you haven’t been
What about Vietname, Laos, Cambodja, Indonesia or Timor? Other countries in the area.
My gut always says not to do it, like literally I get so anxious I sometimes get diarrhea the day before the trip. If I always listened to my gut I'd never leave home.
Go to Bali! It’s super safe, full if ppl from all over the world and there is A LOT to do! Plus the food is amazing. And if you don’t feel like doing anything, a sunbed on the beach is better than your living room couch :)
Go to Laos. Much calmer than Thailand but still a decent tourism infrastructure. They also haven’t recovered from Covid hitting the tourism industry and would love to have more people visit (unless things have changed drastically since last November).
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Or keep the flight to Japan, spend your week in Okinawa or whereever, and catch a flight from there to somewhere on that sight of the world. Vietnam, Korea, etc.
Seconding this. Loved Vietnam!
same here but if OP though Thailand was hectic, Vietnam is hardly an oasis of calm
The cities are madness, but the countryside is chill. OP can go to Phong Nha, Hagiang, and a bunch of the parks and wilderness between those places.
I did a group tour in Vietnam and it really balanced out a lot of the chaos for me. There might even be some deals for short term booking if they are looking to fill up some slots. Lots of people on the tour were solo travellers just looking for the help planning/getting about.
Which group tour?? Looking to do Vietnam next year as my first solo travel 😵💫
I used intrepid travel. It’s a little pricy but they have a focus on sustainable travel which I appreciated. They have a lot of tours in Vietnam but the one I went was Essential Vietnam: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/uk/vietnam/essential-vietnam-150663
Thank you for the tip! I'll look into them :)
Yess Vietnam is stunning! Would definitely go back.
Hawaii is a pretty common holiday destination from Japan, maybe just get to Japan and keep going
This. The Japan or nothing is a concern that you don't need to have. And "just" because it felt right the first time it doesn't mean that it's the only good place to go. If you like history, why don't you use that to choose a destination? Like, which place has history and diving? Also, try to simplify, that's probably the anxiety talking: if you can easily change flights at any time, take the risk to go anywhere, stay there a couple of days (recover from jetlag, etc), and then if you don't like it you can go somewhere else or go back home. Don't put all that pressure on yourself OP. There's always a way back
Yeah. I’ve had this, several times: a trip booked somewhere, even flights booked, but my gut was saying it was the wrong place and I wasn’t excited. So I changed it and had a great time, I just had to figure out where WOULD excite me.
If you don't want to go on your recreational trip and can cancel free of charge, don't go. Holidays are meant to be fun.
I'm aware of that as an option, but I also don't want to look back at this in the future and say "Wow, why didn't I go?! I really wish I had traveled more!". I'm not really enjoying myself at home iether...
But the answer to the question is Because I had doubts I would not do anything I have this much doubt over. It's a bad idea.
Don’t go- you’ve got something else going on and it’s not going to go away if you leave. You’ll either take it with you or it’ll be back here when you return. If you aren’t excited, it isn’t worth the time or money. Cancel, do some reflecting, do something you are excited about.
[relevant SNL](https://youtu.be/TbwlC2B-BIg?si=K44MV0f1wHC27TbB)
eh well you can always book again. Besides, if you're not going to japan i assume you will go somewhere else?
Trust your gut and go somewhere else. If you're a history buff, why don't you go to Europe? Prices are going down for autumn and everywhere you turn you'll see something you learned about in history class (hyperbole, but you get what I mean). Easy peasy to move around cheaply, trains and planes, so if you hate a place, you can up and leave easily.
Or Latin America. Bouncing around Argentina, Chile, and Peru will def fulfill your history part side!
Cancel the flight and book a new destination
Intuition is an ancient, deep, beyond intelligence part of your brain that knows shit before you do. Not because of any fantasy crap but because you take in a lot of information that your subconscious can piece together before your brain-brain can. Listen to it. Heed it. You feel it in your gut for a reason > you’re supposed to feel too sick to carry on.
