I view my trip to Japan as my white road adventure, much like Gary Erickson of Clif Bar had white road adventures biking through Europe. Of course, I don’t know if Japan has white roads and red roads (though given their flag, it would seem appropriate). In fact they might use all different colors for their roads. But what that analogy means is that travelling to Japan with only a vague image of a plan is my chance to step outside my comfort zone and grow as a person.

In many ways, I do not really know why I am heading out on this journey. I have been anxious about the voyage the last couple of days, even thinking that maybe I would call off the whole thing. I question whether I am doing this for myself or because of all the friends who told me I should travel. Sometimes I really don’t know. Many things in my life I feel I have done because of prodding or encouragement by others without thinking whether or not I really wanted them. Most of those things have turned out well. As I travel forward with this journey, I view it as my chance to push myself. I’ve never travelled alone, and instead of making it easy on myself by going to England or France, I decide to go to Japan. At least I was smart enough not to choose Morocco. I would have peed my pants by now.