G'day! I'm Chris. I left my home in rural Australia back in 2007 to pursue a life less ordinary.
I specialize in ambitious travel - bucket list worthy journeys such as the Great US Road Trip, the ultimate African safari, and following the length of the Silk Road.
I’m in the midst of my fourth exploration of the United States and there’s still so much I’ve yet to see. Even after factoring in the epic Great US Road Trip of 2016, I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface.
This time around, Richelle and I are confining ourselves to the West Coast with time in California, Las Vegas, and Seattle. Our only dip away from the Best Coast? Attending her sorority sister’s wedding in Atlanta.
Herewith is an unconventional approach to an off-the-beaten-track tour of the Western United States. The west coast of full of sites you won’t want to miss – national parks, state parks, forests, the stunning Pacific coast, the ocean, islands, and even a volcano!
How can you best experience this fascinating section of the United States? I’ve got your back.
Be Active
Make the most out of your time. This means sleeping only enough to get refreshed; you didn’t travel all the way to the US to sleep. Getting up at the crack of dawn gives you a chance to hobnob with locals on their way to work or sometimes on their way home from work.
Local landmarks tend to be less crowded in the wee hours, as we found during our recent trip to Japan. Of course, it does also mean you’ll have to contend with rush hour traffic, which can be a nightmare in cities like LA.
Driving is simply a means to an end; it isn’t the end in itself – Jack Kerouac.
Never Waste Time
Sitting above a deep gorge in Idaho for hours during fall foliage time when leaves change to red, yellow, orange, brown, and points in between is not a waste of time. Driving on the famed US Interstate Highway System is a colossal waste of time. We use the superhighways only as a quick way to get to a local road we want to travel on.
It’s also a big waste of time to knowingly subject yourself to endless traffic jams. For this reason amongst many others, we feel that Los Angeles and the surrounding area is a waste of time. More on Los Angeles later.
We believe strongly that spending time in Las Vegas gambling is a waste of time. Las Vegas has a lot to offer in the way of entertainment and shows but we say that you ought to do all your gambling at your favourite online casinos for Aussies. Las Vegas is an excellent place to get cheap mid-week hotel accommodations and to use it as a hub for travel in the area.
Since you already speak the language, you don’t need a guided tour except for isolated instances where you have to take a tour such as at the Hearst Estate near San Luis Obispo or to the ghost towns of Las Vegas.
Don’t read. There are many books and websites that can help you organize a tour of the Western US but you should read them before you travel. Time is too precious to waste it on mere reading.
Fly into Seattle
It’s best to travel south from Seattle to San Francisco. When you’re driving south along the coast, you can look out directly at the ocean; there’s no road in your line of sight. In addition, to the west of Seattle are the Olympic Mountains with glaciers and great views. To the west of the Olympic Mountains is a temperate climate rain forest.
In order to get to these fantastic works of nature, you’ll need to rent a car.
Renting a Car
It’s cheapest to rent a car for factors of one week rather than to break your rentals up into smaller chunks of days. Always call the company you want to rent from. You’ll learn a lot about customer service this way. Poor service to a potential customer is a big sign that the company doesn’t really care about you.
If you will be staying fairly far from the rental office, ask if they’ll pick you up or deliver the car to you at no extra cost.
Upgrades often cost about $10-15 per day. For the comfort of a slightly bigger car, this extra cost is well worth it.
Olympic Mountains
We suggest one night in Seattle and then the ferry across to Bainbridge Island. From there to Port Angeles, the unofficial entry point to the Olympic Mountains. Here we urge you to go south toward Hurricane Ridge even though it will take you a bit out of your way when you want to go west to the rainforest.
In the mountains are many glaciers and hiking trails. Some of the hiking trails are quite long and strenuous whilst others accommodate less experienced hikers. Hiking and camping are personal choices so we’ll leave that up to you.
You come down from the mountains the same way you went up and then west to Forks which is the big city of western Washington State.
The Hoh rainforest is a short drive south of Forks. In addition to the rainforest, Forks has a timber Museum. Unfortunately, the hours of this museum are not suited to early risers and the museum closes at 17:00. If you can fit it into your afternoon, it’s well worth the time but we don’t suggest wasting your morning waiting for it to open in the morning.
Forks is a beautiful little town with massive trees as you would expect in an area that gets 3000 mm of rain each year. We have enjoyed early morning walks here with the sea air permeating our lungs.
Head South
After you have spent a few hours in the rainforest, we suggest you begin the long trek south to San Francisco. Here is where driving on local roads becomes oart of the trip. On the high speed super highways, you just travel fast to get somewhere. On the lower speed local roads, you get a sense of where you are all the time.
Be prepared to stop when you see a sign or simply an interesting building.
We’ve stopped in numerous places that just caught our eye. One place, in Pennsylvania, was a small local market of sorts where that sold ground meat from some more unusual animals. We were heading to a local brewery for a tour when we passed this market and stopped. We cherish the picture we took of packages of ground yak, bison, kangaroo and other animals.
