Journeys with Jill

Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo isn’t a place that can be easily described, or summed up in a few words. It’s modern, hip, and electric, but steeped in culture and tradition. The people seem stoic, but get excited at the sight of Mickey Mouse and are among the kindest I’ve ever met. Tokyo is everything and more.

Tokyo will always be a special place for me. It was the place where I stepped entirely out of my comfort zone – I was alone, on the other side of the world, and in a place where I didn’t know a word.

Was I afraid? No, I was TERRIFIED.

Did I still go? For sure – I wasn’t wasting that money!

Did I love it? Absolutely.

Tokyo is the place where I rediscovered my travel bug. It’s the place where I realized travelling alone isn’t so bad. It’s the place where I realized that I can do anything.

There are so many amazing things to see and do in this incredible city, and it was impossible to do them all in the 2.5 days I had. Especially considering how jet-lagged I was – I’ve never experience such jet-lag in my life!

One thing that helped ease my travel worries was knowing someone in the country. My cousin’s sister-in-law, Stephanie, was living in Japan at the time with her husband and daughter, and graciously offered to show me around during my first day. We saw some of the sights, and she helped me learn to navigate the subway.

Before she came by my hotel, I decided to wander around Ginza, the neighborhood my hotel was in. I saw a Godzilla statue – one of many in the city, as I’ve learned – and wandered through the Tsukiji Fish Market. The fish market was crazy – I’ve never seen so much fish, or so many kinds of fish, in my life! It was still early, and I had just eaten breakfast, so sadly I didn’t get to sample any of the amazing food.

Stephanie and her daughter, Sadie, picked me up at my hotel and whisked me off to one of the most famous neighborhoods in Tokyo – Harajuku. Harajuku itself is a sprawling neighborhood, filled with a variety of sights, shops and streets. But Harajuku as a style is epitomized on Takeshita Street.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much crammed into one place.

Takeshita Street is a narrow pedestrian shopping street, filled with shops, restaurants and cafes. And I mean filled – everything is stacked on top of each other, and visiting a shop might mean walking up or down a few flights of stairs. Everything was bright, bold, and a little crazy – sweet shops selling candy bigger than your head, a Hello Kitty fan’s paradise, and clothing stores with some of the craziest fashions. Also, there were more animal cafes than I could count – cat cafes, owl cafes, hedgehog cafes, even cafes for different breeds of dogs!

The biggest cotton candy I’ve ever seen!

We grabbed a quick lunch of ramen and gyoza, then headed somewhere a little more quiet – Meiji Shrine. Meiji Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shōken. It’s nestled in a 170 acre forest, making it very easy to forget you’re in the middle of a major city. The shrine was beautiful and so peaceful – the complete opposite of Takeshita Street!

After Meiji, Stephanie and Sadie walked me to the train station, and we parted ways. I was, and still am, SO appreciative of their help. I felt a little more at ease, and decided to stop in Shibuya before heading back to my hotel for the night.

As an aside, Shibuya also has the coolest Disney Store!

Shibuya is what I imagine all of Tokyo to be like – modern, fast-paced, commercial, and crowded. One of the most famous “attractions” in Shibuya is Shibuya Crossing, one of the busiest pedestrian crossings in the world. It’s hard to describe the organized chaos of this crosswalk – everyone waits their turn on one of the four corners as traffic passes but then, traffic stops, the light changes, and a hoard of people go all different ways across the intersection. Then, the light changes back, and it all stops. It was CRAZY. (To see it in action, give it a google.)

I also stopped at the Hachikō statue, a small statue dedicated to a dog named Hachikō who is remembered for his loyalty and fidelity. Hachikō would wait outside of Shibuya Station every day to meet his owner, a professor in Tokyo. After his owner passed, the dog would return to Shibuya Station every day to await his owner’s return until his own death. A sad story for sure, but it’s so sweet that the Japanese chose to honor this loyal pet!

