As always, I packed the schedule for my partner and I’s Japan trip a little too tightly. There were just too many cool places to see and activities to do. So it’s not like I didn’t try to make the most of it.
Yet, about halfway through the trip, I caught a feeling: “This is it.” I didn’t know exactly what “it” meant, but I knew the trip was important. It could have been our honeymoon. It was my first journey back to Japan in 12 years. It might be the last for another 12 years to come.
I’d been worried about how much money we’d spent both on the travel and during the trip itself, at least a bit. But once I realized these two weeks were a unique chance to absorb as much as I could in my favorite destination in the world, I started rolling with it. Money comes and goes. Memories last.
As fate would have it, almost everything about our trip worked out perfectly. The weather. Our location switches. Hotel rooms. Even our daily plans, which, of course, still faced many adjustments. But we got to do and see so much more than most people would have done, and I know I’ll cherish this holiday for the rest of my life.
A small consolation prize for my wallet was that I collect Pokémon cards exclusively in English. Still, Japan had a lot to offer, and some cheap deals I just had to jump on. Plus, several artworks you can only get in Japanese.
On the last day, destiny sent another message. After visiting many shops during the trip, I finally found the #1 Japanese-only card for my master set of all cards of a certain Pokémon. It’s an old card, Karen’s Umbreon, and nearly impossible to find in Europe these days, let alone in good condition. And apparently, even in Japan it’s not as common as it used to be.
I hit up some stores in Akihabara in the afternoon, and suddenly, there it was. A Karen’s Umbreon, and seemingly in great condition. I debated whether to buy it while going to other shops, but I think once I saw it, I already knew what I was going to do. Miraculously, I found a cheaper, more beat-up version in another store a few minutes later. I bought that one without blinking twice, and then? For one last time, I kept rolling with it. I bought the other one as well, and I’ll figure out what to do with one of them later on.
I might look like a frivolous spender right now, but in the end, it was the perfect ending to a perfect trip—and I’ve already started shifting into a different gear again while waiting for the plane back home. I’m neither proud nor ashamed of how much I spent on this journey. It was just the right amount.
Sometimes, you have to keep rolling with it—and the more you trust, the more clearly the path will keep appearing in front of you.