Another time, on our way to a winery in Maine, we stopped at a place that called itself the home of home-made sauerkraut. It was the most different sauerkraut we’ve ever eaten and the place also had a five-table restaurant. We waited to get a table for lunch but it was worth every minute.
In short, you make no spur of the moment decisions when you’re driving the super highways and you can make many spur of the moment decisions when you’re on a local road.
San Francisco
We have space here only for one word about this glorious city. Get up early and go for a walk toward the ocean. It amazed us to see people waiting for buses wearing winter coats in August which in the US is usually the hottest month of the year. As we got closer to the ocean, the wind picked up ocean spray; we were happy that we had worn some heavier clothing ourselves! It was glorious!
You can throw around numbers like “14 days” and “170 kilometres”, but these are abstract concepts that don’t do justice to just how transformative a pilgrimage truly is.
No amount of time going over the Kumano Kodo Iseji website could prepare me for what the reality would be.
Over the course of our journey, Adventures Around Asia and I underwent changes that went far deeper than the weight we lost or the photos that filled our SD cards.
Wandering the mist-shrouded mountain passes, the rain-drenched forests, the sleepy villages, and the windswept beaches of Mie Prefecture changed me profoundly.
It’s only after some time back in the hustle and bustle of civilization that I’m able to reflect on my time there with clarity.
Lesson 1: Mie is Unquestionably Beautiful
The sleep still clings to me like a drowsy lover as I drag myself out of bed in the half-light of pre-dawn.
The tick tick tick of our radiator is the only sound save our shuffling steps as we cram scattered clothes into overfull packs.
It’s only day one of our two-week journey along the Kumano Kodo Iseji, but I’m already having my doubts. Do I really want to wake at dawn every morning so I can walk?
Like the dreams that fled at the sound of my alarm, my doubts leave abruptly as I stand on Futami Beach and witness a sunrise that seems to set fire to the ocean even as it brings the land to life.
The sunrise over Futami Beach is worth the 5.45am wake up.
It is said that the pilgrims attempting the Kumano Kodo Iseji Route would bathe in the chill waters of Futamiura to begin their pilgrimage, but we opt for a less jarring introduction to the route.
The ritual of washing our hands, making a donation, bowing, and clapping to let the gods know we are present is something that will accompany us along the length of the Iseji route.
Bowing at a torii gate is something that will become second nature.
By the time we leave our first shrine, I am energised in a way I didn’t think possible before 7 am.
Each shrine on the Kumano Kodo Iseji Route offers up something unique. These ‘wedded rocks’ caught my eye.
Lesson #2: Shintoism is Alive in Japan
Growing up in the west, religion is something that has always come with a sort of historical weight to it.
Churches, the towering edifices that stand as a tribute to our piety, come with them a sort of stuffy detachment from the world beyond.
When you cross yourself with holy water and cross the threshold, you are in a world of somber worship whose dusty pews, mournful tunes, and weathered priests speak to a religion apart from the people it purports to represent.
As I catch my first glimpse of the Ise Grand Shrine – our starting point for the Kumano Kodo Iseji Route – I am stunned by the contrast.
Here, the hymns are those sung by the birds above and the river in which we wash our hands before worship.
No moth-eaten carpet lines the aisle we walk towards the shrine. Instead, we are warmed by dapples of sun that dance through the branches of trees who seem to bow at our passing.
Visitors to Ise Jingu can wash their hands in the river before making their offerings.
While the bowing and clapping at each shrine wear the same solemnity of church services, there’s a sense of life and youth to this that is immediate.
Children wear traditional attire on their 3rd, 5th, and 7th birthdays as they visit the shrines.
Groups of friends or businessmen alternate between cheerful selfies and stone-faced worship.
While many may not hold with the belief that the gods who created Japan genuinely live in the stones and trees around which these shrines are built, there is a sense of warmth and tradition that shrouds these holy places.
This respect for the old ways is evident in many homes, where personal shrines take pride of place and carefully manicured gardens harken back to this unity with the natural world.
Lesson #3: Rural Japan is Stunning
Our first two days along the Kumano Kodo Iseji saw us walking the fringes of busy highways and the quiet neighbourhoods of Ise and Tamuru.
While there’s undoubtedly a certain beauty to the cities and towns of Japan, it was hard to feel like I was on a pilgrimage when buses, trains, and taxis whizzed by in mockery of our slow pace.
The path to Hayatama Taisha, our ultimate goal, is broken up by a number of toge – mountain passes that tested the endurance and the faith of those making the pilgrimage.
Our first such test came at Meki-toge halfway through our second day on the road.
An unassuming mountain of negligible height, it nonetheless acted as a kind of barrier between worlds.
We entered from a busy highway and emerged, some two hours later, into an idyllic rural paradise so far removed from Ise that it was like we’d stepped back in time.
The farms of Mie Prefecture are every bit as eye-catching as the mountains and forests.
Like the fairy rings that once whisked travellers out of our world and into another, Meki-toge marked the point in our journey where we were no longer just people walking along the side of a highway.
We were pilgrims.