After a fun first day, it was back to my hotel for dinner and bed – I was exhausted! I was up bright and early the next morning (re: my body was having trouble adjusting to the time change) so I went down for breakfast before exploring Tokyo on my own.

A quick side note here – big shout out to the breakfast buffets in Japan. Every hotel I stayed at had the most AMAZING buffets. The food was incredible, and there was so much variety – eggs, pastries, rice, sushi, meats, cheeses. Literally anything you could want. So if your hotel in Japan includes breakfast, don’t miss out!

I started day two by visiting Sensō-ji, a Buddhist Temple in Tokyo. I braved the subway on my own – it wasn’t as scary as I thought! As we got closer to the temple, the train got more and more crowded, which seemed a little odd. And once we arrived at our stop, nearly everyone got off – even more odd. I arrived on the street to find throngs of people surrounding a golden object, with music playing and people chanting. It turns out there was some kind of festival going on at Sensō-ji! (Note to self: check on this kind of stuff for future trips.)

Sensō-ji was one of my favorite things in Tokyo (besides Tokyo Disney, but we’ll get to that later!). It’s the oldest temple in Tokyo, built as a shrine surrounding a statue of the Kannon (a Buddhist Goddess) that two fishermen found in the river. Today, it has a pagoda, a temple, a tori gate, shrines, a garden, and numerous shops and stalls. I loved the bright red buildings and wandering around the stalls, as well as the peace of the garden.

After Sensō-ji, I strolled through the northern part of the city towards the Tokyo Skytree. At 634 meters (2,080 feet), Tokyo Skytree is the tallest tower in Japan, and the second tallest structure in the world. It has two observation decks – one at 350 meters (1,148 feet) and the other at 450 meters (1,476 feet). I purchased a ticket that would allow me to visit both observation decks.

The elevator to the observation deck was one of the quickest rides I’ve ever been on. After disembarking, I was instantly greeted by a massive poster of the Avengers – turns out there was some kind of Avengers exhibition going on! I had a blast taking selfies with the Avengers pictures on the walls, and confused my friend, who Facetimed with me, when she noticed that Benedict Cumberbatch appeared to be standing behind me in his Doctor Strange costume.

I can definitely see how this would be confusing…

But I wasn’t here to look at the Avengers – I was here for the views. And they were AMAZING. I was incredibly lucky: it was a clear, sunny day, and you could see all of Tokyo from the top. You could even see Mount Fuji in the distance!

It was great to get a sense of how the city was laid out. I was completely overwhelmed by how sprawling this city was – it looked like nothing but skyscrapers for miles.

Nothing but city for as far as the eye can see.

And a tip for other solo travelers: you know those corny photo opportunities they have at this touristy places where you can get a professional to take a picture of you? Take advantage of this, and pay for the picture. Normally, I don’t really partake in those paid photo opportunities, but one of the challenges of traveling solo is not being able to get nice pictures of yourself in these amazing places. So, I bought this picture and now have it framed in my room. And I love it.

Me in front of a model of the Skytree, an assortment of fans, and all of Tokyo.

After the Skytree, I started to get a little hangry – it was 3pm, and I hadn’t eaten a thing since breakfast. I went down to the food court and had some fried rice. One thing amazing? How safe and courteous this city is. As it was a food court in a rather busy area, you needed to claim a table. People would find a table, get up to order food, and love ALL their belongings – wallets, purses, coats – behind. You’d get robbed in a hot second if you tried that almost anywhere else, but here no one would even think to touch your stuff. I was so blown away!

Next, it was back to the subway and off to the Imperial Gardens. The Garden were beautiful, and so sprawling. It was fun to explore the grounds and relax amongst the flowers, trees, and ponds.

I wish I could say more about the Imperial Gardens, but this part of the trip was a blur. At this point in the day, I was starting to get very tired and cranky – I was still fighting massive jet-lag, I’d walked miles, and I’d been up since 3am. While I wanted to explore the city some more, I knew it was in my best interest – and in the best interest of any poor person I happened to encounter – for me to head back to my hotel. I was off to Kyoto the next day, and I wanted to be sure I enjoyed the rest of my trip.

