Phase 01. Tracing famous places (2012/09-2015/03)
The country I visited is a famous tourist destination. Many Japanese people have chosen the country they would like to travel to.
I haven’t considered well about my own way to travel.
For flights and hotels, I have bought tour packages provided by any travel agency. So, I couldn’t choose an airline or hotel.
I used a carry case to carry my luggage. After the casters broke while traveling within the EU from Spain to Italy, I got the impression that the carrying case was easily broken.
From this phase, my passion for traveling abroad increased. As a result, I learned the importance of taking time off and spending it on my hobbies. And I have learned how to take time off.
Phase 02. See the world you want to go to (2015/05-2020/02)
I was able to visit famous countries in Phase 01, and the number of countries I visited also increased. As a result of my experience there, I started choosing the countries I wanted to visit from the world map.
During this phase, I changed the way I travel.
For your itinerary, book only air tickets, not tour packages. As for where to stay, I decided on a guest house rather than a hotel.
I have also changed my luggage from a carry case to a backpack. The carrying case was too difficult to use because the casters and zippers were easily broken, and it was difficult to roll it unless it was on a flat surface.
Phase 03. After Pandemic and beyond (2022/12-Now)
As the coronavirus pandemic began to ease, there was a feeling that it was becoming acceptable to go abroad. As of the end of 2022, many countries were still taking measures against COVID-19. I end the year in Asia every year, so I only looked into the entry conditions for Asia, but the entry conditions were quite complicated. It is necessary to take a PCR test before entering the country, it is necessary to take a PCR test at least 72 hours before returning to Japan, and so on. However, the situation has eased considerably since April 2023, and the travel style has almost returned to the previous one.
During this phase, I traveled to distant countries. Senegal, Sao Tome and Principe. Both took 20 hours without stopover.