Well, this is the last newsletter I’ll be writing before we get to Japan. I’m still aiming to keep up with a newsletter every Sunday, but we’ll see how that goes once the rubber hits the road.

It’s been a hectic week, getting the last equipment we can get in Vietnam, organising what we will take and what we won’t, and generally getting on with work and everything else that needs to be done on a daily basis.

Right now, it almost feels like being in Japan will be easier. I’m absolutely sure that objectively speaking it won’t, but that’s how it feels. There’s still so much to get done, and it’s exciting, but I am also totally knackered.

🚂 Training Summary

Not gonna lie to you, training hasn’t happened this week. I’ve had three short jogs, moved a little bit of weight around, and I’ve had a couple of massages. That’s it. My hamstring is still a little tight. I’m not sure if I’m being paranoid about it, but I’m giving it all the rest I can before next Sunday.

☀️ Photo from the Road

🧠 Running Through My Head

All the twists and turns life takes to make something like this run possible. I’ve had some wonderful adventures over the years, and yet looking back, so much has been determined by little moments of serendipity. Chance plays such a massive role in our lives, and I encountered a bit of luck when I visited Angkor Wat a few years ago, which has led to this next adventure in Japan. I wonder what cards fate will deal over the coming months. Both some good and some bad, I expect. But either way, it’ll be fun finding out.

🗓️ This Week I Have Mostly Been…

🎵 Listening to: We Will Fall Together by Streetlight Manifesto
📚 Reading: https://hokkaidowilds.org/ - learning more about our first destination using this excellent site
🎥 Watching: I Walked From Tokyo to Osaka: A 650km Journey - A YouTube video by Eddie van der Meer

📺 In Case You Missed It…

You didn’t miss anything this week, sorry. We’ve been in a mad scramble to pack everything up in our flat and get ourselves packed and organised, ready for next week. This short video was the best we managed:

🚀 Next Up

We’re off to Japan.

You’ll definitely get to see our support vehicle next week, although a video featuring our new home for the adventure might have to wait until we’re actually on the road.

🏁 Finish Line

Everything is hectic. I’m embracing the chaos. So, I’m signing off with a phrase that’s been all too familiar this last week:

Thank you for reading and for all your support.

Take it easy,

Phill