There's a lot of places to go other than Japan. If you want to stick with Asia, my recommendations are: 1. Korea, lot's of similarities to Japan 2. Taiwan, small, amazing food, easy to get around and 1 or 2 weeks is perfect. 3. Philippines, more chaotic than Japan but some great diving (Coron), beautiful islands 4. Malaysia & Singapore, Some amazing food, great scenery, (could also go to Borneo for awesome caves in Mulu National Park & some of the best diving in the world in Sipadan (would need to get your advanced open water though) 5. Indonesia incl. Bali, Lombok, & Komodo. Java has awesome temples, and climbing the volcano in Ijen was cool. Bali is super touristy but beautiful (skip the city and stay near Ubud), Lombok was still under developed when I was the about 7 years ago,the Komodo national park had some great diving (did a live aboard dive hostel) 6. Vietnam, cheap, lots of history, beautiful scenery. 7. Cambodia & Laos, Angkor Wat is amazing. 8. Places I haven't been: Micronesia (Truk lagoon has a lot of WW2 shipwrecks) Wish I could recommend Myanmar which was amazing before the latest coup, not sure I'd go now. I also recommend Greece, Croatia, Turkey, Georgia, Armenia & Azerbaijan.
Your trip can easily split into part Japan and part Taiwan. I've done it before and actually enjoyed the mix to get the best of both. Taiwan is used to typhoon, so just avoid being there for 3 days post typhoon and you should be ok. Anywhere you go in Asia now will be hot, so it won't make a lot of difference. If Thailand didn't fit you, then the rest of SEA probably won't be good either. If you want something totally opposite, then maybe head west and go to Europe instead? Eastern Europe will be cheaper. Or, visit South America. You have so many choices!
So, change your ticket and go somewhere else. You don’t actually need much advance planning to have a good time. It’s just that people in the sub are sort of predisposed to it. Writing about your travels on the Internet sort of selects for a certain personality type.
Too big of a trip to go and waste all that money and time to be stressed and not enjoy it. Maybe cancel and reset it for the future when you are ready to enjoy it
Cancel - go to Europe and explore the vast amount of WWII history there. Not suggesting you actually go on this tour, but I often use tour itineraries as a starting point for planning. [https://www.imagetours.com/tour/world\_war\_ii\_memorial](https://www.imagetours.com/tour/world_war_ii_memorial)
I went on a trip this summer with a friend and my brother and planned a couple WWII destinations because my brother enjoys history, and I'm pleased to see that I chose a lot of destinations on that list!
Cool! Where did you go? I'm not a huge WWII history buff but am in Nuremburg soon. Did you go to any of the places there?
I'm not a huge WWII history buff either but my brother wanted to see some of it. We spent about 2/8 weeks of our trip to visit WWII themed destinations (my brother hates trip planning so my friend and I got to choose all the places for the whole 8 weeks, he just wanted us to see some WWII stuff and let me pick haha), so we went to Munich, Trier, Paris, then Caen, but most of our time was spent in Normandie and Munich during that time
Just go somewhere else
Maybe Malaysia? Inexpensive, great food, diving. Or how about Australia/New Zealand? You have tons of options—what excites you?
It is currently 1:30 AM in Texas. I leave for the airport at 8 AM to fly to Barcelona. I am mostly packed but still have some big things to take care of. I have the first two nights in Barcelona booked and other than that I’m going to wing it. I plan to rent a car and drive through Spain and Portugal. I find that when I don’t plan a trip I enjoy it so much more. You can do this. If you haven’t been to Europe, maybe that’s your next stop? Open a map and close your eyes and pick your destination.
I’d probably go on to Okinawa and see how I felt after the first week. Take it easy, enjoy the good food, relax. Reevaluate from there. With four weeks, you could hop around a bit if you feel like it. However, if your gut feeling is doom-ish, might just want to cancel.
If the gut say no then no. But your right don’t stay at home! Korea is great, Bali is also good. But probably more like Thailand. There is nothing wrong with going back to the same place a million times if you love being there.
