Blackpool airport flights

i'm flying on thursday at around 9pm out of sacramento to las vegas and am really starting to get worried. everybody has been posting that spirit flights get canceled all the time with no explanation or compensation. i have to be somewhere by friday morning urgently and can't have my flight get canceled. has anyone had experience with spirit at these airports? what do i do? 😭

Hey yall! I’m heading from Montreal back to the US (nyc) and I’m trying to figure out the best way to move all my belongings. I moved to Montreal with two suitcases on a flight, but I now have a larger load to bring back with me. I won’t be bringing any large items like furniture with me, but rather lots of luggage and boxes.
My original idea was to rent a car and drive across the border but I’m having a hard time figuring out how to do that and get it done in a cost effective way. I know airport car rentals offer cars that you can drive across the border, but as I’ve never done that before, I’m having a hard time navigating that process. Does anyone have experience with this and can help me figure out the best way to go about it?
I also have been looking into shipping boxes and luggage to New York, either by post or with a moving service, but I’m unsure which is better since I will only be moving a few boxes.
For context, I’m in my early 20s, don’t have an extensive budget and am trying to pinch pennies where I can while also making sure my belongings (and my mind) arrive in nyc safely.
This is my first time moving on my own, and really appreciate any tips or advice!
Thank you!

I [M27] wrote this post and my girlfriend [F26] reviewed it to make sure it’s objective and accurate.
My girlfriend and I initially dated from December 2022 to May 2023 here in LA. When we first met, she told me she was looking into moving to DC to try something new. About two months into dating, she committed to moving. We ultimately decided to date until she left and then we would break up and go no contact. We didn’t want to get into a LDR. Come May, I dropped her off at the airport and we went our separate ways.
She came home for the holidays in December 2023. We reconnected and decided to give LDR a try on the condition that she moves back to LA once her lease expires in August 2024. We agreed to talk about big decisions like moving forward. Until then, we are in an LDR until August 2024, 7 months total.
When we talked about seeing each other during LDR, she shared that she didn’t want to fly back to LA regularly as she felt that we’re not doing LDR for that long and she’ll be in LA after her lease ends. She said she expected us to see each other maybe twice during this time. I felt like us meeting regularly is important, especially this early on in our relationship, and I want her to spend as much time in DC as possible, so I’ve flown out to see/meet her four times now (almost monthly). She’s planning on visiting LA for the first time since our LDR began later this month.
The first time I flew out to DC, she did pick me up from the airport. The second time, she didn’t. She was hosting a friend up until the morning I arrived, so she stayed home to clean, get her place ready, and made breakfast so it could be ready when I got there. So I showed up at her door. Still, my effort to go see her felt unappreciated. I let her know, she listened, and she’s picked me up since.
We recently got into a disagreement about whether she should be picking me up from the airport when I go see her. I make a big effort to see her (doing most of the flying, catching connecting flights, flying redeyes to maximize time together), so I want her to want to meet me as soon as possible when we’re in the same city. I undergo 8+ hours of travel, so I feel like taking an hour to go to the airport isn’t a big ask. I feel like landing at the airport and seeing your partner there is one of the most romantic things.
However, she said she feels that when a city has good public transportation that takes people directly to her place, taking the subway to the airport to pick someone up is unnecessary and goes “above and beyond.” She said if it were LA, of course she would get me from the airport. Ultimately, because it’s important to me, she has been meeting at the airport or halfway when the airport is far away.
That said, we are curious on what is typically the expectation in this situation: where one partner is doing most of the flying to visit the other partner and the norm on airport pickups in a city with good public transit (and you don’t have a car).
TL;DR - should partners in an LDR pick each other up at the airport?

I’m going to start flight lessons at a general airport near me which is not in the safest area leading to me to want to carry for my safety. Obviously I would not bring my firearm in the plane however I have always heard bringing a gun to a an airport is muddy water. I would leave it in my truck which I was planning on getting a small safe installed but would I run into any legal trouble?

Hey everyone, looking for advice. I'm splurging for my buddies wedding on samui this July. Shaving costs down before and after the celebration. So I'm landing in BKK airport at midnight and next flight at 7am. Are there comfortable/secure places to lounge at or lay down away from the hustle and bustle of main thoroughfares in BKK airport? Or even better a rent by the hour space? Agoda is letting me down and I don't want to pay for 2 taxis and a bidget room nearby for a 7 hour gap. Also not interested in paying ~30USD for airport hostels either. Thoughts/advice welcome!
I'm 35m and will be traveling with carry on only

I [M27] wrote this post and my girlfriend [F26] reviewed it to make sure it’s objective and accurate.
My girlfriend and I initially dated from December 2022 to May 2023 here in San Diego. When we first met, she told me she was looking into moving to NYC to try something new. About two months into dating, she committed to moving. We ultimately decided to date until she left and then we would break up and go no contact. We didn’t want to get into a LDR. Come May, I dropped her off at the airport and we went our separate ways.
She came home for the holidays in December 2023. We reconnected and decided to give LDR a try on the condition that she moves back to SD once her lease expires in August 2024. We agreed to talk about big decisions like moving forward. Until then, we are in an LDR until August 2024, 7 months total.
When we talked about seeing each other during LDR, she shared that she didn’t want to fly back to SD regularly as she felt that we’re not doing LDR for that long and she’ll be in SD after her lease ends. She said she expected us to see each other maybe twice during this time. I felt like us meeting regularly is important, especially this early on in our relationship, and I want her to spend as much time in NYC as possible, so I’ve flown out to see/meet her four times now (almost monthly). She’s planning on visiting SD for the first time since our LDR began later this month.
The first time I flew out to NYC, she did pick me up from the airport. The second time, she didn’t. She was hosting a friend up until the morning I arrived, so she stayed home to clean, get her place ready, and made breakfast so it could be ready when I got there. So I showed up at her door. Still, my effort to go see her felt unappreciated. I let her know, she listened, and she’s picked me up since.
We recently got into a disagreement about whether she should be picking me up from the airport when I go see her. I make a big effort to see her (doing most of the flying, catching connecting flights, flying redeyes to maximize time together), so I want her to want to meet me as soon as possible when we’re in the same city. I undergo 8+ hours of travel, so I feel like taking an hour to go to the airport isn’t a big ask. I feel like landing at the airport and seeing your partner there is one of the most romantic things.
However, she said she feels that when a city has good public transportation that takes people directly to her place, taking the subway to the airport to pick someone up is unnecessary and goes “above and beyond.” She said if it were SD, of course she would get me from the airport. Ultimately, because it’s important to me, she has been meeting at the airport or halfway when the airport is far away.
That said, we are curious on what is typically the expectation in this situation: where one partner is doing most of the flying to visit the other partner and the norm on airport pickups in a city with good public transit (and you don’t have a car).
TL;DR - should partners in an LDR pick each other up at the airport?

Me, my husband and son (33F, 33M and 4M) just returned from our first trip to Disney World (also - our first vacation as a family!). We stayed from 4/30 - 5/6.
Before the breakdown, I just wanted to say a huge thank you to this sub. We had the trip of a lifetime and this community played a huge part in the details. I read through every post religiously for months leading up to the trip and as a result we picked an amazing week to go with low(er) numbers, mastered Genie+ and rode (almost) every ride with minimal wait times.
Here is a summary of our overall costs:

• Flight, Toronto to Orlando (paid using CC points) - $179.55 CAD ($131.06 USD)
• Hotel, 6 nights at Pop Century (friends + family rate) - $1,254.39 CAD ($915.61 USD)
• Park tickets, 5 days (20% Canadian resident discount) - $2,186.18 CAD ($1,595.75 USD)
• Airport Shuttle (Mears Connect) - $132.51 CAD ($96.72 USD)
• Airport Parking (Park N' Fly) - $103.90 CAD ($75.84 USD)
• Park Expenses (Food, Genie+, Souvenirs) - $2,429.08 CAD ($1,773.05 USD)
• Total Cost: $6,285.61 CAD ($4,604.56 USD)

Here is a breakdown of our daily expenses in USD:

	30 - Disney Springs	1 - Magic Kingdom	2 - Hollywood Studios	3 - Animal Kingdom	4 - Epcot	5 - Magic Kingdom	6 - Disney Springs
Dining
Breakfast				$35.32	$31.90	$27.12
Lunch	$31.71	$46.08	$38.94	$53.53	$30.64	$39.59	$45.11
Dinner	$67.06	$53.20	$105.10	$133.19	$30.30	$42.99	$39.69
Snacks		$35.42	$37.25	$16.48	$55.73	$16.47	$34.23
Extras
Genie+		$73.50	$70.29	$54.33	$67.11	$86.28
Souvenirs	$23.42	$26.60	$37.26		$126.19	$47.89	$23.40
Groceries	$89.73
Total Expenses (USD)	$211.92	$288.84	$288.84	$292.85	$341.87	$260.34	$142.43
Total Expenses (CAD)	$290.33	$395.71	$395.71	$401.20	$468.36	$356.67	$195.13

Best advice & things I'd do differently:

• If it's you're first time visiting, wear that "first visitor" badge everywhere. It was both my husband and son's first trip and my son in particular, recieved above and beyond treatment from almost every Cast Member he interacted with.
• Is having to pay for Genie+ annoying AF? Yes. However, I did feel it was worth the money given the fact that this is probably a once a decade trip for our family - it felt like a small sacrifice to be able to get on every single ride we wanted. Based on some of the commentary on this sub + YouTube, I thought it was going to be a nightmare to use but I got the hang of it pretty quickly!
• We had a character lunch booked at Tusker House which we ultimately cancelled, and I don't regret it at all. The price is outrageous and the meal was going to cost us over $200 CAD. We were able to meet almost every single character in the parks by either using Genie+ or waiting in a short queue. We put that money towards a nicer dining experience at Sebastians at Carribean Beach instead!
• I really, really, really wish we had accounted for a pool day somewhere in the middle because by the time day four came around, I was feeling ROUGH. I am in very good physical shape, I wore the best walking shoes money can by and I still felt like shit.
• Unless you have an annual pass or are planning multiple visits in the next year or two, I firmly believe that Magic Bands are completely useless and a huge waste of money. I had originally planned to buy one for my son but for over $50 CAD, I couldn't justify it.
• For the hotter months, buy a pack of cooling towels off of Amazon. You can get a pack of 4 for $15 CAD - whereas in the park, you're paying around $25 USD for one. My son gets overheated very easily and these were a lifesaver when the sun really hit us in the afternoon.
• If you can afford it, stay at a hotel with access to the Skyliner. It is SO much better than being crammed into an overcrowded shuttle bus.
• If you're planning to use the Virtual Queue for Guardians/Tron, log onto the app 2 minutes beforehand and just keep hitting refresh until it turns 7 am/1 pm. We used this tactic and were able to get on both rides no problem (we actually rode Tron twice and it is AMAZING)
• On the same theme as above, no ride is worth paying individual fast pass fees for IMO - especially Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. I was thoroughly underwhelmed.
• If you go to Animal Kindgom, you MUST do the Wilderness Explorer Challenge. I'm not sure who enjoyed this more - my husband and I or our four year old. It was such a fun way to explore the park and my son was SO excited to get his Explorer badge at the end. This was truly one of the biggest highlights of the trip!
• ETA: We used InstaCart to order breakfast groceries to our hotel and it helped cut costs on food. Our room had a decent sized mini fridge so we stocked it with yogurt, cheese strings, deli meat, bagels, cream cheese and fruit. I regret not ordering more because we ran through everything pretty quickly. The breakfast at Pop Century leaves a lot to be desired so this was a great alternative!