While Route 45 (the Kumano Highway) would weave in and out of our lives over the coming weeks, Meiki Toge would mark the beginning of a trek more in line with what we’d imagined.
Sun-drenched tea plantations, sleepy farming communities, bubbling streams, and smiling locals were to be our accompaniment as we finished the last kilometres of our second day on the road.
Lesson #4: Ryokan > Hotels
There were to be many highlights from our two-week journey along the Kumano Kodo Iseji, but our nights in locally run ryokan were a balm to us at the end of each day.
As our days got longer and the hiking grew tougher, our ryokan accommodation came to haunt us in much the same way a wavering mirage might taunt a man lost in the desert.
The transition from wooded mountain trails to brightly lit hotels would have been a jarring one, but removing our shoes, soaking in a hot onsen bath, and sleeping on futons spread over tatami matting felt every bit as natural as the dirt paths we trod.
Each ryokan owner greeted us with enthusiasm, cooked up decadent meals, and welcomed us into their homes as if we were a part of the family.
Whether they were asking us about our hometowns, treating us to local delicacies, doing our laundry by hand, or welcoming us into their living room for a meal with them, this feeling of community was every bit as warming as a hot bath and a good night’s sleep.
Utterly spoiled. Ryokan meals are amazing.
Lesson #5: Rain is the Old Enemy
We’d enjoyed good weather for the first four days of our hike, but our fifth dawned with angry skies and a steady fall of rain that urged us to stay in our warm beds.
Of course, that was not an option.
As we set out for our fifth day on the road, the sparking of flint over our shoulders acted to ward off bad luck and to send us on our way. It was at once both a nice gesture and a grim warning about the day to come.
Wearing a motley wardrobe of convenience store wet weather gear and regular clothing, we must have cut grim figures as we navigated our way through muddy forest tracks that were more stream than solid ground.
If our first four days had tested our fitness and our physical endurance, the constant rain and the bone-chilling cold would test our emotional endurance.
The kiss of the sun is like manna from heaven after the cold rain.
Nisaka-toge and then Tsuzurato-toge were the first World Heritage-listed sections of our hike, but our appreciation of their ancient stone paths and stunning natural beauty were somewhat diminished by the slippery stones, wild winds, and fast approaching darkness that threatened to strand us on the mountain after dark.
It seems impossible that I could feel afraid in these modern times of constant connectivity, but as the sun began to dip behind the horizon and the trees cast ever-longer shadows, it was easy to imagine how frightened a pilgrim might have been.
There were no wolves or bandits to put our lives at risk, but the forest at sunset seemed plenty ominous.
Lesson #6: Getting Lost is Terrifying
Why were we hiking a mountain pass so close to sunset?
How did we get ourselves into a situation where we’d finish our day using the feeble light of our phones to pick our way through a pitch-dark forest?
Earlier that day, full of confidence with the Iseji navigator at hand, we’d set off down a path we’d thought was the Kumano Kodo Iseji Route.
At first, it all seemed totally normal.
The rain had temporarily let up and we were walking along a wide path surrounded by Japanese cedar and cypress. Pink ribbons, our constant companion for much of the Kumano Kodo Iseji thus far, hung from trees to mark the way.
We were cold and miserable, but we were on our way!
The pink ribbons are a lie.
For the next two hours, we tried first one path and then another.
Hopelessly lost.
I clambered up embankments slippery with wet vegetation and half-waded across streams swollen by the day’s rain.
We’d find a bridge or a crumbled ruin and swear that this time, we were on the right track.
I found a dead crab, inexplicably lost in the middle of the wilderness, hours from the ocean.
We’d alternate wildly between relief and worry and outright rage before we finally realized, much to our embarrassment, that we’d taken a wrong turn and wandered into a tract of forest annexed for lumber.
The perils of relying on patchy 4G while hiking through the wilderness.
Despite knowing in our hearts that we weren’t truly lost, there were moments in that undeveloped maze of muddy paths, towering trees, and rain-bejewelled ferns that it was easy to forget that civilization lay just a few kilometres away.
There’s a sort of primal fear that takes over when you’re in a situation like that, and it was only after we’d returned to the highway that it loosed its grip on us.
Lesson #7: Not All Toge Are Created Equal
As we became more accustomed to our daily toge (mountain passes), it became easy to no longer see them as causes for intimidation.
All of them might have been physically taxing sometimes and all of them had their own unique charm, but we’d begun to feel more confident after a week of daily hiking.
Hajikami-toge, Miura-toge, and Magose-toge had passed without event. We felt, dare I say it, invincible.
Then came Binshiyama and Yakiyama, the two mountains that would remind us that for all of our fancy technology, comfortable footwear, and energy supplements, we were still very much human.
These ancient paths each have their own stories.
Climbing the Elephant’s Back
A side-trek from Magose-toge, Binshiyama isn’t usually a mountain that falls on the Kumano Kodo Iseji route.
What sane pilgrim would take a break from their perilous, two-week pilgrimage to scamper up another mountain and take a few selfies?
