The Pacific Crest Trail - 2 Years Later

 I can’t believe that the PCT was almost two years ago! I was actually in Japan, being a tourist and reading everything I could about the Pacific Crest Trail. I have no idea why I was drawn to it so much?

There I was living the dream, backpacking my way through south and east Asia, Island hopping and flight swapping. All I could think about was getting an American visa and hiking my way up the west coast.

At times it feels like a dream. Did it really happen? Did I really walk all the way? Did I meet all those people from all over the world?

Then at other times it feels like it was yesterday. It’s dubious and perplexing. Like a lot of things in life, you tend to look back at them fondly despite bad the moments. Through rose tinted glasses they say but I feel genuinely honest when I say that I enjoyed every day. Some more than others but who knew that walking day in day out through the wilderness could be so a kin with me.

Waking just before dawn when the world was still asleep and so still. The aurora glow illuminating everything. No wind to rustle the surroundings nature, just me as I stuff my sleeping bag back into its sack and sling my bag onto my back and march on. It’s still slightly dark as I tramp along, treading quietly along the long trail. It’s half a meter wide and goes all the way to Canada.

Soothing and calm, who knew I would enjoy the silence and my own company for so long. I revelled in it. Sloping up and then down, then zigzagging down then up, the height gained and lost was never ending. Slowly animals emerged, crossing my path. Jays, tiny woodland birds, rabbits, deer, marmots, chipmunks and all aware of me and accepting me as another  creature of the forest. I belonged.

Hanami at Osaka Castle

Hanami is a long-standing Japanese tradition of welcoming spring. Also known as the “cherry blossom festival,” this annual celebration is about appreciating the temporal beauty of nature. People gather under blooming cherry blossoms for food, drink, songs, companionship and the beauty of sakura (cherry blossoms).

 Whilst working in Japan I finally got the chance to view the cherry blossom in bloom. The first time. I came to Japan I missed it by a few weeks so I was pretty chuffed to see it this time.

A friend and I checked out Osaka Castle which was lovely to revisit but packed with tourists - understandably of course.

Getting my Working Holiday Visa for Japan

Yo!


After spending the Summer in the Yorkshire Dales working in a hostel my time like all things soon came to an end. I had been working as a seasonal position so come November I was done and ready to travel again. I'd always wanted to live in Japan and decided now was the time.

Off to London I went with my documents for my Working Holiday Visa;

• Passport
• Visa application form & recent passport photo
• My CV
• My itinerary for my whole stay
• My statement saying why I want to live/work in Japan
• Proof of £2500      or       £1500 & a return ticket.

 At the Japanese Embassy it all went pretty smoothly - had it in the back of my mind that I'd missed something or forgotten to do something. I passed through the airport-like security entry, collected my ticket number and waited. Ten minutes later I was called forward and asked to present my documents to the worker at the window. He carefully read through them and proceeded to put them into a pile -  except the final piece which was kept to the side. My heart stopped.  O no, what didn't I do? Or do that I shouldn't have done? The man pointed at my bank statement and was pondering why the money hadn't gone in regularly. Ah! I then quickly explained that it was my saving account and whenever I had £1000 saved in my current account (he referred to it as my salary account) I moved it across. He looked confused for a moment before appearing to accept my reasoning and gathered my documents and shuffled to a side room. I was left standing there, have I got the visa? Do I wait? 
Shortly enough he returned and pointed at piece of paper telling me to come back in a week with precisely £16. I asked if a friend could collect on my behalf. He nodded, only if I wrote a letter of permission and signed it. And that was that, a week later and £16 down I had visa sticker with the emblem of Japan and my face allowing me to live and work in Japan!
I'm keeping a Vlog of my Ventures here.