Well now I have gone and done it! One minute I am in self imposed exile feeling like I will never take a photo again let alone travel, and the next I am dreaming of Kyoto. I last visited Kyoto in 2016 when I travelled between Osaka, Kyoto and Hiroshima. It was an amazing trip and one that allowed me to see very different cities within Japan and experience some amazing sights. A completely different experience to Tokyo. But… I never quite made it to Miyajima and the Tori gate in the bay or Nara with the dear roaming free. Nor did I make it that little bit further beyond Osaka and on to Kobe. I also wish that I had explored more of Kyoto, further away from the tourism centre that is Kyoto Station. A little deeper into the hills and the forrest that ring this truly astonishing city.Don’t get me wrong. I had an incredible time but yeah….Kyoto could do with a little more exploring next time. And I would love to stay a night or two in a traditional Ryokan.  And usually I am so obsessed with Tokyo!

So don’t get too excited, I don’t have the cash to book a trip let alone be daring enough to just book the flights and work the money bit out later. I am being relatively sensible at this point in time. It is probably not likely to happen this year. I just had some pretty decent renovation works completed on my home and am sure that the kids are grateful that it no longer rains in our living room. So must be more of an adultier adult! I hate it some times when I look around for someone to be responsible and I am the most adult person. But, a boy can dream right? And that what this blog is about. Having a goal of some sort to work towards and research and prepare for when the time is right. No harm in that. Plus the kids continue to be fed.

As for the images in this blog. Well I have never actually published any of these anywhere ever before. For the most part, my photos from my 2016 Japan trip were only ever published via social media in monochrome. I even had a photo book of that trip printed and all the images of Osaka, Kyoto and Hiroshima are monochrome.  The only colour images that you may have seen were in my B-Sides blog here. Just a handful of revisited and edited images.  These new images, are I guess the C-Sides.  Possibly A-Sides that were only ever in monochrome, were overlooked for B-Sides and then discovered as C-Sides worthy of an edit in my own Lightroom preset of Tokyo Chrome! Clear. As. Mud! You can check out the monochrome A-Side images here and here and here and here and here. And the revisited B-Sides in colour here! What it boils down to is that these images are all new to you!

The other influence here is that my parents and my older sister – they often travel together – have only just departed on a two week trip around…..Japan! Damn it! That is my country! They have been planning this trip for quite some time. I guess I am happy for them but am still sulking. I caught up with them all on the weekend and they were asking questions about Japan. At some point I said, “Haven’t you read my blog ALL ABOUT TRAVEL IN JAPAN!” Apparently they hadn’t gotten around to it. How. Dare. They! So many of my friends that have travelled to Japan have referred to this blog. How could my own family not bow to my wisdom?

I have just received an email from them this morning. Just to let me know that they have arrived safely and are in Osaka about to make the journey to Hiroshima for the day. They will then make their way to Kyoto in a couple of days. And then they will come back and will be full of all these whimsical stories about their time in Japan and “Did you know that in Japan…”! Seriously could NOT be happier for them. So yes it has made me jealous. And yes I have had a little sulk about it. But more importantly it has awoken the travel bug in me again. I mean, it wasn’t in like a deep REM sleep. It was just dozing. Much like me.

So now that I have a focus to work towards I will from time to time blog about my research and my preparations between now and whenever that may be. On a side note, I have also taken my camera out a couple of extra times and have even mucked around at home taking pictures of the fur babies we have. All good practice and equally a good sign that my mind is working towards being in a creative status. Stay tuned. Happy Shooting.