Despite the insanity of the decision, we still found ourselves veering right at the top of Magose-toge park so that we could climb a 600m mountain and stand on a stone protrusion known as ‘zo no se’ – the Elephant’s Back.
It was on this long, unseasonably hot uphill slog that I began to feel grateful for all of the Great Wall expeditions Richelle and I had been taking.
The ascent was something like an Escher sketch – staircase after staircase after staircase after staircase. Sweat drenched me and my legs trembled whenever I paused for breath, but there was something exhilerating about a new challenge.
With each toge we’d passed, I’d felt myself tackling them with greater speed and confidence, so to meet a mountain that pushed me was an unexpected thrill.
And that view at the top? Magical.
Sorry, Mum!
Yakiyama – The Proving Grounds
A few days after we’d mounted the elephant’s back, we found ourselves staring up at the ominous form of Yakiyama – the highest and most challenging obstacle that lay between us and Hayatama Taisha.
In the bad old days of the pilgrimage, it was on the perennially shaded slopes of Mount Yaki that countless pilgrims would lose their lives to wolves, bandits, treacherous footing, and harsh weather.
A seemingly neverending ascent up moss-covered old stone, Yakiyama marked an intimidating halfway point on our journey.
If Binshiyama had left us with sore limbs and shaky ankles, it had also left us with a greater understanding of what we were capable of.
We took the Kumano Kodo Iseji’s most dangerous pass with relative ease, and stood atop it to gaze out at the cold steel of the Pacific Ocean and our ‘home stretch’.
Easy as it might have been, it wasn’t hard to imagine just how terrifying that mountain must have been in harder times.
Yakiyama presents an intimidating obstacle on the road to Kumano.
Even at noon on a bright day, it felt as if we never quite left dusk. Save for a few insistent rays of sunlight that broke through to warm solitary patches of earth, we walked for hours in a fey twilight.
When the wind picked up, great trees would sway and groan in unison – a haunting chorus that could only have been worsened by the distant howl of wolves or the crunch of approaching footfalls.
Grave markers and tiny shrines line the ascent up Yakiyama, reminding you that forgotten bones and discarded good luck charms doubtless rot in the leaf litter that carpets the ground in autumn.
Even today, safe as modern Japan is, the tusk marks of roaming boars and bright signs warning about bears remind you that this is very much the wilderness.
We were invigorated and more than a little relieved to come down off the mountain.
Lesson #8: Hiking Is Painful
Obviously, I’d always been aware that hiking can be painful and comes with inherent risks.
And, despite the rigours of the Kumano Kodo Iseji, I managed to emerge unscathed out the other side.
Sadly, Richelle – who also wrote about her experience hiking the Kumano Kodo Iseji Route – was not as lucky as I was. A twisted ankle on Binshiyama meant more than a few days of sharp pain, leaning on walking sticks, and even having to miss a few passes.
Her warring desire to finish the Kumano Kodo Iseji in its entirety and to avoid serious injury formed a heart-breaking backdrop to the last few days of hiking.
While it’s true that I did have to press on through some toge alone while she remained behind with one of our guides, I can’t begin to fully express how proud I was to have her by my side for the majority of this trek.
I couldn’t have wished for a better companion for the hike.
Richelle being awesome.
Hiking Alone
It felt strange to hike Nigishima-toge and Okamizaka-toge on my own. Like I’d left some important part of myself behind.
It felt like something akin to betrayal.
Richelle had set out on this adventure with me and here I was enjoying the cool mountain air and the quiet beauty of the forest while she was in pain.
Still, we’d both agreed that I should finish what we had started and she’d join me when she could.
For two hours I experienced the Kumano Kodo Iseji from a different perspective.
Gone was my conversational companion and the comforting presence of shared achievement – replaced instead with time for self-reflection and, I’m not ashamed to admit, a greater awareness of just how fucking sore my legs were.
When I came down from the mountain and got service back, it was funny to see we’d both texted to say we’d missed the other.
The autumn colours bring Mie to life.
Lesson #9: The Kumano Kodo is off-the-beaten-track
We’d always known that the Kumano Kodo Iseji route was a developing attraction that lay well away from Japan’s sometimes well-trod tourist trail.
Even the more well-known three-day Nakahechi Kumano Kodo is a bit of a rising star, and the longer Iseji route is still very much in the process of transitioning from a forgotten pilgrimage into something that can help support Mie Prefecture.
Wandering through unspoiled forest never gets old.
An Aging Problem
Our journey along the Kumano Kodo Iseji allowed us to see corners of Japan that you’d usually skip over on your high-speed train or in a short-haul flight.
We walked through villages whose glory days lay years before my own birth. Where smiling old faces welcomed us and perhaps remembered a time where their sleepy little town had been something more than a collection of quiet houses and boarded up businesses.
A day didn’t go by where we weren’t cheerfully greeted by a wizened local asking if we were on the Kumano Kodo Iseji.
The tours we took and the ryokan in which we slept were, almost universally, owned and staffed by people who are older than my own parents.