I know this was long and I hope I didn't miss anything! Happy to answer any questions - and again, thank you to everyone who contributes to this sub and helped us have such an amazing trip.

I'm a 23-year-old currently working remotely for a federal consulting firm based in DC. I've lived here for 14 years (outside of going to college elsewhere) and am looking for a change.
My long-term goal is to work in the travel industry. To prepare for this, I started a side project where I cover the travel startup and VC space. I do this through daily social media posts and offering copywriting services to clients. Since my full-time job is 100% remote, I can work anywhere (currently working in Nairobi to spend time with family).
Which other cities would be good for me?
I'm interested in:
• Diversity (especially ethnic neighborhoods)
• An airport with many international flights
• Walkability and bike paths
• Mild winters (summer weather isn't a concern)
• A hub for the travel and hospitality industry
• Young people
• Large population
• Strong startup and venture capital ecosystem
• The ability to live without a roommate (I make $90K from my day job)
Here are a few cities I thought about based on their strengths in startups/VC and travel/hospitality.
• Miami
• New York City
• Los Angeles

Last week, I was scheduled to return to the US after two months in Europe. My routing was MXP-CDG-JFK-ATL-my little podunk airport in Florida. A few weeks before my departure for the states, I checked the Delta app to make sure that there were no schedule changes. To my surprise, the MXP-CDG leg of the trip was gone from my reservation. I had received no notice from Delta - nothing in email, and no text messages on either my US or Italian phone numbers. Now, according to the app, my trip started in Paris.
I contacted Delta and was told that they had no idea what had happened, but probably Air France (they were the codeshare for the MXP-CDG leg) had canceled the flight without notifying Delta. The nice agent booked me (he said) on a new flight from MXP to JFK, eliminating the layover in Paris (my least favorite European airport). The new routing showed up in the app, and all was well (I thought)
I got to MXP on the morning of my flight and when I got to the agent at the counter, she said that there was a problem. I had a reservation on that MXP-JFK flight, but I didn't have a ticket, and apparently the flight was sold out. An awesome supervisor came and started punching keys on a terminal, making phone calls to someone, and eventually told me to go find a place to sit and come back in a half hour. She kept my passport which made me a tiny bit nervous.
After a half hour, I came back, was sent back to the group W bench (Arlo Guthrie reference) and eventually was reticketed on a flight from MXP to ATL, which was actually a much better routing. When I got to ATL, it turned out that I didn't have a ticket on the ATL to my podunk airport in Florida leg (despite it showing up on the app), but eventually I made it home.
It was an adventure, turned out OK, but I am confused why, if my flight on Air France (purchased from Delta) was cancelled, why wasn't I notified and automagically rerouted? I'm also confused about the difference between a reservation and a ticket. Is there anything I should have done to have eliminated the issue?

Hi all,
I am looking at getting more into credit cards to build up points to pay for travel. I have a good amount of my regular spend categories covered with 2-3x points but always think I could do more. Also wanting to get some cards with bigger sign on bonus to really start racking up points.
I fly 3-4 times a year, on delta mostly. But I am moving and the closest airport will no longer be a delta hub. When I do travel I mostly stay at Airbnb’s and get rental cars or Turos, would like to build up points to stay at hotels from time to time.
Let me know your suggestions!
Current credit cards you are the primary account holder of: - Wells Fargo Autograph, $5.3k limit, June 2015 - Amex Delta platinum, $28k limit, June 2021 - Bilt Mastercard, $6.5k limit, Feb. 2024 - Amex Blue Business plus, $14k limit, April 2024 - Also a BCU Cash Rewards card that is not used anymore $9k limit, June 2020 * * FICO Scores with source: - Fico score 780 * * Oldest credit card account age with you as primary name on the account: - Wells Fargo autograph from 2015

• * Number of personal credit cards approved for in the past 6 months:
• 1
• * Number of personal credit cards approved for in the past 12 months:
• 1
• * Number of personal credit cards approved for in the past 24 months:
• 1
• * Annual income $: $120k CATEGORIES
• * OK with category-specific cards?:
• Yes
• * OK with rotating category cards?:
• would prefer having categories that stay consistent
• * Estimate average monthly spend in the categories below. Only include what you can pay by credit card.
  • * Dining $: $350
  • * Groceries $: $400 at Trader Joe’s and around $250 at Costco
  • * Gas $: $80, Work mostly from home so barely need to fill up.
  • * Travel $: Will spend about $3k a year on travel, mainly to beaches or on ski trips in the winter as well as flights back home for holidays.
  • * Any other categories (examples: phone/internet, insurance) or stores (example: Amazon) with significant, regular credit card spend (the more you specify, the better): $30 for gym, I make the large insurance payments with my BBP, phone and internet is paid with my WF autograph that gets 3x.
  • * Any other significant, regular credit card spend you didn't include above?: $1,500 for things like golf/skiing/other recreational activities
  • * Can you pay rent by credit card? - I pay about $2,200 for rent that I pay with my Bilt card which gives me no fees. The fee for using a normal credit card is only 1.95%, so I have thought about using my BBP instead to get more points at basically no cost. MEMBERSHIPS & SUBSCRIPTIONS (delete lines that don't apply)
• Currently a member of Costco and Sam's Club
• For subscriptions I am only paying $12/month for Apple Music
• I Currently bank with Sofi but used to bank with WF
• Not in the military
• I would prefer personal cards but I already have a business card and wouldn’t completely shut down the idea.

PURPOSE * Purpose of this next card is mainly getting Travel rewards points for other portals outside of the delta points that I have an lot of. I also want to get the best points per dollar spent on my regular purchases. I prefer to fly Delta (hence the platinum delta amex) but also need a card that gives me more airline options.

• I’ve been looking at the chase sapphire for the 85k in branch sign on bonus. Also the citi custom cash for the 5x back on one category that would probably be for groceries.
  
• I don’t think I NEED a new high end travel card as I already pay $350 for my delta platinum that gives me TSA precheck and other perks, but if one could get positive value I would consider.
  

I wanted to give back a bit after receiving some great information from folks on this sub before a (very short notice and sparsely planned) solo trip to Panama in late April/early May of 2024. I'm subtitling this post "I did a lot in Panama so you don't (necessarily) have to". Truth be told, I started the trip with 4 nights and one in-country flight booked and built the rest of my itinerary on the fly. I definitely could have used an extra week or so before the trip to do some itinerary planning, deeper research on where I chose to stay, etc. but I really enjoyed most of the trip and would absolutely recommend Panama as a solo trip destination.
Rough pre-departure itinerary:

• Panama City: Arrive at about 2 PM on a Thursday, stay three nights at Selina Casco Viejo, depart at 8 AM on Sunday via plane to David (Copa Airlines)
• Boquete: Arrive at about noon Sunday (after transit to town from airport), stay two nights at the Bambuda Castle
• Bocas for unknown amount of time/other stuff in the west off the country
• Return to Panama City from David via plane (Copa) Sunday Morning
• Return to USA on a redeye flight Tuesday night