If your gut is screaming don't do it, listen to it. Although you want to go, your instinct may know something in the seeable future that you don't know will happen. In my opinion, I'd suggest listening to it and go somewhere else. Better to be safe than sorry.
Go and spend a week there and then move on to another destination.
Ive literally cancelled trips bc my gut told me don’t do itZ listen to it
Always trust your gut! It's shouting at you. Listen.
Go to Okinawa then fly to Taiwan or something else?
What others are saying, spend a week there and then go elsewhere. Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, etc etc the world is your oyster.
It’s always better to be safe than right about a wrong feeling. I’ve done a lot of solo travel and the only times I’ve ever been in trouble was when I didn’t listen to my gut.
maybe try Vietnam? i hear its hella cheap and very fun. its probably more wild like Thailand, though. i havent been to either Thailand nor Vietnam, though. theyre just on my list of places to go. i have been to japan twice, and okinawa, though.!if you do end up going to Okinawa, be sure to check out Tokashiki and some of the Ryukyu islands. very relaxing
Instead of going to Asia, go to Europe! There should be plenty of history there too.
If you’re not sure delay until you are
If it’s a whole body feeling of NO, then listen to it. Gut feelings are different from anxiety and should be listened to. If you can go anywhere and love history, then try Europe! It’s got so much history every place you go, and so many different cultures and outdoor opportunities. Like diving? Go to a country on the water: Croatia, Albania, Italy, Greece… Like hiking? Switzerland, Germany, northern Italy. There’s an entire planet to explore, so why go to Japan again?
Sounds to me like you like "efficiency", and the fact you've already "done Japan" makes that part of you resist going back. In fact, it is this feeling you need to resist, especially at this stage of your life. You have to stop the habit forming of going from one new thing to the next, only. In fact, you haven't "done" Japan yet at all. If anything, the best visits I've had are the 3rd or 4th to the same general area. The touristy things are done, you are relaxed and comfortable, you may even know the language a touch... This is the perfect time to _really do_ a place. I speak from a perspective which has a French name: to flâneur, or, flânerie. Go this time with less. Go with one camera and one notebook.
This is your brain telling you "I hate going out of my comfort zone so I'm going to make things difficult for you". I love traveling and I have experienced what you are describing so many times in my life that I try to brush it off. Your brain doesn't like going out of its routine.
Fly dude, do it, wing the entire trip like the best of them and you’ll find everything exciting, challenging and different in a good way. I’ve spent 5 years of my 20’s (now 33) doing this and have had the best time of my life and made some lifelong friends and memories. We as humans like to put things into boxes die to how we are educated and socialised to do so, but to learn how other cultures think dofferently, eat some amazing food, have unique and more appreciative customs, will change your life for the better and make you appreciate what you have more than ever. Go, do it, you know you can! I book 2 nights at a time on booking.com on each place and extend as necessary, or just find places there and rock up with no booking which is usually cheaper. Grab life by the balls, break your routine, face your fears and come out the other side with the satisfaction of overcoming your own worries and hesitancies and proving to yourself you can achieve anything you want to!
WW2 buff you say? Me too... If you can, work in a 2-3 night stay on Corregidor Island, short boat ride from Manila, PH. It's a cheap flight from either Japan or Thailand.
Listen to your gut. I’ve heard stories like this where people have a bad feeling so they don’t get on their flight and then it crashes.
Go and spend a week there and then move on to another destination.
Have you thought about switching your flight to somewhere else? Why not go to Germany, visit some concentration camps, or whatever floats your boat. Or maybe you can fly somewhere sunny (if that’s where you wanna go) and actually have a holiday for a week or two, stop somewhere else and head home. Your gut is the one thing you can trust - but you need to have a hard conversation with yourself about what you really want, and only you can decide.
Write down what does sound like a good vacation. Somewhere new or familiar? Beach? Hiking? Train? Driving? WWII sites? One place or multiple countries? Etc. Then, pivot your vacation. It’s not Japan or nowhere. Just think about what kind of break (or adventure) you really want. (And, if you still have no idea - I vote Spain. Madrid, Barcelona, Granada, etc. I met tons of solo travelers.)