If they had one point of commonality, it was their enduring love for the Mie Prefecture and their hope that someday the Kumano Kodo Iseji could help play a part in restoring it.
Meeting and interacting with these passionate, kind people – it’s hard not to want to help with that.
Maintaining the Route
At 170kms in length – only parts of which are World Heritage listed – the Iseji Kumano Kodo requires a lot of ongoing maintenance.
While the local government takes care of the World Heritage listed toge, there are mountain passes and stretches of forest trail that endure thanks to the efforts of locals.
These tireless locals – many of them retired – trek up into the mountains to trim back encroaching forest and sweep leaf litter off old stone paths.
On several occasions, we found our path abruptly interrupted by fallen trees or washed away by the angry sea.
At Misesaka-toge, we clambered over fallen trees and underneath wind-flattened stands of bamboo.
Along the windswept beaches of Hadasu-no-michi, our path simply dropped where flooding had chewed away the sand and uprooted trees.
Richelle braves the Oni Castle.
There were points along the route – sometimes entire days – where we didn’t see a single sign marking the trail. Without the Iseji navigator app or the help of locals, we’d have had a hard time finding the route.
That’s to be expected along a trail of such length and varied terrain.
In time, as more people come and the trail becomes more viable, it is my hope that these problems will become a thing of the past.
Even with them, the challenge was never insurmountable. If anything, it was exhilarating to feel like we were discovering something new – however old it might actually be.
Next stop: Kumano Hongu Taisha!
Lesson #10: I Can Do Anything I Set My Mind To
In the last few days of our hike along the Kumano Kodo Iseji, it didn’t quite feel real.
Like those halcyon days in the lead-up to graduating from high school, it seemed impossible to fathom a life after something that had so defined our existence.
While fourteen days is nothing in the grand scale of our lives, the Kumano Kodo Iseji had occupied our every waking moment.
Whether we were hiking a toge or turning in for the night, we were fully immersed in the experience.
I may have come into the trek with doubts over whether I could do it, but as that last mile marker fell behind us and we approached Hayatama Taisha, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride.
Unbelievably excited to be 168kms down and 2km to go.
And then the tears came…
We stopped for the obligatory photo opportunity at the entrance to Kumano Hayatama Taisha.
I doubt the pilgrims would have been so self-indulgent, but I can’t help but think there would have been plenty of cause for celebration having survived the arduous journey.
I bowed at my final torii gate and couldn’t help but feel disappointed.
Not in the experience or in the shrine, but that I didn’t feel more.
I had walked 170kms, tackled mountain passes I’d never have contemplated previously, and survived it all unscathed.
Why didn’t I feel more?
The face of a disappointed man.
We rounded the last corner and saw a banner unfurled ahead of us. The team who’d acted as our support for the trip – every one of them – stood waiting.
Effervescent Matsu and her insta-fabulous Shiba Dog Rin, the ever-smiling Inoue, laughing Yamaguchi, affable Genki, the ever-patient Himi, and kind-hearted Murase all waited to congratulate us on what we’d done.
I cried.
Richelle cried.
There was something about having somebody else acknowledge what we’d done that made it more real. I’d known on some intellectual level that I’d done it, but I don’t think it had quite sunk in yet.
Seeing these people – each of whom had accompanied us at some point along the way – flooded me with memories of the hike.
Of sharing sake with Genki in a fancy hotel while my feet bled.
Of Yamaguchi-san playing ‘stalker’ as he followed in his car for day one of our trip.
Of Inoue’s sounds of surprise when we found our way barred by a bamboo grove flattened by a typhoon.
Of Himi quietly watching us struggle along the track between Obuki-toge and Kannon-michi-toge with all the confidence of somebody who tackled the 88 Shrines of Shikoku at the age of 28.
Of Matsu’s hauntingly beautiful rendition of a traditional folk song as we dined on mochi atop our final toge, Matsumoto-toge.
Of Murase playing doctor to Richelle’s poor foot in some forgotten fishing village.
The gang together one last time.
Of walking along rain-drenched streets, sun-baked mountain passes, wind-blasted beaches, and cloud-darkened village roads.
Of serene shrines, picturesque tea plantations, steaming onsen baths, delicious ryokan meals, and stretches of unspoiled wilderness.
Of aching legs, bleary eyes, rumbling stomachs, and bloody feet.
Of setting out to do something and doing it.
Oddly, it was quiet moments on our own that stand out the most for me.
Kumano Hayatama Taisha might not have held the same spiritual significance to me as it did to the pilgrims who risked their lives to reach it, but I doubt everybody who walks the Camino feels any strong connection to Christianity, either.
In these days of instant gratification and easily accessible adventure, there’s something to be said for getting out there and earning that feeling of accomplishment.
And that’s as close to a spiritual experience as I think an agnostic is capable of coming.
From another angle, Lion’s Head Rock looks suspiciously like Donald Trump…
Lesson #11: Gratitude
It would be easy to let this devolve into a hackneyed outpouring of syrupy sentiment with a #blessed at the conclusion.