I arrived in Panama City on time and took an Uber straight to Selina (cost $28). The Selina there is in a decent location, kind of on the edge of Casco Viejo but walkable to everything. I checked in and was told there was a welcome happy hour with a free drink and a free walking tour every day at 10. The 6-person dorm had a dedicated bathroom, but wasn't much for the price ($30/night) and I'm just now realizing I booked a 4-person dorm then was put in the wrong lodging... There is a bar and allegedly a pool on the roof of the property, but the pool was not open when I was there. The welcome drink was an underwhelming event, though I did meet a few cool people I ended up doing more with later. There really isn't much in the way of common space at Selina Casco Viejo and I found it to be overpriced, underwhelming, and not a great place to meet people. I ended up booking the canal tour ($60ish) with them (which was via the personal vehicle of the guide, a small sedan cramming 4 of us in plus the driver), but I did a different free walking tour after hearing poor reviews of the one provided by Selina. While Selina felt like a huge waste (would not recommend this location), I really liked Casco Viejo. The food was surprisingly good, especially ceviche at Marea https://maps.app.goo.gl/MdWBJ1uw4mWLB7r2A and a nice stop for middle eastern at Estambul Casco https://maps.app.goo.gl/qFq8wAm5NEzJw84F8 . I also made a quick stop with some people from the hostel at La Fabrica https://maps.app.goo.gl/WdAG1KAhwmkj1TbS8 which had a decent tap list and cool vibe and the Pedro Mandinga Rum bar (highly recommend) for some beers and a rum flight https://maps.app.goo.gl/seXCnetthN18BbUB9 . I also, as a cigar smoker, made a stop at the official La Casa del Habano store https://maps.app.goo.gl/uhswvnFPe1Y1Uzbu9 where the staff was chill and the cigarum selection was good. I finished out my cigar and partook in a bit of happy hour across the street at Finca del Mar which had a decent outdoor area for a drink https://maps.app.goo.gl/kPSiTHdd2mJmtakGA but the food was not recommended so I didn't try it.
I was up early to get to David on Sunday morning, so I figured I'd just grab food and coffee at the airport lounge (mistake). It turns out the Copa flight to David departs from the "domestic" gate, which is a standalone area on the ground floor of the airport. There are no amenities, just a single vending machine, and you get bussed to the plane. Do not go early for a David flight, security was very easy and I ended up waiting in the small seating area for way too long. The flight was fine, but don't expect to access a lounge or coffee shop after security.
I got to David pretty early and hadn't done my research on transit, but knew there was public bus service to Boquete. I was trying to figure out how to get to the bus terminal when a taxi offered to drive me all the way to Boquete for $40 which seemed like a decent deal so I went for it. Boquete is pretty small, a little mountain town with a relaxed vibe. I spent quite a bit of time at the brewery which, if you know craft beer pretty well, wasn't the best on beer quality but had good live music and a fun atmosphere https://maps.app.goo.gl/EJFiRiwQsbJ89UPa9 . I worked from here a little bit too, definitely where I spent the most time. I got a delicious dinner at RetroGusto which was really reasonable https://maps.app.goo.gl/8gcU1GHqXrfbTCoX9 and a good lunch at Donde Giselle which was a little more expensive, but also delicious https://maps.app.goo.gl/uNsz1EqCDfnSpYfk8 . I did a coffee finca tour through Bambuda ($35) at Don Pepe. It was pretty cool, not a lot of walking but the guide was knowledgeable and we got to see the full operation in a small footprint. I bought one bag and was happy I did, they were 3 times the price in the airport on the way home. The Tres Cascadas (three waterfall) trail was a must, it does have a steep section that has ropes affixed to help but was otherwise a pretty straightforward trail. It did cost a few dollars to hike as it's on private property. I took a taxi there ($20) but took the bus back ($2.25). The bus comes by every 30-40 minutes and they generally wait a bit at the entrance to the trail from the road to see if people come down. We did end up picking up a whole bunch of kids leaving school, but it was pretty funny and we managed to fit everyone. I did do the Volcan Baru hike, which cost $18 for a taxi to the trailhead but was otherwise free. It is a grueling hike, it took a little over 5 hours for me to get to the top and I was not having fun. I was very lucky to encounter a couple who was dropped off at the same time at the trailhead and, while we did not hike together, we did take a few breaks together and it was nice to be within sight of their headlamps. It was COLD at the top and I was happy I had a light down jacket and a fleece. I did a good job of timing up my climb with the sunrise, only needing to wait at the top for maybe 30 minutes before the sun came up. You can go up in a jeep, and I was very lucky to beat the offroad vehicles up as they were very loud coming up the mountain. It did get pretty crowded at the top by the time all of the jeeps had emptied out and their clients climbed the last bit to the summit. The view was phenomenal, you can see both the Caribbean and the Pacific on a clear day and the sunrise was beautiful. It was a little annoying that the 6 of us who climbed it had to share with the 25 or so who rode up in cars, but worth it. One spot I wish I had visited, but it just didn't work out, was a wood fire pizza spot that came recommended by our coffee guide and by several travelers https://maps.app.goo.gl/T93KKqHxXoQ7AFhf6 . I got lucky at the Bambuda Castle as I booked a 3 bed room but had it to myself. It had a nice restaurant and common space within the castle itself that was a good working space and had a fantastic view. The food was pretty good, with a few vegetarian options and smoothies. It's a pretty decent walk from the center of town, and about $4-5 taxi ride from the Boquete center. If I went again, I would probably look to stay somewhere in the center of town but I don't regret giving the Castle a shot.
I traveled out of Boquete to Bocas del Toro the same day I did the Baru hike, leaving via shuttle at 1 PM ($37) which I arranged through Bambuda. I ended up using a discount QR code at Bambuda Castle to book their Bocas town Hostel for three nights. The shuttle was fine, but it's a quick trip through winding mountain roads so be prepared if you get carsick. A big bonus, that I would recommend you ask about, was that this shuttle did not go all the way to Almirante, but instead stopped at Chiriqui Grande and proceeded via small boat (lancha) from there. The longer boat trip was fantastic, much better than the long/boring road which runs the rest of the way. I got stopped right off the boat in by several people trying to sell tours and got one person's number for a potential $35 Cayo Zapatilla tour but didn't commit, choosing to get to Bambuda Bocas Town first and settle in before making decisions. While I wish I had spent some more time at either red frog beach or another island, with only 3 nights and having booked late my options were limited. For Bocas Town, Bambuda was great. The front desk folks were pretty helpful and the restaurant was good for breakfast (the vegetarian burrito option is better than the sandwich). The hostel deck goes right out to the lagoon, and it's always busy with people hanging out in the sun or jumping into the lagoon. It was a great spot to do some work over coffee and, frankly, I wish I had spent more time here or at the Bambuda Lodge. I ended up doing the Caya Zapatilla tour (highly recommend, if only for the stop at Caya Zapatilla) for $35 with the operator I met right off the boat. This included pick up and drop off from Bambuda, and they had a cooler that I threw a few Balboas of my own in for the trip. We did stop mid-way for lunch which was not included and was a little expensive. This was the only actual tour I did during my time there, I spent my other full day just kind of hanging out and went to Starfish Beach (not as nice as Caya Zapatilla, but worth an afternoon) with a group from the hostel. I also did salsa night at Selina (fun, but a bad instructor) and karaoke at Aqua Lounge (get there in time to get a round of the happy hour special, the screen is behind the stage so not ideal for karaoke but it's easy to get on the list). I did not do Filthy Friday, I ended up departing Bocas that day but I would have been on the fence about it anyway. I guess it's a "when in Bocas" thing, so I probably would have gone for it. I really wish I had spent another night in Bocas, I regretted not having another day out there as soon as I left. It turned out to be the best place on my trip to meet people, it's definitely a general party vibe, and actually the best place to get work done of the hostels I stayed at. I did dinner at Pier 19 which was pretty nice, if not a little expensive and probably not a good solo traveler vibe https://maps.app.goo.gl/6vJG1rdUPCqEf9W3A . I did brunch one day away from Bambuda at Casa Papaya, their typical Panamanian breakfast and it was a great deal/meal https://maps.app.goo.gl/9CPFCxu6woWwKuwM7 . I did hear from some people that the bird island was a fun tour, and worth the day/cost. I did some bonus late night, unofficial stuff like swimming after midnight at Selina and an impromptu midnight trip out to see the bioluminescence and the stars with a random lancha taxi from the Selina dock. Not sure how I'd direct someone to arrange that, but say yes if it's an option.
I took off from Bocas via shuttle for the Lost and Found Hostel on Friday around noon ($20) which I arranged at the main lancha dock. This shuttle did not include a boat all the way to Chiriqui Grande, it was the short boat with the long road segment. A few people did get car sick during the first leg of the trip, the road is in pretty rough shape so lots of speeding up, slowing down, and swerving potholes. Lost and Found really caught my eye because of how much I enjoyed Secret Garden Cotopaxi in Ecuador. In the end, it didn't live up to that lofty expectation and I should not have squeezed it in. The allure is that it's isolated in the jungle, you have to walk about 15 minutes up the trail from the road to reach the hostel property. There are several buildings, with one primary common area with a few tables and hammocks. A big downside is that everything is outdoors, under cover of roofs but open still, which wasn't ideal in the evening during the season I went where it rained in the afternoons. There is a community kitchen if you bring your own food along, or there is an option to get breakfast/lunch/dinner from the hostel. I had a few meals there: the smoothie bowl was good, the lentil curry was a little on the salty side. The hiking is pretty cool and I ended up going up over the mountain to the big tree, the lookout, and the river. I didn't bring water, but definitely should have brought a liter along. In the end, with only about half a dozen other people staying there and 2/3 of the staff being pretty insular and not really socializing with the guests, it just wasn't a great addition to my trip. It might be a better option for a group or during a different season, but it provided a logistical challenge to make my flight back from David to Panama City and it wasn't really worth the risk of making it work, so I hired a car ($30) to take me to David and just ate the price of my second night at Lost and Found. It was beautiful, but it just wasn't on the same level as Secret Garden Cotopaxi which inspired me to give this a shot. I think, all in, my stop at Lost and Found cost me about $76.
The combination of having scheduled a flight on election day (oops) and the lack of help from lost and found staff meant that my best bet was a night in David. I used Hilton points to book a night at the Hampton and had myself a recovery night. I got a hot and ready pizza from the Little Caesar's next door and two Sam Adam's Boston Lagers from the bar. Fantastic recovery night, vey nice Hampton, and a pretty nice little breakfast. It refreshed me at a point where I was not really enjoying the trip and pushed me to go for one more stop rather than laying low in Panama City.
After my flight back to Panama City, I took the metro all the way to the Avenida Terminal (less than $1 total, it is very easy to purchase a card and load it at the station) to grab the bus to Valle de Anton. It was fairly easy to find the window to buy the bus ticket ($4.25). It's important to buy for El Valle and not just Anton, a town which is not where you want to end up. There was a confusing bit of business related to a transit card (not the same transit card as the metro. I couldn't seem to find a machine to buy one from, and eventually the guy at the turnstile took pity and just used his own to let me in. I paid him back, but it was very confusing that you needed to buy the ticket then a card with which to pay an additional 10 cents to get to the bus at Gate 53. I can't really offer advice other than you should try to figure out how to get this card, or if you can just pay with a dime, right when you buy your ticket. I let the bus (not a very big bus, somewhere between a van and a bus) driver know where I was headed on the way and they dropped me right at Bohdi in Valle de Anton. The whole trip is about 3 hours, with lots of local stops the whole way. Bohdi was a pretty cool spot, with a great yoga space with a guided lesson on a TV every morning. It has a kitchen if you want to cook for yourself and free coffee plus breakfast every day from 7:30-10:00. Both breakfasts were pancakes, but it was free and they were pretty good. There are some cool lounge spots out back, a few cafe tables out front, and a loft space as well. It was a decent, but not perfect spot, to do work if that's what you're looking for. The dorm does have 3 levels of beds, and they aren't all that comfy, but I'd recommend Bohdi. The first night I was in town I went to the Golden Frog Inn on a recommendation and it turned out to be a great spot to watch the sunset and have some pretty good (although a small) vegetarian tacos https://maps.app.goo.gl/pzRuyYuwHZvMVnAo8 . One afternoon I chose to do the India Dormida hike, I left and walked all the way back to Bohdi, it was a few hours total. It's a quick climb up to the top and you can walk the whole ridge that forms the edge of the caldera. It was a beautiful view and you can really see the old crater rim formations from the top. It's clear up there, no trees and wide open, and the breeze was very refreshing. I ended up coming down about halfway across the ridge, starting from the north. I grabbed a vegetarian dinner at El Rincon Colombiano which I'd recommend https://maps.app.goo.gl/tRcAAnAm9fYni7Nv8 and some guacamole and a beer at La Ranita which was pretty good https://maps.app.goo.gl/BcdB8uCqaSRv1RyE8 . Overall, I really liked Valle de Anton and I'm happy I made it happen. It's a little drier and warmer than Boquete, with a lot less coffee influence, but I liked the vibe and wish I had done more hiking around the area.
For my last evening in Panama, I grabbed a room just to have a place to put bags and clean up before my flight at Hotel Caracas, a recommendation from someone I met in my first stop in Casco Viejo. I did not plan to work from here, nor did I spend a night, but for $35 it was a perfect spot to leave things as I went to knock out a few more items before my flight home. I popped into Tantalo for a quick bite to eat https://maps.app.goo.gl/9pA9Dmw8AE9doabT7 which I don't know if I'd recommend for food, but the view was good. I think I meant to go to CasaCasco, which was recommended for ceviche and sushi, but ended up in the wrong spot. I then went over to Element to get some cocktails https://maps.app.goo.gl/mwYt2D7X43ua4jGu6 . Element has an interesting vibe, kind of a steampunk theme to the décor. The two guys behind the bar, who I believe own it, were fantastic. They don't have a set menu but instead try to match a drink to what you're feeling at the time. I had a classic daquiri and an old fashioned, which both came with a little bit of a twist on the classic recipe. They also pulled down a few different spirits which we tasted together, overall I'd highly recommend a stop and it was especially fun as the only patron there. After two cocktails, I cleaned up and called an Uber and headed to the airport. Just a heads up, the Copa Club is pretty nice, has limited food, but tragically closes at 9 PM. I had a flight that left at nearly 11 PM, so this was a little disappointing.
Overall, I loved Panama. The people were friendly, even if the service in many places was pretty lackluster. It's more expensive than Colombia or Ecuador, but several people told me it's slightly cheaper than Costa Rica. It's a good stop if you're not sure about central or south America as it's extremely safe, if you use common sense, and it's not too hard to get around using shuttles/taxis/ubers if you don't want to brave public transit. It offers very good food options in Panama City, and it's easy to find a Hampton Inn/Hooters/McDonald's/Little Caesar's/Wendy's if you need a break from being adventurous. The Spanish isn't difficult, and most people speak at least some English. I would have dropped lost and found hostel from my itinerary if I planned it again, but did not regret any of the other stops. I do kind of wish I had focused on Bocas and Boquete, saving Valle de Anton and maybe San Blas together for a future trip, but I had already painted myself into a bit of a corner with my David-Panama flights by the time I realized this. I hope this helps someone as they plan their Panama trip, or helps them decide Panama is a worthwhile visit! Please do not make as many changes as I did, I absolutely did at least one to many stops and wish I had spent more time in Bocas and probably Valle de Anton. Anyway, feel free to ask questions in the comments and I'll try to address them as they come in!
Final Itinerary:

• 3 nights at Selina Casco Viejo (meh, not recommended)
• 2 nights at Bambuda Castle Boquete
• 3 nights at Bambuda Bocas Town (recommend)
• 1 night at Lost & Found Hostel (not my jam, would not do again)
• 1 night at Hampton Inn David (saved my trip, loved it, would recommend)
• 2 nights at Bohdi Valle de Anton (solid, would recommend)
• 1 kind of night at Hotel Caracas (did exactly what I needed)