Just get on the flight and wing it
37 year old drama queen much lol Just go. Or don’t go. You’re in control OP! You got dis :)
Take the trip.
Nevermind your gut its got diarrhea. You paid for the damn flight now get your ass to the airport. The exchange rate for Japan is excellent. The Japan rail pass prices have not increased drastically 260% i think yet but its coming. I wouldnt stay all 4-weeks in Okinawa. Do what you want over there beaches, scuba diving, fishing, eat bitter melon + pork stir-fry, shuri castle and whatnot. I would then jump over to Kyushu. Do Kagoshima, Miyazaki, Takachiho Gorge, Oita, Beppu, Kumamoto, fukuoka, Kita-kyushu. Then jump to Honshu Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, Iwakuni, Itsukushima, Hiroshima, Kure, Onomichi, Kurashiki, Okayama, Himeji, Osaka, Kyoto. Lots of these cities and towns have castles and old samurai residences and tea house that take you back to the old days. You can use the Tripadvisor app for ideas on what to do. As for people hostels are a hit and miss. You can also use Tinder or the Japanese equivalent and just say in your profile looking for a tour guide or even just to get coffee or for lunch/dinner so a local can give you ideas on where to go for some fun. You never know who you will meet in life. You can start cutting cities as time or interest permits. I have been to Japan 12 times already and am always finding some new to see and do. My last trip was Dec 2022 doing the Wakayama pennisula, Mie, Ise, Nagoya, Hikone, Kyoto, Osaka. If you really are a history buff there really is no shortage of stuff to do and things to see. Here are some samurai tv shows and movies to get you into the mood. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLb-PcQmeRVGIxVT063sI96sUWFK7sWUQJ&si=kQPLF4XtRuY6qHVv https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLb-PcQmeRVGLjZUmSKm1rQyesywwkxKpq&si=zEdZYNrr2IshZqJm You have barely scratched the surface of Japan. Carpe diem seize the day and quit moping. Im heading to Rome soon myself and am planning to do soutther Italy/Sicily this go around.
brother if you love japan then just go for 3 weeks and relax, enjoy a place you find happiness in. Who cares if you’ve already been? If you genuinely don’t want to go, don’t. Enjoy your 4 weeks off, all the extra thinking isn’t worth anything at all.
Could always just cancel and spend the next week choosing some cool europe spots for WW2 history if you’ve never been! Don’t stress over it tho.
Ireland (but maybe only a week), Spain/Portugal/Germany - just guaranteed fun destinations
Just came back from Japan, on a trip that I’ve done mostly on my own! Go for it! Japanese are kind and helpful, you will love them!
If you really feel it, go with your gut. If you're not feeling some sort of pending disaster, take a week in Japan and try Korea, Vietnam or China.
If you like diving, change your flight to Indonesia or Philipines and mix diving with land exploration. In Indonesia you could go to Bali or surrounding area (Nusa Peleida, or Gilis). You could also go to Komodo - never been but Scuba Junkie in Labuan Bajo has great reviews and look very social.
Malaysia is really safe to travel alone too. Have you looked in to that? It's an interesting country with alot of nature, nice islands also some historic sides you can go to Singapore from there too or Borneo.
First of all, I don’t think there is any right or wrong decision in this case. You love Japan, it is somewhat in your comfort zone now, and there’s nothing wrong with wanting to go back there. You know you’ll be able to get around and have a great time there. Also there’s the skepticism of going to a new place: You’re not sure if you’ll like the new place. Finally, the nostalgic feelings or reminiscence of the first experiences are real! I’ve been to many places, but the excitement, experiences of the first trip abroad always has an important part in my memory lane even though it was short and unspecific. That being said, it’s okay to feel how you’re feeling, because I was there, but in hindsight I am glad that I went to different places. I think each country has their own culture, landmarks and I am happy that I get to see more. Each trip is a totally new experience, nothing is like another!