Still, it would be remiss of me to not acknowledge how lucky I felt to have the opportunity to not only hike the Kumano Kodo Iseji Route, but to play some small part in introducing more of the world to what is a criminally underrated experience.
Over the course of the next few months, Adventures Around Asia and I will be publishing itineraries, packing lists, ryokan booking guides, and more.
We want more people to experience what we experienced, not only so they can feel that same sense of accomplishment, but also so that the people who made our Mie experience so unforgettable can continue their great work on maintaining and restoring the pilgrimage route.
I don’t think I’ll ever tire of photographing the path to Kumano.
Obligatory Thank Yous
Thank you to the people from Toppan, Past Present Future, and Mie Prefecture who invited us to participate in the experience, assisted us in arranging everything, and made sure we were never too tired, too hungry, or too wet.
A special thank you to Yamaguchi-san for being the best stalker/support driver in history, Genki for enduring all of the highs and lows alongside us (even if it was from a heated car), Inoue and Himi for being enjoyable hiking buddies, and Matsu for making us laugh and cry in the space of twelve hours.
And lastly, thank you to Murase, who hiked the toughest stretches with us and saw the lowest lows. For going out of your way to make sure Richelle wasn’t hurt and for being a good friend across the entire trip.
There’ll be beers when your travels take you to Australia, mate.
I’m glad we didn’t have to hike the entire route in this.
A Disclaimer
We completed this hike in conjunction with the Mie Prefecture Tourism Ministry. We worked closely with Mie Prefecture to publicize the Kumano Kodo Iseji route and help bring more international travellers to Mie.
It’s our goal to make sure that you can do this route yourself without outside help or the ability to speak fluent Japanese.
There’s always this whirlwind of activity right before you depart for a trip.
Whether it’s just a weekend away or it’s that dream trip around Africa or Asia that you’ve been planning for years, time has a funny way of running away from you the closer you get to your departure date.
Those long months, weeks, and days that seemed to stretch out forever ahead of you are suddenly all too little time to get everything done that you needed to.
The night before you set off, you find yourself juggling the competing demands of packing, last-minute itinerary planning, and a million other things.
In all of the chaos, it can be easy to forget things that might seem like common sense.
That’s where I come in!
10. Figure out your mail and email situation
In the excitement of getting ready for your dream trip, it can be easy to forget about something as every day and humdrum as your correspondence.
Regular mail might be able to just be left at your house if you’re only going away for a day or two, but if you’re headed off on a longer trip or don’t have a waterproof place to keep your mail as it arrives, it might be worth setting up mail forwarding or even a mail hold.
When it comes to email, don’t forget to put an out of office notification up unless you want to be dealing with your emails the entire time you’re gone. Most email service providers have easy to set up auto-replies you can activate so people don’t think you’re ducking them.
9. Let your bank know where you’ll be
With identity theft and petty theft alike being a risk when you’re travelling abroad, banks are often hyper-vigilant to what might seem like a suspicious transaction on your account.
“Hmm… why is Joe Smith suddenly purchasing a massage in Thailand?”
To avoid the frustration of having a temporary block put onto your card, be sure to contact your bank and let them know which countries you’ll be travelling to. This way, they’ll know not to cut you off when you make a late night withdrawal in Las Vegas.
8. Don’t forget your pets!
Obviously, you aren’t going to let your precious fur babies starve to death while you’re gone, but it’s always worth double-checking that everything is ready for their care while you’re gone.
While some people are lucky enough to have a friendly neighbourhood kid looking to earn some extra pocket money, others are more comfortable putting their beloved pets in a kennel while they’re away.
These days, more and more people are also looking towards house-sitters to take care of their pets. Don’t have a family friend who is willing to do it? Sites like Trusted Housesitters allow you to contact and interview potential housesitters who will stay in your home and take care of your pets while you’re away.
7. Turn off valuable electrical appliances
There’s nothing worse than coming back from a trip to find that an electrical storm has fried your TV or gaming console. While it’s an incredibly rare occurrence, why tempt fate?
Before I travel, I always run through the house one last time and unplug any non-essential, pricey electrical appliances such as televisions and computers.
While you’re at it, make sure you unplug any electrical appliances that won’t be needed while you’re gone. Your fridge probably needs to stay plugged in, but unplugging or switching off your hot water heater can be a great way to save some money while you’re away.
Oh, and don’t forget to make sure you have spare batteries for your camera and chargers for any travel electronics you might be taking with you.
Lastly, double-check that you’ve got the right adaptor for the outlet where you’ll be travelling. Check World Standards to be sure.
6. Buy travel insurance
It seems like an obvious thing, but you absolutely need travel insurance when you’re travelling. While some credit card companies offer complimentary travel insurance to their members, I’ve always just taken out a comprehensive travel insurance plan with a company like World Nomads.
You know, except for that one time I accidentally forgot to do it and then broke my arm in Indonesia.
That was an expensive mistake I won’t be making twice.
If you’re doing any unusual or especially risky activities while you’re away, it’s a good idea to also check to see what is and isn’t covered. You’d be surprised what things might fall outside of your insurance policy if you don’t read the fine print.