Tricks for a good night’s rest? A delicious cheese pizza and a glass of wine – and maybe an Advil PM.

Moral of this story: Tokyo is incredible. And incredibly safe. Like I said, words and pictures can’t do this city justice. It truly needs to be experienced. If given the chance, I’d go back in a heartbeat.

And luckily, this was a trip that only got better with each passing day – I’ll write more soon to tell you why!

Basically, I need to go back so I can go to this Cat Cafe in Harajuku.

Sognefjord, Norway

Wow.

That’s all I can really say about Sognefjord, Norway.

(But obviously, I’ll say a little more).

Hardangerfjord is absolutely stunning – this much I’ve already mentioned. But Sognefjord is the “King of the Fjords”, a title it 100% deserves.

After 2 days in Bergen, I packed up my bags and did a “Norway in a Nutshell” tour. I boarded a boat that would sail through the Sognefjord and then drop me off in the village of Flåm, where I’d take a train back to Bergen. “Norway in a Nutshell” allows you to extend your time in any of the villages along the way, so I decided to spend a night in Flåm and take a 6pm train back to Bergen the following day.

The boat first sailed up the coast before it turned into the Sognefjord. And my jaw nearly dropped on the floor once it did.

In front of us was a massive snow covered mountain that seemed to touch the sky. We were surrounded by cliffs and mountains that were covered in the greenest trees. Pure white waterfalls cut through the greenery.

Despite the 50 degree weather and sharp winds, I couldn’t bear the thought of sitting inside and missing these views, instead alternating between the dock on the back of the boat and the dock on the front (which was EXTREMELY windy – so it’s no surprise I found myself sick with a sinus infection a few days later).

Our boat stopped at a few villages along the fjord before it sailed into Aurlandsfjord, a branch of the Sognefjord. The water became narrower and more windy, and the scenery became more dramatic.

If it weren’t for the giant cruise ship at port, I would have thought we were sailing into a storybook. Flåm looked so charming, nestled amongst the green trees, imposing cliffs, and glistening waterfalls. And once night fell and visitors settled in for the night, the town was beautifully silent. Let’s just say I was pretty glad I’d decided to spend some extra time here.

Flåm is a common stop for cruise ships sailing through the fjords, so while it was small, there was plenty to see and do.

Amongst all the excursions listed on the Flåm website, I decided to do a fjord safari, a trip to Njardarheimr Viking Village, and a bus ride up to Stegastein.

The fjord safari was, hands down, the highlight of my time in Norway. Myself and a dozen others boarded a small RIB boat with a guide and set out for a closer look at the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord, another branch off the Sognefjord as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Sight.

Our RIB boat sped through the fjords, stopping periodically for our guide to point out various sights. He brought us into a waterfall, letting the water splash into the front of a boat, and zigzagged across the water. And like a true safari, we even saw some wildlife – two seals and dozens of goats, to be exact!

We also sailed past the villages of Gudvangen and Undredal. I’ll talk about Gudvangen in just a sec, but a fun fact about Undredal: it was an inspiration for Disney’s “Frozen”! When the studio was making the film, a team of animators came to Undredal to get inspiration for the kingdom of Arendelle.

So, my “Frozen” dreams (sort of) came true.

After the fjord safari, I was pretty beat. I booked a room at the Flåmsbrygga Hotel, which sits right next to the water and in the midst of all the shops and restaurants. The hotel even has it’s own restaurant, the Ægir BrewPub, which is inspired by Norse mythology and sits in a building reminiscent of a stave church. While a little more pricey, I highly recommend staying at this hotel – the location was perfect AND it was the only hotel I stayed at in Norway that had a double bed!

Now, on to Gudvangen, which sits at the head of the Nærøyfjord. Nærøyfjord is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and deservedly so. It is BEAUTIFUL. I experienced the beauty of Nærøyfjord on my fjord safari, so I came to Gudvangen for another reason: the Njardarheimr Viking Village.