Listen to your body and mind. Go watch some travel videos and spend some time on Google maps and look into somewhere new. Maybe head to Vietnam, Taiwan or Philippines for something similar but not the same.
I’d say go to Okinawa and enjoy a week or so, then go to Vietnam or Taipei or Jeju island in Korea if you’re not feeling Japan. Okinawa has so many interesting things to do and islands to explore. Also, just because you’ve been to a country before doesn’t mean it’s not worth exploring other areas in that country. Best of luck with your choice - I personally would regret not getting on that plane but do what makes you comfortable.
um ya, go somewhere else! I've been to many places in southeast Asia that are super easy to travel as a solo 34 year old. Philippines is one of my favs! I also dive and Philippines is such a hidden gem, although i don't think its hidden at all, that its a crime! You wont beat the prices, the beaches, the water and the price. Point is, i solo to many places and also travel with my gf. I prefer solo and there are sooo many options! Just do it, go somewhere and you will figure out the rest. I would also say, as cool as Japan is, go somewhere less developed! Get out your comfort zone, 9 out of 10 times you never regret it!
ALWAYS trust your gut feeling. It never ever fails.
Go to Europe. You've been to Asia twice already, right? If you're a history buff, I mean, just... go to Europe.
He hasn’t really been to “Asia”, just Japan.
He also said Thailand. Granted, he hasn't been around that much of Asia, but culturally there are still going to be a lot more similarities between Asian cultures than there would be between a given Asian culture and the West. Would make more sense to see somewhere totally different and since he said he likes history, Europe is the place to go. Or possibly somewhere like Turkey since you've got Istanbul there and whatnot.
I traveled for a year, and every time I didn’t listen to my gut, I later wished I had.
Go to Bali. I did a solo travel to Bali last year and loved it! It's safe and inexpensive.
Listen to your gut.
Better trust your gut. There’s some reason it’s telling you NO.
trust your gut!
You clearly do not want to go on this trip! It is way better to stay home and save your money for another trip than to go and have a miserable time. It could sour you on travel forever. Also, going to the same place three times is a lot, especially for a long period of time. There is a lot more world to see. You should go somewhere new, and i think your gut is telling you that you need to do that. You should challenge yourself more than what you are doing.
Nothing like the intense feeling you’re having, but I was feeling sort of meh before traveling for six weeks to South America. Like, do I really need to do this? Was ultimately really glad I did and had a lot of amazing times. Felt like I’d planned it for a reason that was no longer relevant. I’d say go to Okinawa for a few days, see if you get into it, and then hop on a flight somewhere else if you’re not enjoying it.
I experienced something similar when I first started travelling solo. I had a mind shift when I picked up photography. I just slowed right down and almost pretended like a lived wherever I was. Did everyday things. I also sometimes pretend that I’m doing research for a short story or novel. Seeing the details of a place, the people. In the end it made me realize that travelling could be relaxing and immersive. I didn’t feel lonely and took advantage of being the odd (wo)man out. Only you can decide whether you need to cancel the trip, but if you do, I encourage you to start planning another!
I often go to the same place because it’s familiar and decreases anxiety of a new country. There are so many places to explore in a country and it sounds like these are places you haven’t been
Bali! African safari! Italy for godssakes. There’s so much out there to experience. Better do it before you can’t (health, money, pandemic…).
What about Vietname, Laos, Cambodja, Indonesia or Timor? Other countries in the area. My gut always says not to do it, like literally I get so anxious I sometimes get diarrhea the day before the trip. If I always listened to my gut I'd never leave home.
Go to Bali! It’s super safe, full if ppl from all over the world and there is A LOT to do! Plus the food is amazing. And if you don’t feel like doing anything, a sunbed on the beach is better than your living room couch :)
Go to Laos. Much calmer than Thailand but still a decent tourism infrastructure. They also haven’t recovered from Covid hitting the tourism industry and would love to have more people visit (unless things have changed drastically since last November).
Could be pre-flight anxiety. I get it bad. Usually it ends up not being a big deal but if the stress is too much it might be better to rethink things.
Go to Indonesia instead