Lastly, be sure to insure any expensive electronics you’re taking with you. Many policies don’t offer full coverage for things like laptops and expensive DSLR cameras, so you may need to insure these individually at extra cost.
5. Make sure your home is disaster ready
While we’re on the subject of unexpected disasters, it’s a good idea to also make sure your home is covered should the unthinkable happen while you’re away.
Just ask Adventures Around Asia, who went on vacation and came back to find her Chinese apartment had flooded while she was gone.
Making sure your home is disaster-ready is something that’s going to vary from place to place. If you’re in an area where theft or burglary is likely to be a problem, it might be a good idea to have somebody checking the house regularly.
If you’re like me and come from a country where things tend to spontaneously catch on fire every summer, taking steps to safeguard your house ahead of bushfire season is a must. You can find more on bushfires and bushfire safety here.
4. Double check your packing list
I’m sure you’re absolutely sure you have everything you need but are you really sure?
The last thing you want to do is get to that gorgeous stretch of beach and realize you left your swimmers on the line behind the house.
You don’t want to make the mistake of setting out for that epic hike through rural Japan only to find out that your hiking boots are still by the front door.
Check and double-check your packing list to make sure you’ve got everything you need for your trip. You’d be surprised at the things people forget to pack when they travel.
3. Make copies of your itinerary and travel documents
This one might sound like the kind of suggestion an overprotective mother suggests right before you head off on your first Contiki tour, but there are some good reasons why you should make copies of your travel documents.
In the nightmarish event that you lose your passport or rail pass while you’re travelling, having a copy of an important travel document can really expedite the process of getting a replacement.
Don’t carry this copy in the same place as the original! Either pack it in a different bag or have your travel companion carry it for you. Rick Steves has some great information about making copies of your travel documents.
Lastly, make sure somebody back home has a copy of your itinerary and your travel insurance policy. While it’s extremely unlikely they’ll need it, it’s better that they have these documents on hand in case you’re injured or there’s a natural disaster where you’re travelling.
2. Double check your visa paperwork
This one might seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be stunned how many people arrive at the airport in their destination and realize they’re missing some vital part of their visa application.
Thankfully, a responsible airline won’t let you board a flight to a country that doesn’t offer visa free travel or visas on arrival, but make sure you have the relevant currency for purchasing visas, any vaccination certificates you might need, and/or a passport sized photo for the visa.
In some cases, you can apply for a visa ahead of time using eVisa sites or print out the visa form ahead of time, so look into this too.
Also, even in countries where visas are not needed, it is often a requirement that you have your outbound flight, train, or ferry booked. Don’t get caught at the airport buying an expensive last minute flight so they’ll let you on the plane!
1. Check your health
If you’re heading off on your dream vacation, chances are you’ve already done your research about what vaccinations you need, what medications you should pack, and all of that other stuff.
Still, it’s always a good idea to check sites like Smart Traveller for the latest health and safety information. Take what you read on sites like this with a grain of salt, as they’ll often sound every bit as paranoid as that racist aunt we all seem to have.
A visit to your doctor to make sure your vaccinations are all up to date is a great idea too.
If it’s been a while since you’ve been to the dentist, make sure they’ve also signed off on your teeth. You do not want to be stuck abroad with a toothache! Not only can it be hard to find an English speaking dentist abroad, but costs vary wildly and travel insurance plans rarely cover non-emergency dental work.
Everyone knows I’m a huge fan of a road trip. From the Great US Road Trip to shorter Australian road trips, I’ve got something of an enduring obsession with the open road and the off the beaten track adventures you’ll find along the way.
If you’re planning on going on the ultimate road trip, whether alone or with friends, you’re going to need a few tips from the experts to ensure you have the best time imaginable. Although in an ideal world you’d be able to jump into your car/campervan and go, you do need to think of a few things first.
Mapping & Navigation
Downloading Google Maps could help to get you out of sticky situation, whether you need food in the middle of nowhere or you’re trying to get a basic route worked out. It can help you in terms of where to go next, but also allow you to stay flexible if you want to go off on a little detour and explore.
If you’re worried about using up all of your data or battery life, consider downloading an offline mapping program such as maps.me. This handy little app lets you download the maps of a country so you can navigate even while offline.
Lastly, when it comes to planning a road trip, check out sites like Furkot to help you with finding accommodation, choosing the ideal route, and occupying yourself along the way.
Your Vehicle
The kind of vehicle you choose will depend on the destination you’re visiting.
How many people will be going with you? You may need a simple car, or something more durable, like a caravan or campervan. An RV is going to save you a lot of money when it comes to accommodation during your trip, so consider an RV rental to better manage your budget.
Make sure you sort this out far in advance, get the mileage right, and research the best insurance. Make sure everything is in order before you set off too – don’t just trust that the place you’re hiring the vehicle from has it in the best condition.
Looking for caravan, campervan, and motorhome service and repairs, while you’re on the road will take a lot of time, but maybe necessary if you don’t double-check. If you already have your vehicle, make sure you do all of the necessary checks yourself. It may be worth dropping into a garage before the big day to be sure.