Pre-emptive TL;DR: Is joining the Air Force Reserves with the primary purpose of receiving tech school training that will land me a good full-time job a viable strategy, and if so, which AFSC's would be the best choices for me to achieve this goal?
I'm 36 years old, married, no kids, in the Atlanta, GA area.
I've been a cop for the last 12 years. I quit a few months ago because almost every time someone else quit or was fired, I was given their job to do in addition to my own, and I was on-call 24/7 and receiving an average of 19 calls per week, mostly during the middle of the night (for no pay)... I was covering 4 full-time different job roles at the time I quit. I covered a minimum of at least two separate full-time jobs my entire last year at that department.
I haven't been able to find a decent job since I quit. I'm making some money doing remote part-time work, but it's not enough, and I'm honestly extremely bored not having enough to do day-to-day. I've been a damn good house husband and my yard and property look great, but I need to get out of this house more often. I made almost $100k last year, and I'm routinely getting rejected for jobs even at $50k or lower. I have extensive experience leading and managing people and units, but it doesn't seem to matter since I don't have any private sector experience. I really don't want to return to law enforcement at all, because my experience, training, and skillset prevent me from being able to stay where I actually enjoy policing, which is patrolling on the streets. I'm not originally from the Atlanta area - I grew up 2 hours from here. I can get a job easily back in my hometown from all the connections I made over the years, but that's too far to commute and it would be financially irresponsible to sell my house here and buy a new one there due to the interest rate climb and all the remodeling I've done in my current home.
I'm considering the Air Force Reserves because 1. I literally have nothing else going on and could easily accommodate the time away at basic training and tech school and 2. I'm hoping if I choose the right AFSC that after tech school I could get hired for a full-time job based on the training from the tech school for that AFSC. I'm aware that there are also full-time roles for Air Force Reserves, but I'm assuming those are difficult to get, especially for someone without prior active-duty service. 3. I want to stay in my house in the Atlanta area for the long term, but I can't sit around applying to infinite jobs for an indefinite period of time. Being away for basic training and tech school is fine, as long as I'm not moving away for good.
My wife is on board with this idea, so there wouldn't be any conflict there. I'm in good shape and health, and have always considered the annual police PT to be a joke, so there are no issues there. I'd love to go active-duty if I hadn't bought a house here 2 years ago. My wife works remotely, so it would be feasible, but the biggest appeal that joining the Reserves offers is the fact that we could stay in our current house instead of moving every few years. We have discussed the possibility of me being activated and deployed, and that's something we can handle if it comes to it, but that's much better than the guaranteed moves that going active-duty would require. If I do join the Reserves, I would be signing up with every intention of doing at least 20 years. I do have a 4-year degree in Education, but from what I've read so far, getting a commissioned officer spot as a civilian seems highly unlikely, especially since I don't have any degree, let alone an advanced degree, in any of the appropriate fields, so I'm only looking at enlisted AFSC's.
Based on everyone's experience, do y'all think that I could use Air Force Reserves tech school to get a decent full-time job?
If so, what AFSC would you recommend as the best path toward a good job? I don't even care what I do at this point, I just want to work, preferably in a career field where I can start at $50k or more with room to grow towards $75-90k in the next five years. I'm interested in cyber security, and being close to the airport in Atlanta I feel like something regarding aircraft repair and maintenance might make sense for me to find a quick job, but I truly just want a new career and don't care what it is. I'm hoping some of you have enough experience with yourselves, friends, or people in your units to provide some insight on which AFSC choices yield the best results on the job market.
I'm considering the following AFSC's:
2T2X1 - Air Transportation - Could potentially land me a job at an airport.
1P0X1 - Aircrew Flight Equipment - Could potentially land me a job at an airport.
2T3X7 - Fleet Management - Could potentially help land me a job with a shipping or trucking company.
2T1X1 - Ground Transportation - Could potentially help land me a warehouse or mechanic job.
6C0X1 - Contracting - Could potentially help land me a job with a construction company.
3E5X1 - Engineering - Could potentially help land me a job with a construction or surveying company.
6F0X1 - Financial Management and Comptroller - Could potentially land me a job in HR for a number of companies or as an auditor or in a financing company.
3F0X1 - Personnel - Could potentially land me a job in HR.
1D7X1 - Cyber Security - Could potentially land me a job in Cyber Security or IT Helpdesk.
1B4X1 - Cyber Warfare Operations - Could potentially land me a job in Cyber Security or IT Helpdesk.
1N4X1 - Cyber Intelligence Analyst - Could potentially land me a job in Cyber Security or IT Helpdesk.
9S100 - Scientific Applications Specialist - Could potentially land me a job in a federal or state crime lab (I have extensive experience in forensic evidence collection and analysis from my law enforcement career, too, but mostly on-the-job training)
3E0X2 - Electrical Power Production - Could potentially land me a job as an electrician.
3E0X1 - Electrical Systems - Could potentially land me a job as an electrician.
3E1X1 - Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration - Could potentially land me a job in HVAC.
3E2X1 - Pavements and Construction Equipment - Could potentially land me a job with a construction or paving company.
3E3X1 - Structural - Could potentially land me a job with a construction company.
2T3X1 - Mission Generation Vehicular Equipment Maintenance - Could potentially land me a job as a mechanic.
2T3X7 - Vehicle Management - Could potentially land me a job as a mechanic.
2A6X6 - Aircraft Electrical and Environmental Systems - Could potentially land me a job at an airport or aircraft production/repair facility.
2A6X4 - Aircraft Fuel Systems - Could potentially land me a job at an airport or aircraft production/repair facility.
2A6X5 - Aircraft Hydraulic Systems - Could potentially land me a job at an airport or aircraft production/repair facility.
2A3X3 - Tactical Aircraft Maintenance - Could potentially land me a job at an airport or aircraft production/repair facility.
2A7X1 - Aircraft Metals Technology - Could potentially land me a job at an airport or aircraft production/repair facility.
2A7X3 - Aircraft Structural Maintenance - Could potentially land me a job at an airport or aircraft production/repair facility.
2A7X2 - Nondestructive Inspection - Could potentially land me a job at an airport or aircraft production/repair facility.
1C7X1 - Airfield Management - Could potentially land me a job at an airport.
4V0X1 - Optometry - Could potentially land me a job at an optometry office.
4P0X1 - Pharmacy Technician - Could potentially land me a job at a pharmacy.
5J0X1 - Paralegal - Could potentially land me a job at a law firm.
Clearly, I'm not being picky here. Just to reiterate, I would be staying in the Reserves for 20 years unless circumstances dictated otherwise. I'm more than happy to put in the monthly/annual training in addition to a full-time job. I'm aware that I'd likely be far older than most or all of the others in basic training and that I'd be measured by expectations geared towards me being a decade or more younger than I actually am. My parents talked me out of the military twice (after high school and after college), so I've always been interested. I've served my local communities for over a decade, and now I'm looking to serve my country while also leveraging that service into a new career.
I plan on talking to a recruiter soon, but I'd rather have a good understanding of how I want to proceed prior to doing so, and I'd also like to narrow the above list down. Are any of the above AFSC choices likely to lead to a decently paying full-time job soon after basic training/tech school? Thanks in advance to everyone for taking the time to read and respond.

