GW

This is my fifth year in Japan and I have never spent Golden Week here.

Put off by the crowds and the hiked up prices, I've always travelled South East Asia at this time of year. First it was the Philippines, then Bali, Malaysia and Singapore and then Bali again.

But because I was in Thailand for the whole of February, I can't afford to go away this year.

Super sad.

HOWEVER, I got a fantabulous surprise when I went to Thailand. I met some amazing people including a fantabulous woman who just so happens to have moved to Japan this month!

YAY!!

She reminds me so much of me, it's not even funny, and our ability to gossip for hours comes second to none.

So this year, I will be heading over to Nagoya to see her. I've been saying for years that I really need to see more of Japan, so why not start now?! Super pumped - I'm taking the long, awful bus trip over there, but it's so cheap and given the finanical state that I'm in right now, I can't be throwing away 10,000 yen one way on the shinkansen.

I only got paid today and 95% of it has gone already. I had to send a mammoth portion home to pay my mum back for my flight to the UK, then there's rent, health insurance, pension, bills, food shopping.....and I'm left with bugger all. DYING for my tax rebate - I wish these people would hurry up!!!! There were some issues with the account I wanted to get it paid into so I'm still waiting to receive it. Grrrrr....

On a fabulous note today, my ex-roommate's wife came to visit. And she brought me some mini Flakes as a pressie!!!!! I used to LOVE Flakes, even though they make a complete mess when you eat them. Thing is I've scoffed 8 of them already and the chocolate isn't as good as in the UK, so I'm feeling really, really sick now! HAHA!

I've also spent most of the day looking at trips to Guam too. I've decided to celebrate entering the last year of my 20s in style - and why the hell not?!

xoxo