I mentioned this earlier, but I have a slight obsession with Marvel’s Thor. So much so that I actually read a full book on Norse mythology. Call me a complete nerd, but I actually loved it.

I also love touristy activities and things that are a little “untraditional”. When I read about the Viking Village, where I could meet Vikings and learn about their way of life (and also shoot a bow and arrow), I knew I had to go. I was kind of expecting a kitschy tourist attraction, but the Njardarheimr ended up being so much more.

Njardarheimr is a real, working Viking village, and home to a number of Vikings. The day began with a short tour of the village, where a guide told us all about the Viking way of life and dispelled some myths. For instance, you know that Viking burial we always see in movies and TV shows, where flaming arrows are shot at a boat? There’s no proof that’s actually real! (Sorry Thor).

After the tour, we were free to walk around the village on our own and chat with the Vikings. All the Vikings are craftspeople who sign up to live here and practice their craft. There were musicians, bone carvers, blacksmiths, basket weavers, cooks, and more. I loved chatting with them about their craft and learning more about how the Vikings lived.

And yes, I did get to shoot a bow and arrow.

After the Viking Village, it was on to Stegastein. While it sounds like a prehistoric dinosaur, Stegastein is actually a viewpoint 650 meters (about 2132 feet) high that overlooks the Aurlandsfjord.

The drive up was terrifying – there were more tight, hairpin turns than I could count. But the view was breathtaking. The villages below looked like models, the boats sailing by like ants. And I couldn’t have asked for more perfect weather.

I had mixed feelings about leaving Flåm. On the one hand, I was sad – this place was so incredibly beautiful and peaceful. But on the other hand, leaving meant I got to take the Flåm Railway, often described as one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world.

The Flåm Railway travels from Flåm (surprise!) to the town of Myrdal, situated 867 meters (2844 feet) above sea level. Which means the railway itself must climb that high. About 80% of the journey runs on a gradient of 5.5%!

The train journey was one I won’t soon forget – and not just because we saw a naked man shaking his hips at our train car as we passed. The views were amazing, and it was a different change of pace to see the fjords as they came into the land, rather than from the water.

The train snaked up through the mountains, passing through tunnels and even over a waterfall. The waterfall, Kjosfossen, was so picturesque, and thankfully the train stopped for a few minutes so we could all disembark and quickly enjoy the view!

My time in Flåm was, undoubtedly, the highlight of my trip. I loved being in such a pretty place, and there was plenty to do. In fact, I wished I had spent more time here – I would have loved time to just sit by the water and be alone in my thoughts.

But if you even find yourself in Norway, a fjord safari is a must. It was so much fun, and not at all scary or intense. We got closer to the fjords than we could have on a bigger cruise ship. It was also great to have a guide – I learned so much and, if it wasn’t for Magnus, I never would have seen the seals in the water!

But the Sognefjord, overall, is an absolute must. It lives up to it’s nickname, and Norway in a Nutshell makes it so easy to experience.

Let’s just say I was onto something when I added the fjords to my bucket list!

So, that concludes my blog posts on Norway! Where should I write about next? Comment below!

Hardangerfjord, Norway

When I decided to make the trek to Norway, I did so for one reason: the fjords. Norway is home to approximately 1,190 fjords, so naturally there was no way I could see them all…unless I wanted to quit my job and do nothing else for the next few years. Luckily, the “King” and “Queen” of the fjords are both easily accessible from Bergen, where I started my journey.

On my second day in Norway, I decided to experience Hardangerfjord (the “Queen” as well as the second longest fjord in Norway) through a 12-hour day tour. My day started with a bus ride to Norheimsund, a small town on the edge of the fjord. From there, we boarded a catamaran.

There’s a lot of ways to see the fjord, whether it be by hiking, driving, or boating. But in my opinion, the best way to see the fjords is from the water. There’s something awe-inspiring about looking up at something so massive, and the height of these mountains seems more dramatic from the ground. Traveling by boat also allows you to see the many waterfalls that trickle down the sides of these majestic mountains.