Travel Diary: I make $195,000 and spent $2149.75 (+49k points) while on a trip to Amsterdam
Section One: Bio
Age: 40
Occupation: Lawyer
Hometown: DC
Number of PTO days and how you accrue them: I earn 6 hours of annual leave every two weeks (19 days total a year), and used 36 hours for this trip
Section Two: Assets + Debt
Not super comfortable with a very detailed financial picture, but my NW is ~$750k. No SO.
Section Three: Income
Main Job Monthly Take Home: After all deductions and contributions to savings, my monthly take home is ~$6200
Section Four: Travel Expenses/Diary
Trip planning - My (40F) best friend from college (39F) and I decide to go to Amsterdam on a birthday trip. We both turn 40 in 2024, and we decide to go in May because it's in between our birthdays and because it'll be tulip season in Amsterdam! Neither of us have been. We also haven't travelled together before, despite being friends for 20(!) years, so we are a little apprehensive, although we have spent a lot of time together over the past few years. We decide on a 6 day trip. For purposes of this diary I'm going to list my half of the expenses for things we split. Costs are in US dollars, despite paying using Euros. As a side note, I also am a little over one year post-Gastric Bypass, which has a limited effect on my diet (I try to eat low carb, but you'll see that I mostly fail at this on this trip!).
Pre-trip expenses: $1193.15 total
Flight: $255 + 49k points (from Capital One)
Lodging: $1425.91 (split) - $713
Rijksmuseum: $40.28
Anne Frank House: $24.95
Keukenhof Gardens plus bus ticket: $36.20
Red Light District Tour: $50.52
Day trip to windmills tour: $43.20
Snacks: $30ish
Day 1 (Total $21.17)
Our flight is at 5:30pm, so we planned to be at the airport by 3:30pm, which actually turned out to be 4pm. Uber ($21.17). After checking bags (included in flight price) and getting through security we made it to our gate right as boarding was about to start. No time for food or drinks.
On the plane I eat a snack of roasted chickpeas before dinner, which was chicken cacciatore with mashed potatoes, bread, cheesecake, cheese, and a salad. And two glasses of wine. I save the cheesecake and cheese for later.
My friend and I watch a movie (Poor Things) and then try to sleep. I am reading A Fault In Our Stars, because Amsterdam. I try unsuccessfully to sleep for awhile and then go back to reading. At some point i eat the cheese and cheesecake. Breakfast is a cheese roll, which i eat a couple bites of (OMG does all of Amsterdam have this much cheese?? - spoiler alert… yes it does!). I wish I had slept more.
Day 2 - Even though it feels like a continuation of day one. (Total $207.02)
7am - We land at 7 and then grab the bags and go through customs. Easy peasy. We are exhausted so we grab coffee at the airport before figuring out public transit ($5.10). I take out 60 euro for cash in case we need it ($65). We buy a train ticket to the central station ($6.33) and when we get there we buy a four day unlimited public transit pass ($28.44) so that we don’t have to worry about it later.
We get to the hotel at around 9am. They tell us it will cost $50 to check in early, which we opt not to do. Instead we go get breakfast and coffee at a cafe nearby ($21.20). The hotel tells us that our prepaid amount did not include city taxes, which is another $183 (my half $91.88).
11:30am - Back at the room we decide to rest for 90 minutes. Enough to catch up on sleep but not to waste the day and get more jet-lagged. After a rest we decide to walk around and get a feel for the neighborhood and do some shopping. We find a bookstore, and I buy a copy of my favorite book from high school, Tess of the D’Ubervilles with a beautiful cover and gold edges ($21.46). We also buy fries with truffle, mayo, and Parmesan at a fry shop ($3.32) (that’s all they have and they are delicious!). We also stop a grocery store and pick up a few things including yogurt, cheese, salami, apples, and an energy drink ($13.19). We have some early days planned and nothing seems to open early. It’s very cold and rainy and semi unpleasant.
6pm - We drop stuff off, bundle up, and head off to dinner and a tour of the red light district. We try to find a place that serves Snert, a Dutch pea soup, but strike out. We end up at an Asian place instead. I get chicken satay and a beer and my friend gets Indonesian soup and wine ($16.10). Our red light tour is great, but we are exhausted after and head straight home to bed. 22k steps total
Day 3 (Total $87.24)
7:30am - We have an early day planned, and have to be on a bus near the central station by 8am. I eat a yogurt and energy drink (from grocery store) for breakfast and we take public transit (covered on unlimited card) to the station. We find the right bus and head off!
First stop is the windmills, which are beautiful! I am happy we get there early because we basically have the place to ourselves. My friend gets a coffee and we both use the restroom ($1.08!). Then we head to Edam and do a walking tour there. Next stop is a clog/cheese place, which feels very touristy but they do feed us lots of cheese. I buy a cheese slicer as a souvenir ($10.81). Next stop is another small town where we have lunch at a cafe. We basically pick one at random. My friend gets fried fish and I get a ham and cheese panini and a beer ($17.30). Final stop is an artificial island town called Maarken. We do another walking tour.
2:30pm - we arrive back in Amsterdam and get let off north of the water. I grab a coffee ($3.76). We go up to the Adam lookout and take a ride on the swing off the side of the building ($25.95 for swing plus ticket to lookout). We also grab a drink and sit on a pillow watching the city from very high up, which is lovely ($6.63). On the way out I buy a reusable water bottle at the gift shop ($4.87).
After the lookout we take the tram over to a brewery at a windmill that was recommended to us by several people (including here on Reddit!). Cost was covered by the transit pass. We buy bitterballen and a small bottle of Genever (local whiskey) (paid by my friend) and a flight of beer ($16.84). We are a bit tipsy but enjoying the lovely weather.
6:30 - On the way back toward the hotel the weather turns and it starts raining so we dip into a pub for dinner. I have a burger ($16.12). We are there at 8pm, which is momentous because it’s a day of remembrance and the whole bar is silent for two minutes. It was very interesting to be there during this time.
We are exhausted by this point and go home to bed. 19k steps total for the day.
Day 4 (Total $104.33)
7am - Another early day as we have to be on a bus at 7:30 to go to Keukenhof for the tulips! (paid in advance). We wanted to take the first bus out there because we heard the crowds were bad. I eat a yogurt for breakfast and take a 5 hour energy (no cafes open this early!). We try to take public transit to the train station but didn’t realize that the trains do not run that early on a Sunday so we grab an Uber instead ($12.20). We tell the Uber driver we’re trying to catch a bus so he makes sure we find the right place and we pull up just as the bus is loading. Phew!
8:00am - we spend 5 hours in the gardens and take literally hundreds of pictures. We are glad that we get there early as the first few hours are lovely and empty. We get a coffee ($4.60) and lunch later ($25.36). By 1pm it’s getting very crowded so we start heading out. We grab the bus back to the train station.
2:30pm - We decide to go by the Rijksmuseum although not in it because we planning that later. Instead we stop off at the Van Gogh/Rijks gift shop that’s nearby. I get a couple souvenirs, including a foldable bag and a magnet ($20.44). I also get a coffee ($3.64) and my friend gets bubble tea. We sit on the hill on museumplein and people watch. After awhile it starts to get hot (we had dressed for the early morning) so we head back to the hotel to change.
5pm - we decide we are having an evening of drinking. We first grab a drink in the hotel bar because we get free vouchers for each day we choose not to have the room cleaned. Then we have dinner at an udon place, which is delicious. We have tempura, chicken katsu, and dumplings ($15.94). Then because it’s cinco de mayo we decide to have margaritas at the Mexican place near the hotel ($15.15)! Not Dutch but it’s fun. We head down the street to another bar and have a Genever cocktail called an Amsterdam mule ($9.91). I am happy with our choice of hotel because there are so many places in our neighborhood. On the way home we pass a fresh stroopwaffle place and must get in line for one ($5.92).
By then we are exhausted and head to bed. 21k steps total for the day.
Day 5 (Total $80.44)
8am - We have a slightly less early day but have tickets to the Anne Frank house at 9:15. (paid in advance). I eat some yogurt and cheese in the room before we leave. It’s walkable so we decide to head out early and grab coffee on the way. ($3.19). The house is sombering but I’m glad we did it.
11am - After the Anne Frank house we walk to the nearby cheese museum. We sample lots of cheese. I buy one cheese to take home ($15.18). We want to walk to a used bookstore, but decide to have lunch at a cafe on the way. We pick one at random. We split chicken tenders and a goat cheese and apple sandwich and I have a beer. ($15.14). The sandwich is one of the best things we have eaten. We spend about an hour in the bookstore and my friend buys one book.
3pm - We realize we are by the monkey bar (one of the oldest bars in Amsterdam that they told us about on our red light district tour). We stop in for a drink. Ok two drinks. ($12.50). We take the metro back towards the hotel and stop in at a tile store in our neighborhood so I can buy a magnet. I buy magnets from all my trips, but I like non-touristy handmade ones if I can find them, Van Gogh magnet from yesterday aside. I buy one with a windmill on it. ($14). We also stop at the grocery store for more yogurt ($3.05) and for Dutch apple pie at the cafe across the street from the hotel ($4). We get back to the hotel and have another free drink and then rest before dinner.
8pm - We go out to a Dutch restaurant for dinner. I am not super hungry from pie so I just get the snert (pea soup). My friend gets sauerkraut and potatoes. Sorry, but I thought it was pretty bland food in general. ($13.38).
We head home. It’s a lighter day, only 14k steps today.
Day 6 (Total $194.47)
8am - Today is our last full day in Amsterdam. We have planned to spend the day at the Rijksmuseum. We want to get there right when it opens for crowd reasons. We had bought “friend of the museum” passes ahead of time so that we can skip the line. I have a yogurt for breakfast and we walk to a cafe near the museum for coffee and breakfast for my friend ($3.78). The man at the cafe is very nice and we love sitting outside in the sunshine. It’s going to be a warm day!
We spend about 5 hours at the museum. We rush to see the Van goghs and the main gallery where the Rembrandts are, including The Night Watch, which is probably one of the most famous paintings in there. We had downloaded the app so we shared a pair of earbuds and listened to audio notes about many of the works (they have a number you can enter in). We take a break outside for coffee ($7.29 - i pay) and skip the line again. Totally worth it for the more expensive ticket. Around 2 we are hungry and have seen almost everything. We stop in the gift shop and I buy a ring and earring set. ($64.76). I forget to use my 10% discount for being a friend. :( I wanted a necklace too but didn’t like the ones they had there so I’ll try to find a matching piece at home.
2pm - My friend has been trying to get herring for the whole trip so we make it a point to do that. The first place is a bust so we find a little stand that sells it a 15 min walk away. We are determined, so we head there. I don’t eat fish so I get a shawarma on the way, which is terrible (cash). I throw half away. After lunch we get ice cream. I get coffee ice cream, and it makes up for the bad shawarma ($6). We also stop at the peanut butter store, which is allegedly the first in the world, and I pick up 3 small jars for my mom for Mother’s Day ($8.11). We also stop at a thrift store and i buy a dress ($21.59). At some point this day (I think), we also stop at another bookstore, and I buy a few things including a card, a couple gifts, and a book ($39.71).
6pm - After resting a bit, we get two more free drinks at the hotel and then head out to dinner. We pick another Asian place. I get an aperol spritz at dinner and we share appetizers (satay, spring rolls, and bitterballen). We also get coconut ice cream with mango sauce for dessert. All yum! ($33.03).
We get one final drink at a local bar near the hotel ($10.20) and I’m again grateful for our choice of neighborhood. Today has been all walking because our 4-day metro pass ran out yesterday. Total steps 13k.
Day 7 (Total $36.93)
8am - this our last day. The plane was supposed to leave at 1:30pm, but we get a message that it’s delayed an hour. We decide to have a leisurely breakfast. We pick a place that’s at a hotel near our hotel. I get an egg sandwich and my friend gets French toast. We both get coffee. ($15.27)
We decide to leave for the airport around 11. We walk to the central station about 20 min away, and I buy wooden tulips for my mom on the way (cash). We buy train tickets (cash) and get right on a train. We are proud of ourselves for our navigation on this trip.
12pm - we get to the airport and through security. We head to a lounge but there’s a line. We are 40th in line based on our QR code place. We decide not to wait and sit down for lunch at a random bar. I get a sausage and a beer ($20.66). We walk around some and get another message that our flight is delayed more, to 4pm. It’s finally our turn to get into the lounge at 2:30 (2 1/2 hour wait) so we go. I grab some water and a whiskey and coke but we just ate so we are not hungry. Around 3 we head to the gate. Unfortunately when we get there our flight is delayed more and will board at 4. They give us airport vouchers so we buy a book, beer, and some stroopwaffles ($1 after vouchers). We finally board and head off around 5.
On the flight we are served dinner. They have run out of chicken by the time they get to me, but eventually find one and bring it to me later. I have a wine too. I read, watch a movie, and try to sleep a little. We have a whole row of four to ourselves so we can spread out. Dinner is a French bread pizza.
8pm - We land around 7pm (love time zone math!), grab our bags, and get a taxi to my car ($27.09). I drop off my friend and get home at 8:30. I am exhausted but cuddle my cats for about an hour before going to bed. 15k steps today
After trip expenses - $225 cat sitting
Total expenses: $2149.75 (+49k points)
Flight: $255 + 49k points
Lodging: $804.88
Food/drinks: $531.38
Travel: $101.56
Activities: $221.10
Souvenirs/gifts: $ 231.93
Final parting thoughts - I think just over $2k for an almost-week long trip to Europe is a pretty comfortable number for me. I am glad I could use points for most of the flight. We definitely didn't try to cheap out on anything. We spent a lot of money drinking (neither of us drink this much usually). I hope this was helpful to anyone, and I look forward to reactions/comments!

I'm taking the burner express back to Reno Airport, so I won't have an option to stop at a truck stop to shower. Is there a way to shower to at least get clean enough for the default world so I can get on a plane?
Flight and hotel check in won't work out, so I can't get a hotel room just to shower.