Entertainment
You can’t do many things while you drive, but you can listen to your favourite music and sing at the top of your lungs. Create playlists for the journey, or take some of your favourite CDs.
Spotify is great for this, as it can also create playlists on the fly based on your tastes and listening history. If you’re a Spotify Premium subscriber, you can even download your favourite playlists for offline listening.
Of course, there are plenty of road trip games you can play with your road trip companions to help pass the time as well.
Legally speaking, it’s not a road trip until you’ve rocked out to Bohemian Rhapsody.
Look On Helpful Forums
Helpful forums, such as Roadtrippers, can be a great way to get all of the info you need on accommodation, sights, and more. You’ll never be stuck for where to go next!
Lonely Planet and TripAdvisor both have plenty of information, and it might also be worth checking out the reddit for the destination you’re heading to.
Finding The Right Person To Travel With
If you really don’t want to road trip alone, you need to make sure you find the right person to travel with. Ideally, they will have the same interests as you, because clashes are common when one wants to go sightseeing and the other wants to go drinking!
I’ve written at length in the past about how to be a good road trip companion, and I think finding somebody who fits that description can go a long way towards a fun road trip.
Try Camping
If you do have a camper or caravan, it only makes sense to camp and save money on hotels. It’s also a brilliant way to meet people.
Why would you want to go on the freeway, when there’s so much you can miss? Take a road less travelled instead. Road trips are for going on detours, not for trying to get to places as quickly as possible.
Plus, what you save in time, you usually end up paying in tolls.
Anticipate Problems
Ensure you go on your trip prepared for every eventuality. You should have an emergency kit, numbers saved in your phone, a charger, water, and non perishable snacks. Don’t just assume that nothing will happen to you!
I’ve written in the past about the various road trip essentials that you don’t want to be without.
More than anything, a good road trip is about seeing the places you’d usually skip on a plane or train, interacting with the locals, and learning more about the culture you’re exploring in the process.
Ask your friends to name a city in Ireland and Dublin will be the one that crosses everyone’s lips. It’s kind of inevitable. It’s the home of U2, the birthplace of Guinness and where the country’s main airport is located. But there’s so much more to the Emerald Isle than its expensive and busy capital which, incidentally, is overflowing with tourists and locally-based foreign professionals.
While Dublin has its many attractions, poetry and pints being the most notable, Galway City, over in the far-flung west of Ireland, has that rustic feel that many tourists expect from an Irish city. Yes, it’s a bit of a cliché to say so, but if you want to experience the “real” Ireland, then you need to get out of the capital and head west for the city perched along the Wild Atlantic Way.
Where is Galway City?
As the country’s most westerly city, Galway is located on the edge of the stunning Connemara National Park, an area that attracts millions of tourists each year. Yet incredibly (and thanks to a new motorway), the city is only a couple of hours’ drive from Dublin Airport.
So, what makes this city special?
Dublin is, of course, a great place, but as mentioned right here on this site before, it’s just a little bit overrated. Visitors to Galway, on the other hand, rarely have expectations of the city and thus feel pleasantly surprised by all that’s on offer. Now, make no mistake, there are plenty of tourists in Galway, along with an increasing number of European students on summer working holidays, giving the city a touristy vibe.
However, the size of the city compared to Dublin’s sprawling metropolis allows you to take in many of the sights on foot. It has the feel of a large town as opposed to a city, and there’s a notable difference in the attitude and mood of the locals. It’s the same in every country across the globe; the smaller the city, the more welcome visitors feel.
But it’s not just the welcome that impresses visitors to Galway. Take a walk through the city’s cobbled streets, and you’ll come across an impressive range of restaurants and cafés. As a matter of fact, Galway is known as one of the gastronomical hotspots of Ireland, and dining out here on any budget is a bit of an adventure.
It’s also ideally located right on the coast and home to one of the country’s popular summer destination, Salthill. This seaside resort is just a 15-minute walk from Eyre Square in the heart of the city, which tells you all you need to know about how easy it is getting around Galway.
A Rich History
Ever heard of the Spanish Arch? Maybe not, but if you’re Irish, then you’ll know it’s the only remaining arches from the city’s medieval wall. During this time, the city had close ties to Spain, and there were many Spanish traders and merchants that spent part of the year in the city. But funnily enough, there’s no actual connection between the Spanish and this piece of the wall.
The Spanish Arch is also home to Galway City Museum, a place where tourists can learn about the storied past of the western city. Although some of it might be a little depressing (the famine killed 20 percent of the county’s population), it’s an interesting place to visit, and a little more culturally aware than some of Dublin’s touristy museums.
A Gateway to Connemara
And finally, we come to the biggest attraction in the west. Galway City is the gateway to Connemara. This massive national park is home to some of the most stunning scenery imaginable, and during the summer months, tens of thousands of tourists flock to the area each week. But even with all those tourists, it’s still easy to find yourself on a patch of winding country road with not a single soul visible in any direction. Aside from the native Connemara ponies that is.
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