Our boat sailed through the fjord, stopping at some of the small villages along the fjord to pick up and drop off passengers. It seemed that each time I saw something beautiful, I’d somehow find something even more beautiful just around the bend. But words cannot do Hardangerfjord justice. And while I’d use this as an excuse to share a sampling of the dozens of photos I took, not even a photograph can do these fjords justice. It’s hard to believe something this beautiful and perfect was made by nature.

Our catamaran made a brief stop in the village of Eidfjord, where we boarded a bus for a short excursion to the Norwegian Nature Center, followed by a trip to Norway’s most famous waterfall, Vøringsfossen.

The Norwegian Nature Center was not something I would have planned to do, but ended up being a nice excursion. The introductory video was *interesting*, as well as the very realistic dioramas, but I enjoyed learning about how the fjords were formed and the role they’ve played in Norway’s history.

But the real highlight of this excursion was Vøringsfossen. Our bus zigzagged up the side of the fjord, driving through tunnels and next to cliffs. Let’s just say I was glad I didn’t drive up myself…

The tour website and the audio on the bus really hyped up this waterfall, so when I finally saw a waterfall I first thought: that’s it? I mean, it was very pretty, but certainly not the prettiest or the biggest or the tallest.

Then I walked a little further, and realized I had been looking at the wrong waterfall…

The real Vøringsfossen was amazing. What makes this waterfall so famous is that the water free falls 145 meters (or for us Americans, about 475 feet) into the narrow pool below.

I probably could have stared at this waterfall for much longer (there’s something so calming about waterfalls), but we only have 15 minutes until it was back on the bus. Our bus took us back down the long and winding road to the docks of Eidfjord, where we again boarded our boat to head back to Norheimsund.

After being outside all day in the wind and standing on the dock of our catamaran (because when the views are that amazing, how can you sit inside?), I was grateful for a seat on the bus back to Bergen – and slept for most of the ride! After a quick seafood dinner on the wharf, I headed back to my hotel to pack up and rest for the night – because I was onto my next fjord-venture the next morning!

If I were to do it again, I’d love to spend more time in one of the small villages along the fjords, enjoying the small shops and sites as well as the scenery. I’d also recommend coming in the spring, rather than the summer – Hardangerfjord is also known as the “Garden Fjord” and, from what I’ve read, is home to lots of fruit and flowers that bloom in late spring.

I’d also recommend packing layers – in the span of twelve hours, there was sunshine, clouds, rain, and fog. Basically, you never know what you’re going to get in Norway! Despite the fact that it was June, I was grateful for a warm coat and windbreaker while standing on the dock of our catamaran.

And, I would recommend packing gloves and a warm hat or headband…because I forgot to and rocked Norwegian-themed gear that I bought in a souvenir shop.

Bergen, Norway

The fjords of Norway was a recent addition to my bucket list. I could lie and say that I was inspired by a painting I saw, or a book I read, or even hearing about another person’s trip to Norway.

But I’m going to be honest. I was inspired by my obsessions with “Frozen” and Thor.

Proof of my obsession with Thor and Loki.

Before I saw these movies, I hadn’t really had much exposure to Norway. My only experience with Norway was through the pavilion in Epcot in Disney World, and so the only things I knew about this country were that they had polar bears, Vikings, trolls, and delicious pastries. I had thought about going there just to go there while I was studying in Denmark, but never made the trek.

And so, when I realized that real Norway looked pretty similar to Arendelle (minus the talking snowman and ice palace) and that Norse mythology was really interesting, Norway was tacked onto my bucket list.

Norway is a massive country and has so much to offer. For my first venture into the land of the midnight sun, I decided to focus on seeing the fjords.

Behind that smile is an incredibly exhausted and soaking wet girl.