LONG POST WARNING
Hello everyone,
My partner (24F) and I (25M) returned home from our 3-week Japan trip last week and due to us using this sub a lot during our planning I thought it would be helpful for other current planners to upload a trip report.
Our main interests are Japanese traditions and history, street style/culture, and food so keep reading if these interests are mutual. Read to the bottom to see how much we spent plus some tips and disappointments.
Prelude
We were caught up in the madness at Dubai airport during our layover. Long story short; Airport (and the rest of Dubai) flooded and caused all the flights to be cancelled. What was meant to be a 5-hour layover turned into a torturous 36 hour wait. No staff to be seen, crowds of people arguing, fighting, and crying. We queued for 12 hours to get a new boarding pass for the next flight to Japan. We were meant to fly to Haneda but settled for Narita as we needed to get out of that place as soon as possible but still ended up missing our first day in Tokyo (should have had 5 days). We can’t complain too much as some of the people I spoke to on emirates were in the airport for up to 5 days before getting a flight back to their departure destination. Oh, and our baggage was missing with us only receiving our checked in bags on day 19. Cheers Emirates.
Day 1
Arrived in Shinjuku around midnight. We went straight to Don Quiojte to buy some replacement cosmetics and clothes. The combination of no good-quality sleep for 48 hours and the stimulating nature of the store was very intense! We then started to walk back towards the hostel and passed a Ichiran, so dropped in for some 2am ramen. Not the best ramen I’ve ever had but was still very good for the price.
Steps: 21,643 (includes some airport steps)
Day 2
Woke up and ate the free breakfast at the hostel (this turned out to be a really good money saver for the whole trip as we are not huge eaters in the morning anyway, but it was good to get something light in us before a long day walking). We then walked through the Shinjuku Gyoen Garden – saw some late blooming cheery blossoms and overall, it was a really beautiful botanical garden.
The next stop was Meji Shrine and a walk through Yoyogi park. The shrine was cool to see, especially as it was our first one in Japan. Saw a middle-aged man wearing denim hotpants so short that his balls were hanging out?!?!
Walked to Shibuya to see the scramble. This was cool but also felt it was a bit underwhelming at ground level but the view from Shibuya station walkway was wicked. Lunch was at a conveyor belt sushi place on the top floor of this department store right next to the scramble. This would be higher than average quality sushi in Europe, so it blew our minds that it was available on the top floor of a department store and for so cheap.
Shimokitazawa – We picked up some bargains at 2^nd street and I treated myself some Japanese jeans from a small Demin shop called Bears. The guy in the shop was super helpful and friendly and even tailored the trousers to exactly my size.
In the evening, we first had a poke around Golden Gai and then headed towards Shibuya and stopped in a cool bar where the owner was mixing vinyl while he mixed your drinks (think it was called Q Bar).
We had previously bought tickets to a gig at Circus for one of my fav rappers who I’d been wanting to see for a while. Also really enjoyed seeing the local Japanese warm up acts. Stayed until 5am and then go the train straight to the Tsukiji outer fish market. Was there way too early and had to wait roughly an hour for thing to open. Went to chill by a bench for a bit and by the time we went back to the market it was rammed! Went to bed around 8:30am.
Steps: 32,159
Day 3
We woke up at 2:30pm, got ready, and headed to the Bunkyo civic centre for the free observation deck. We heard it wasn’t meant to be the best Tokyo skyline view but for a free attraction we thought it was very good! Jimbocho book town was also very cool to see. We had a peak into a couple adult movie/magazine stores where I don’t think the owner appreciated our presence as western tourists.
In the evening, we first went for Ramen at Motenashi Kuraki in Asakusa Bashi. Honestly probably the best Ramen I’ve had to date. I ordered the Black Pepper Shio special, and it blew my mind. Even though the staff didn’t speak English they were very accommodating for my partner who doesn’t eat meat (pescetarian but will brave a meaty broth).
We then had a stroll around Akihabara and played some dance mat games in the arcades before heading back for an earlyish night.
Steps: 28,680
Day 4
I couldn’t sleep so got up around 3am and did some admin stuff to try and get our bags back to us ASAP. Chatted to people in the hostel for a few hours.
We arrived at Senso-ji for around 8am. Wasn’t too busy at this time and the temple was impressive. Went for a coffee down the road and had a chill for about an hour before heading into Asakusa. Got admission to the Drum museum which was wicked. Only 400 yen each and had the whole place to ourselves to smack some big fucking drums and make as much noise as we wanted.
We then started to head towards Ueno but made a slight detour to Kappabashi Dougu street to peruse the Japanese chef knives and other cookware. Grabbed lunch from a 7/11 and went and sat in Ueno park which was super busy. There was some food market event on which loads of food stalls had set up. There was also a stage with some J-pop performers and people dressed as ninjas dancing in the crowd. Weird to say the least. By mid-afternoon we were pretty tired so headed back to the hostel for a nap.
In the evening, we headed down to Harajuku and stopped by Big Love records. My partner is really into vinyl, so this was definitely a highlight for her. She picked up Wu Tang 36 chambers in case you were wondering. We then went for food at Afuri as my partner wanted to try the Vegan ramen to which she said it was ok but nothing special. My cold dipping noodle dish was very tasty, however. We then stumbled across this vinyl listening bar called Bar Music on the 5^th floor of this pokey building on the outskirts of Shibuya for a few drinks before bed. There was such a good vibe in there and the cocktails were super good for the price. If you’re looking for a romantic spot, then this is the place to go.
Steps: 31,818
Day 5
Today we headed to Kyoto on the shinkansen around midday after a slow morning chilling in and around the hostel and catching up on some sleep. Checked in to the hostel and had a walk around downtown Kyoto, stopping at 2^nd Street to buy some more clothes.
In the evening, we headed to Kodai-Ji to see the shrine lit up at night. We couldn’t believe how few people were there as it was stunning and truly magical place to be at night. It also has a bamboo grove (much better than Arashiyama, see below). The bar for Kyoto shrines/temples had been set very high.
Walked down Pontocho alley and stopped at a yakitori restaurant which was just ok. We knew it was going to be average when we looked around the restaurant and it was just western tourists dining.
Steps: 25,255
Day 6
First thing in the morning we rented bikes and cycled across the city to Arashiyama. Parked the bikes at the train station and walked up through Arashiyama. We were expecting it to be busy but there were so many people it was almost impossible to move. Had a look around the bamboo grove and was slightly underwhelmed after our visit to Kodai-Ji so we took the tram and then bus up to Kosan-Ji. This was very much worth the 45-minute journey as there was only one other group there and the temple nestled between the trees overlooking the river was breath-taking. On the whole, Arashiyama was way too packed during peak times to enjoy and with everything else Kyoto has to offer we wouldn’t say it was a must see.
We then picked up the bikes from the train station and cycled back across Kyoto taking the long route to explore and get lost. Once we dropped off the bikes, we went for another explore and this time went into WeGo for more clothes shopping. At this point we’d pretty much matched the amount of clothing that we had packed in our checked-in luggage that was still stuck in Dubai.
After a nap we walked towards the metro and stopped at a Katsu restaurant as we wanted to try something different, and it was pretty good. For the price of 1300 yen each we got so much food/sake and left stuffed.
Fushimi Inari in the evening. Like Kodai-Ji, we would recommend visiting Fushimi Inari at night. Firstly, to help avoid the crowds (we got there around 9pm and there was hardly anybody there) and secondly as seeing it lit up at night is a nice change. It was however slightly creepy at night, especially as it was lightly raining. My partner started to get a bit scared once we saw the signs to be careful of the wild boar and monkeys haha. We didn’t make it to the top of Mt Inari as the rain started to get heavy but still very much enjoyed walking through the hundreds of tori gates, stopping off at the shrines and soaking up the history.
Steps: 23,686
Day 7
Today was a late start as even after 8 hours sleep the 25k plus steps a day was starting to catch up with us.
We took the metro to Shimogamo Shrine in north Kyoto. It was very peaceful and quiet however temple fatigue had definitely set in at this point. We then walked through Kyoto to the beginning of Philosophers path. We had seen on this sub that people recommend skipping it unless its Sakura season however we disagree. The path along the river is so pretty and atmospheric, along with the fish gently swimming along in the river.
Kyoto Hand Crafts Centre – if you have the money then this is a great place to pick up souvenirs.
Pre-booked Sushi Iwa for a 15 course Omakase. The food was amazing, but it came to an eye watering 28k yen each. The difference for our western palettes between mid-range sushi and exceptional sushi is negligible. Nonetheless it was a good experience and I’m glad that we did it.
Steps: 23,751
Day 8
Today was an empty day in terms of things we wanted to do, so used it to walk the city and explore.
We checked out the Nishiki market and ate various fried foods on sticks which were all pretty tasty. We then walked northwards, stopping for coffee before reaching the imperial palace. By this point we were very much bored of temples and structures of similar architecture, but we actually ended up enjoying walking the palace grounds and seeing the buildings more than we thought and would recommend it to those who find themselves in north Kyoto.
A leisurely walk back down towards downtown Kyoto, stopping off at a wicked standing soba joint. Forgotten the name but their curry soba was delicious.
Chao Chao gyozas (only veggie gyoza place we could find) for our evening meal before a night cap at the bar across the road before bed.
Steps: 23,304
Day 9
Shinkansen to Hiroshima arriving around 11am.
Checked into hostel and then went straight to the A-dome, peace memorial and museum. We thought the museum was very moving and captured the horror of the events that unfolded very well. A must see for sure.
Okonomiyaki at Okonomimura and then some vintage clothes shopping in Hondori.
Went back out for food in the evening and ended up getting Okonomiyaki again. This time it we enjoyed it a lot more than we did at lunch (probably because we got it covered in cheese). There are a few streets by Hiroshima station with lots of bars and restaurants on top of each other, much like Golden Gai in Shinjuku, however they are not super touristy and has a more laid-back feel to them.
We then went to some bars in the city centre. The best one we stumbled across was called Tropical Bar Revolucion. It was on the 8^th floor and the smoking balcony overlooked the city. Plus, the beers in there tasted so good and I’m not sure why.
Steps: 23,299
Day 10
A hungover morning. Headed to the Hiroshima National Gardens. Going to some gardens is my go-to hangover activity as its low effort, relaxing, and feels productive. These gardens in particular were great and we really appreciated the signs explaining the history behind the space. Overall, we enjoyed this more than the national gardens in Shinjuku.
Public baths near Dobashi in the afternoon. If you’re feeling brave enough to get your kit off in front of 10s of strangers, then this is a good experience. Male and female baths are separate. Can’t go wrong for 400 yen.
Went for a drink at Bar Pretty and then realised the effect of golden week on trying to get a table walking into a restaurant. Walked around for about an hour with no success so settled for food from a department store food court. Sounds miserable but the food was pretty good for the price, and it was busy in there, so it still had an atmosphere.
Steps: 29,487
Day 11
Miyajima Day. Took the ferry to the island arriving at 10:30am. The Ryokan staff met us at the port and collected our bags to take back to the hotel.
Had a mooch around the port area before doing the hike up Mt Misen. The climb to the top on a hot day is not to be underestimated. Sweating buckets, but the route and the view from the top was amazing and one of the standout highlights of the whole trip.
After descending Mt Misen, we bought some beers, oysters and, ice cream and sat along the beach wall and chilled in the sun for a couple hours. The hotel staff then picked us up from the ferry terminal, we checked in and went straight to the Onsen for a couple hours before dinner. Dinner was a traditional kaiseki meal (with more courses than I can remember) served in the banquet hall with the other guests.
While the staff converted our retro ryokan room and set up the futons we had a few more beers before bed.
Steps: 20,803
Day 12
Today we had a chilled morning on the island, having a stroll and stopping for some coffees. We then took the ferry back to Hiroshima, stopping for Okonomiyaki one more time, before taking the shinkansen to Osaka.
Checked into our hostel near Namba and went out for a walk around 8pm. When looking for somewhere to eat we walked past a sign for a vegetarian Indian restaurant called Shama. After nearly two weeks of pure Japanese food we were craving some variety so decided to head in. Located on the basement floor of a particularly run down looking building the restaurant was not the most glamorous. Barely enough space for 10 people, it was hot in there. A constant stream of people was coming in and out of the restaurant and we were lucky enough to walk in when there were two spaces available. From sitting down at the table to receiving our food we waited just under an hour. This would be enough to put most people off but fuck me the food was good when it did finally arrive. We got a selection of 4 different curries, naan breads and samosa. We left stuffed. If you’re in the area this is definitely a place worth checking out.
Steps: 25,502
Day 13
Our first stop of the day was the Umeda Sky Building. Not suitable if you are scared of heights as the glass elevator made our stomachs drop slightly. The views were impressive but we thought the price was a bit steep at 1500 yen each.
We then spent the afternoon wondering about near Namba and Shinsujibashi dropping into shops and picking up some food.
For dinner we made a reservation for a Mexican restaurant near Dotonbori. Massive margheritas, nachos and enchiladas. The food was great, and it shows by how busy the place was still at 10pm. It had been open since the late 70’s with the décor to match and it had a great atmosphere.
Steps: 27,290
Day 14
Checked out Tsuruhashi and Korea Town. Loved the market – dimly lit maze of numerous food and clothing vendors. Stopped to have some Korean stew and pancakes and it was delicious. One of the best meals of the trip.
Shinsekai in the evening. What I can describe as the armpit of Osaka. We loved it. Dirty? Yes. Rowdy? Yes. Rough around the edges with a red light district to top it all off. We had Kushikatsu to finish the evening off. Fried stuff on a stick – of course it going to be tasty but it wasn’t exactly flavour town.
Steps: 23,777
Day 15
Took the train to Minoh and hiked up the trail to see the waterfall. Hike was easy in comparison to Mt Misen and the waterfall was very cool to see. Had a wonder around Minoh stopping for some lunch at a Ramen bar.
We went to the Team lab botanical gardens in the evening. It was very awe inspiring seeing all the installations lit up.
After sampling Japanese McDonalds (I had a burger where the buns were made out of rice) we went for some drinks at Zerro. We liked this bar a lot, the guys working there were very friendly and it had a good vibe.
We then sat and watched the skaters at triangle park with some beers from the konbini before going to see Dj Masda at Circus until around 4am. This area of Osaka was such a vibe and came back here a few times over our 6 days here. Overall, a very fun evening.
Steps: 26,130
Day 16
Woke up chronically hungover but powered on and went to see a baseball game. You’re allowed to bring food and drink into the stadium (as long as alcohol is in plastic/paper cups) so we grabbed some beers and snacks from family mart. We had no idea what was happening but the atmosphere was electric and we enjoyed getting pissed and cheering.
Had a nap and then went to Hafez for middle eastern food. The food was good but not amazing, nothing in comparison to my local middle eastern restaurant back home. Chilled around the Namba park/Big step area. Loved this area so much, we are big into street fashion and culture so this place really ticked some boxes. Lots of skaters and street wear stores concentrated around here. Got an early night watching Battle Royale back at the hostel.
Steps: 22,065
Day 17
Today we went to the Umeda area. Popped into some shopping centres and had Omurice for lunch. It was tasty but not something I will crave when back home. Good experience trying it though. We then walked through Yodoyobashi along the rivers and got gelato and sat in the rose garden. The sun was beating down and we enjoyed just chilling in the sun eating our ice cream.
Compufunk Records were holding a party in their store. Decent gaff with some very welcoming and kind people to party with until the early hours.
Steps: 21,267
Day 18
We reluctantly left Osaka for Hakone today. Very sad to go but onwards to the next adventure. Took the shinkansen to Odawara and then the Hakone Tozan Train to Gora. Checked into our Ryokan and relaxed in the Onsen for a few hours.
Went for a walk around Gora and had dinner at the Ryokan before watching Predator in bed.
Steps: 16,926
Day 19
Today we did the Hakone Loop, starting early in Gora.
Started with the Open-air museum and it was great. We loved the installation and ended up spending 3 hours slowly making our way round. Got some cool photos as well for the gram.
Ropeway to Lake Ashi. This was absolutely terrifying. You have to swap cable cars 3 times on the way over and the warnings of the service being suspended due to the wind was announced at each stop. I’m not going to ruin the surprise, but one section made me literally freeze in terror due to the winds outside so try to do it on a calm weather day.
We then took the pirate boat (bit underwhelming) across the Lake and stopped for some soba noodles and a wander around. Unfortunately it was way too cloudy to even get a chance at seeing Mt Fuji.
Train to Kamakura and checked into our super cute traditional hostel near the beach.
Dinner at an Izakaya from the hostel owners recommendation. Food great and beers slipped down a treat. First time I tried Yuzu Kosho as well – I’m now addicted to the stuff and literally cover all my food with it.
Steps: 19,512
Day 20
A slow start to the morning. Weather was pretty bad but we still managed to hit all the main sights in Kamakura. Big Buddha was a refreshing sight from the temples. Did some shopping up Komachi Dori. Highlight of the day was Hukokaji temple. It was so peaceful and zen in the rain with its very own matcha tea ceremony backdropped by bamboo forest. This turned out to be our second favourite temple/shrine we visited, just being beaten by Kodaji.
In the evening we went for Sushi at a conveyor belt place. Figured this would probably be my last Japanese sushi of the trip so devoured 7000 yen worth of sushi and beer. Went back to the hostel and invited some of the other guests to drink with us. The owner of the hostel had some bayberry homebrew, so we got stuck into that.
Steps: 20,494
Day 21
Enoshima Island is just a 25 min train from Kamakura. Started off the day by walking to the top of the island to get French toast and a beer with a lovely view across the bay. We then headed up the Sea candle to check out the observation deck, still the illusive Mt Fuji hides behind the clouds.
We then bought admission to the caves beneath the island which was pretty cool. I won’t ruin the surprise but there’s something waiting for you at the end of one of the caves.
Had an explore around the rockpools near the caves and took some cool photos. We then had a pizza with fish on which was pretty crazy. Walked around the island a little bit more and I picked up some more Japanese denim which wasn’t the cheapest but the quality of the trousers are great and will last me a lifetime.
Back to Tokyo in the evening.
Went for Izakaya around Asakusa and popped into a couple bars. One was called Not Suspicious and the whole bar was covered in handwritten notes by patrons. Very touristy but quite cool at the same time. Our favourite was a drawing of Mario saying It’s a Me Muthafucka.
Steps: 25,903
Day 22
First stop was Don Quiojte to pick up some Yuzu Kosho (if you know you know) and weird flavoured KitKats.
Kappabashi Dougu street to purchase a fine Japanese carbon stell Santoku. Honestly in love with this knife so much. The people at the store were very happy to hear exactly what I was looking for and even let me try before you buy on some daikon radish.
While in Asakusa I had to return to the place where I put the best thing in my mouth in Japan. Motenashi Kuroki. Switched it up this time and had their classic Shio ramen plus the duck rice as a side. Honestly this place is amazing, and you have to go there if you have time. They aren’t veggie/pescy friendly so my partner went for one last round of sushi round the corner. We met up at a massage chair parlour and spent 30 mins relaxing in the chairs.
We had a bright idea to watch the sunset one last time so headed over to the rooftop park on a department store in Shibuya. Sipping on an ice cold Kirin, the sun slowly dropped behind the distant mountains and we knew our trip had come to an end. How symbolic.
Flight at 11pm from Haneda.
Steps: 23,187
On reflection:
I honestly think this trip was almost perfect in terms of hitting our interests and travel style. There was a good balance of doing the typical first time visit to Japan sights and activities while still exploring and seeing what we came across in the moment.
It hard to pinpoint exact highlights of the trip as everywhere we visited had so much going for it in different ways. We loved the rugged and trendy vibe to Osaka, and I think this would be the city I would most want to live in for a considerable amount of time (If I had to choose). Miyajima was also stunning and a great overnight trip with the Ryokan experience. We also underestimated how much we would enjoy Kamakura with its laid-back surfer vibe and access to Enoshima Island.
One random memorable moment that has stuck with me was when we landed at Narita airport, we took the limo bus to Shinjuku. As the driver pulled away, all the staff at the station turned and bowed in unison. It felt so special to first observe a culture totally opposite to the one I grew up with and was at this point I knew I had embarked on the trip of a lifetime.
If I could go back and change something I would probably miss out Hakone and do an extra day in one of the major cities. This isn’t because we didn’t enjoy Hakone, but we feel like it’s a place that needs more time to soak in what’s going on around you (plus the weather was bad when we were there). This being said the Open-Air Museum was amazing and we enjoyed it more than the Teamlab botanical gardens so the trip up the mountains was worth it just for that.
So, how much did we spend per person (not inc flights)?
Accommodation - £765pp
Given that we spent a couple nights in Ryokans raising the average price slightly, we were pretty happy with the accommodation costs. We stayed in a mix of private room and shared dorm hostels and pretty much all of them were spot on. Travelling as a couple meant that anywhere with a private room split the price between 2. The only hostel we didn’t like was the one in Hiroshima, there wasn’t anything in particularly wrong with it, there was just a really bad vibe from the owner and other guests.
Transport - £344pp
This includes shinkansen to and from all the major cities as well as our suica top ups for metros and buses. Unless your itinerary is something like 3 days Tokyo, 2 days Osaka 2 days Kyoto then there really isn’t any point getting the JR pass now that the price has increased.
Activities – £280pp
It is hard to give an exact amount for activities and food as 1) I didn’t track what we spent our cash on and 2) my partner and I would take in turns paying for things like temple admission. That being said I’ve allocated 25% of the cash we spent to activities such as temple admission. Activities includes our baseball tickets plus club entries as well as temple and museum admissions etc.
Food – £962pp
As above, its hard to give an exact amount for food. On the whole we tried to eat cheap with possible, especially at the start of our trip. There were a few expensive meals peppered in plus we ate out twice a day towards the end of our trip as we realised we were under budget.
The total is a bit skewed as this includes all the alcohol we bought in bars as well as the konbini trips for beers and cigarettes. I estimate that booze accounts for around a third of the total per person. If you would like to do Japan on a budget, reducing the booze will make a big difference.
Shopping/Souvenirs/Gifts – £607 (just me)
We went hard with the shopping. We didn’t actually receive our checked in luggage until day 19 so we had to buy all new clothes and cosmetics. If this wasn’t the case, then I don’t think I would have spent so much (airline is comping us for the additional clothing bought anyway). I also bought a fairly expensive chef knife and Japanese denim pieces, plus lots of gifts for friends and family. Obviously, this number could theoretically 0 if you are on a serious budget and did no shopping but I really underestimated Japanese shopping, especially thrifting. Also, given our cheap choices when it came to accommodation we could afford to splurge. However just to note my partner spent less than half than I did on shopping.
Total: £2958 (582,628 yen at time of writing)
I kept within my budget of £3000. I definitely got a bit frivolous with the cash in the last few days or so, if being as careful as I was towards the start of the trip, I think the total would be closer to £2500.
Disappointments
Takoyaki. We thought it was going to be all about the octopus but were disappointed with our balls of sloppy goo surrounding tiny chewy pieces of octopus. We tried it twice and couldn’t get behind it. Sorry Takoyaki fans.
Arashiyama. Way too busy, especially around the main station and bamboo grove. If it’s the bamboo you are going to see, then Kodaji is a much better spot.
Dotonburi. Albeit we were there in golden week, and it was pretty busy. However, I get the feeling this area has fallen to the past its golden days title and has become a bit of a cash cow for places selling spiralised potatoes on a stick. The area around Namba park was a better option for us.
Tips
Konbini. Absolute life saver for snacks and drinks on the go. The food quality for a convenience store is higher than most other countries so we had no problem with grabbing a meal from one to help keep within our budget.
Don’t over pack – even though we didn’t get our checked in bags, I still packed light so had plenty of space to bring stuff back. Emirates give you your allowance by weight rather than number of baggage so we could check in additional bags on the way back.
Don’t be scared of hostels. If you don’t want to brave the shared dorms, then most hostels offer private rooms with just the shower and toilet shared. Obviously, it’s cheaper if there are two people sharing a room.
Don’t stress about cash. Most places take debit/credit card and if they don’t, you’re never more than 5 minutes from a konbini ATM.
For us, golden week didn’t seem that big of an issue. No problems booking shinkansen around GW. We spent most of GW in Osaka, as such it was going to be busy anyway so maybe we didn’t see much of a difference from normal numbers in the spring.