I started my journey in Bergen, the country’s second largest city and the “Gateway to the Fjords”. After a long travel day, I arrived at my hotel around 3:00pm, took a quick rest, and spent the late afternoon and evening exploring the city in the pouring rain.

I hadn’t done much research on the city of Bergen, as I wasn’t sure how much time I would actually have in the city, so I started with the famous Bryggen, or the Hanseatic houses along the wharf. Not sure what I’m talking about? Google “Bergen” and they’ll be the first image you see. The houses were so pretty and so bright, despite the clouds and rain. Most of them are now shops and restaurants, which provided a welcome respite from the rain.

The rain started to die down, so I spent the rest of the evening wandering down backstreets and alleys, enjoying the sights, the scenery, and the sounds of this city. This is one of my favorite things to do in a new place, because you never quite know what you’ll see. In this case, I ran into a marching band, practicing and marching throughout the streets of the city. It was so cool, and unexpected.

One reason I love wandering cities: you can find some amazingly beautiful buildings.

I spent the next three days of my trip exploring the fjords (more to come on this…) and ended my trip back in Bergen before flying off to my next destination. On my last day in the city, I was a tad luckier: I had a full morning of sunshine! I decided to take the funicular up to the top of Mount Fløyen. The view at the top was incredible. You could see the entirety of the city, as well as all the fjords around it (there was also a lot of dogs and a group of people doing yoga – not as exciting, but still interesting.)

Feeling like a princess overlooking my kingdom.

But the rain couldn’t hold off forever (it rains an average of 231 days in Bergen, so this isn’t entirely unexpected), and I quickly made my way back down the mountain for a quick seafood lunch and some souvenir shopping before heading back to the airport.

Overall, I enjoyed my time in Bergen. Did it rain a lot? Yes. Was it still really pretty? Absolutely. The city has so much to offer, and I could have easily spent more time exploring. However, I’m not usually a city gal (despite the fact that I work in a city) and so, for me, two days was plenty.

The fjords were the true standout of this vacation – so stay tuned for more details!

I loved the beauty, but the simplicity, of this church I stumbled across.

My First Post

“Don’t adventures ever have an end? I suppose not. Someone else always has to carry on the story.”
The Lord of the Rings

Well, I did it.

I started a travel blog.

Again.

Years ago, when I studied abroad in Copenhagen, I had a travel blog for a writing class. It was a way for me to share my European adventures with my friends and family back in the states…but it was also a way for me to earn some college credits. Once I finished my “required” posts, I lost the urge to keep writing. Looking back, I wish I had kept it going (mom, you were right).

I also lost the travel bug for a few years. I had dreams of traveling the world, but fooled myself into thinking I had to travel with someone, that I couldn’t afford a trip abroad, and that it would be too far out of my comfort zone.

Flash forward to last year, when I went to Japan. I was alone and completely out of my comfort zone…and I had a BLAST. I realized traveling internationally by myself wasn’t something to be afraid of, and that I could do (almost) anything I set my mind to. The travel bug bit me again, and now I can’t be stopped.

And so, inspired by other travel bloggers I follow online, I thought about starting a travel blog for my own travels. But while I felt like I did some cool things, I wondered: would anyone really care?

But then, my friend texted me after my last trip to Norway and said, totally unprompted, “you should start a travel blog.” She then kept asking when the blog would happen. I kept putting it off – until today. So Justine, this first post is dedicated to you.

And now, this travel blog, Journeys with Jill, is a thing! Maybe you’re all super interested in hearing about my adventures around the globe, and maybe you’re not, but it’s a thing!

I can’t promise this blog will be inspiring, or filled with valuable insights, or entertaining. I can’t promise that I’ll hold my commitment of posting at least once a week. I can’t promise that I’ll always be writing about some place super incredible or exotic (I mean, I do have to work…). And even though I’m a grammar fiend, I can’t promise it’ll always be grammatically correct.

But I do hope that this blog is enjoyable. I hope you enjoy hearing about my journeys, near and far. And I hope I inspire you to go out on your own journeys, whether it be to a nearby park or another continent.