I’m so worried for my flight tomorrow across the pacific. It’s not my first flight but it’s my first flight of this size. I’m going on an older 787-8 and I’m terrified. Walking through the airport, waiting at the gait, boarding, and taking off are my hardest hurdles. To the point of tears. I threw up already today I’m so worried. I’m prescribed Ativan but even that doesn’t stop my anxiety when boarding a plane. I feel like I’m trapped and there’s no going back. I feel powerless even though I know nothing bad will happen. I feel on edge through an entire flight though. Please help. I’ve tried seeing therapists for this too but it’s like so deeply ingrained in my head since my grandmother used to watch mayday or air crash investigations when I would be around as a child. Or when I last flew over the pacific to Hawaii and it was so turbulent the entire flight.

I booked a one-way Air France flight into Europe, with a layover in CDG airport, France.
I paid with Flying Blue points. I only used my card to pay taxes/fees.
A few hours after booking I decided I want to just go to Paris and remove the final leg.
So I called Flying Blue and asked to change it.
The agent said that this flight would cost more points to remove a leg and go direct to Paris.
But then he said I could simply exit the airport in Paris, missing the last leg.
I asked if I'd be charged and he said no but that he'd transfer me to general Air France support to confirm.
I then talk to a second support agent who confirms that if I want, I can just fly my first leg to Paris and then get out.
He said that there is the possibility of a fee when paying cash, but that I wasn't at risk since I had paid in points.
Is this strange? Am I being paranoid? I just don't want to get hit with a 2,500 Euro fee for skipping a leg, which seems to be the fee mentioned on Air France terms & conditions.
Thanks for any help!

My hopes of Gerry Andersons Cutaway by and done by Graham Bleathman and here are the list
Fireball XL5
• Fireball XL5

• Space City


Planet 46
• Subterrain Fighter

Hypnotic Sphere
• Hypnotic Sphere

• E-Type Tanker (EF-Z4)

The Doomed Planet
• Flying Saucer


The Sun Temple
• J17 Warrior Rocket

• Sun Temple


Space Immigrants
• Mayflower Colony Ship (Mayflower 3)


Spy In Space
• SS Thor


Space Pirates
• Liberty-Class Space Freighter

• Q-Ship


Last Of The Zanadus
• Explorer EX10


Space Pen
• Freighter 2X4


Convict In Space
• Type 37H Spacecraft


Wings Of Danger
• Robot Bird


The Triads
• Trooper 2 Rocket

Sabotage
• Light Patrol Craft (LP22)

• Gamma Ship

• Space Rescue Craft

Mystery Of The TA2
• TA-Class Explorer Craft (TA2)


The Granatoid Tanks
• Granatoid Tanks

The Robot Freighter Mystery
• Robot Freighter

• SCS Valiant

Invasion Earth
• Invaders Ship

A Day In The Life Of a Space General
• A-Type Bulk Freighter (Freighter A14)

• G-Type Tanker (Tanker G (for George))

Space City Special
• Supersonic Military Airliner (SL6 Supersonic Airliner)

Stingray
• Marineville

• WSP Headquarters

• Terror Fish

• Titanica

• Island of Lemoy

• X20’s Sub

• WASP Spearhead Jet

• WASP Arrowhead Jet

• WASP Helicopter


Stingray
• WSP Sea Probe Sub

Plant Of Doom
• Pacifica

Sea Of Oil
• Oil Rig

• Gerit's Sub

Hostages Of The Deep
• Island of Lull

• Gadas’s Sub

• Gadas’s Base

The Big Gun
• Solarstar Missile Ejector Sub

• Solarstar


The Golden Sea
• FD7 Ship

• B1 Bathyscaphe

• Titan's Personal Underwater Craft

The Ghost Ship
• Ghost Galleon Ship

The Ghost Of The Sea
• Yellow Sub

• WSP Guard Submarine

Emergency Marineville
• Val Island

The Invaders
• WASP Weather Station

• Epayus & Ilium’s Base

• Underground Travel Drilling Cylinder


Raptures Of The Deep
• Hepcat Sub

• Tempest Tower



The Man From The Navy
• WN27 Sub


Pink Ice
• Pink Ice Sub

Star Of The East
• Gunboat Wadi

• WSP Remote Control Freight Airliner

Deep Heat
• Robot Sea Probe

• Voldana


In Search Of The Tajmanon
• Tajmanon


Titan Goes Pop
• WASP Hover Scooter


Tune Of Danger
• Downbeat Sub


A Nut For Marineville
• Missile Sub


Trapped In The Depths
• Undersea Fish Farm

• Magnet Tug


Eastern Eclipse
• APF1 Biplane

A Christmas To Remember
• Mystery Sub

The Lighthouse Dwellers
• Supersonic 101 Airliner

Thunderbirds
• Thunderbird 1


• Thunderbird 2


• Thunderbird 3


• Thunderbird 4


• Thunderbird 5


• FAB1


• Round House


• Hood’s Temple


• Creighton-Ward Mansion


Pod Vehicles
• Mole


• Firefly


• Monobrake


• Jet-Air Transporter


• Firecat


• Neutralizer Tractor


• DOMO (Demolition and Object Moving Operator)


• Elevator Cars


• Mobile Crane


• Booster Mortar


• Excavator


• Laser Cutter


• Recovery Vehicles


• Transmitter Truck


• Dicetylene Cage


Trapped In The Sky
• London International Airport


• Fireflash


• TX-204 Target Carrying Aircraft


Pit Of Peril
• Sidewinder


• Copter Watchdog





The Perils Of Penelope
• Monorail


• Anderbad Tunnel


Terror In New York City
• U.S.N. Sentinel


• Operation Moving Empire State Building


• Terror In New York City Rescue


Edge Of Impact
• Red Arrow Jet


• Foreign Fighter Jet


• British Telecom Tower


• Edge Of Impact Rescue

Day For Disaster
• Martian Space Probe (M.S.P)


• Day For Disaster Rescue


30 Minutes After Noon
• Hudson Building


Desperate Intruder
• Submarine Transport Truck


• 3E Submarine


• Mobile Control Room Caravans


• Lake Anasta/Lost Temple


End Of The Road
• Gray & Houseman Road Construction Vehicle


• Explosives Truck


• End Of The Road Rescue


The Uninvited
• Desert Jeep


• Zombite Fighter Jets


• Lost Pyramid of Khamandides


Sun Probe
• Sun Probe


• Cape Kennedy Solar Control Centre


Operation Crash-Dive
• Operation Crash-Dive Rescue


Vault Of Death
• Bank of England


The Mighty Atom
• Atomic Irrigation Station (Australia)


• Government Research Unit


• Saharan Atomic Station


City of Fire
• Thompson Tower


• City Of Fire Rescue


The Impostors
• EJ2 Jet


• Central Office of the General Staff Command


• Space Observatory 3


• Jeremiah Tuttle's House


The Man From MI.5
• FAB 2


• Carl’s Submarine


Cry Wolf
• Dunsley Tracker


Danger at Ocean Deep
• Ocean Pioneer Tanker


Move - And You're Dead
• Parola Sands Raceway


The Duchess Assignment
• Gazelle Automations Inc

• The Duchess Assignment Rescue


Brink Of Disaster
• Brink Of Disaster Rescue


Attack of the Alligators!
• Ambro River House


Martian Invasion
• Martian Invasion Movie Set


The Cham-Cham
• RTL-2


• Matthews Field Air Base


Security Hazard
• Security Hazard Rescue


Atlantic Inferno
• W.N.S. Reaper

• Seascape

• Bonga-Bonga

• Atlantic Inferno Rescue


Path Of Destruction
• Crablogger

• Crablogger Base Control Vehicle

• Path Of Destruction Rescue


Alias Mr. Hackenbacker
• Skythrust

• D103 Airliner







Lord Parker's 'Oliday
• Solar Station (Monte Bianco)


Ricochet
• Sentinel Base

• Pirate Satellite TV Station KLA

• Telsat 4


Give Or Take A Million
• Container Rocket/Christmas Rocket

• Coralville Children's Hospital


Captain Scarlet & The Mysterons

The Mysterons
• London Car-Vu


Winged Assassin
• Delta Tango One-Niner (DT19)


Manhunt
• Culver Atomic Centre


Point 783
• Observation Post Point 783


Renegade Rocket
• Base Concord

• Variable Geometry Rocket (VGR)

• J17 Interceptor Jet


White as Snow
• TVR-17

• USS Panther ll

Spectrum Strikes Back
• Hunting Lodge


Avalanche
• Liquid Oxygen Truck


Shadow Of Fear
• K14 Observatory

• Mini Sat 5


The Trap
• XQR


Lunarville 7
• XK3 Rocket


The Heart Of New York
• Spectrum Security Vault

• Criminal Sub

• Second National Bank


Traitor
• Koala Base


Fire at Rig 15
• Rig 15


Flight to Atlantica
• V.17-Alpha Bomber


Crater 101
• Lunarville 6

• Moon Tank

• Moon Tractor

• Mysteron Attack Vehicle

• Mysteron Control Vehicle

• CB29 Space Probe



Noose of Ice
• Snow Cougar 21


Treble Cross
• XK107 Bomber


Inferno
• Euro Tracker

• SKR4 Rocket


Flight 104
• Flight 104 Airliner


Expo 2068
• Nuclear Reactor Facility

• Transport Truck 43

• Seneca Remote Control Cargo Helicopter


The Launching
• Tribune 3

• Atomic Liner (President Roberts)


Codename Europa
• Vadon Base

• Maximum Security Centre


Attack on Cloudbase
• Mysterons Flying Saucer


Joe 90

• McClaines’s Cottage

• W.I.N Headquaters

• Jet Air Car

• W.I.N Company Car


The Most Special Agent
• MiG 242 Fighter


Hi-Jacked
• Hovervan


Splashdown
• AV21 Passenger Jet


Big Fish
• U85 Submarine


Business Holiday
• Fast Attack Vehicle A14

• Beneleta Army Base


Most Special Astronaut
• O.T.C Space Station


• Orbital Transfer Company (O.T.C) Triton OC2 Rocket


Arctic Adventure
• V107 Bomber

• Vostula Base

• Deep Sea Recovery Vessel Athena Submarine (DSRV-3)


The Fortress
• Fortress

• Stealth Hovercraft


Colonel McClaine
• U59 Wildcat


The Race
• U87 Army Vehicle


The Professional
• Langallo Castle


• Spider Riot Control Vehicle and Guard Vehicle


Talkdown
• F116 Jet


Breakout
• Cherook Penitentiary Truck

• Prime Minster's Monorail

Attack Of The Tiger
• VG104 Fighter Bomber

• Eastern Alliance Missile Base


Mission X-41
• Test X-41 Helijets


Test Flight
• Orbital Glide Transport 780 (O.G.T)


UFO

• Harlington-Straker Film Studios

• Space Intruder Detector (S.I.D)

• Space Interceptor

• Moonmoblie

• Moonbase Defence Vehicle

• Lunar Carrier

• Lunar Module

• Neptune Space Monitor

• SkydiveSky 1

• Seagull X-Ray

• S.H.A.D.O Albatross

• Kingfisher VTOL Aircraft

• S.H.A.D.O Mobiles

• UFO Flying Saucer

• SHADO Executive Car


Terrahawks

• Hawknest

• Treehawk

• Spacehawk

• Hawkwing

• Battlehawk

• Terrahawk

• Battletank

• Hudson

• Groundhawk

• MEV

• Zelda’s Ships/Lair (Fin, Dog, Shark, Rhino, Ice-Box, and Phantom)

• ZEAF

My non-binary AuADHD child (22 years old but lives at home and has severe social anxiety and significant executive functioning challenges) will be taking their first solo plane flight next week. Their therapist said to tell the check-in person that they want to participate in the “sunflower lanyard program” and they will get one to wear indicating they need extra help getting through the airport and plane.
I just did a quick search about it and it seems like the program was co-opted and no longer functioning? After all these years I had never heard of it, but they also had never even wanted to try flying alone prior to this…
So if you have experience or know about this program, I’d love to hear more about the current status and and tips.