Gofullnomad

Gofullnomad Photographer, diver, adventurer, sailor, visual storyteller, nomad...I've spent years trekking the planet to over 137 countries on the roads less traveled.
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My life has been a quest for knowledge.

06/02/2026

Travel has taken me to military memorials around the world.

From cemeteries and monuments in Europe to quiet markers tucked away in distant corners of Asia and the Americas, I always find myself stopping to pay my respects. Different countries, different wars, different stories—but the same reminder that freedom, peace, and prosperity always come at a cost paid by someone else.

This morning Jade and I began our day beneath the towering Kannon statue at Ryozen Kannon. While many visitors come for the beauty of the setting, the temple was established as a memorial to the millions who lost their lives in war. We lit incense, paused for a few quiet moments, and reflected on those who never had the chance to make journeys of their own.
From there we wandered into the streets of old Kyoto.

The city seems to exist between centuries. Stone lanes wind past weathered wooden buildings, hidden courtyards, and traditional tea houses. Around each bend was another glimpse of the Kyoto that once served as the heart of Japan. No schedule, no destination, just the simple pleasure of getting lost together in a place where history still feels alive.

Some of the best travel days aren't spent checking attractions off a list. They're spent wandering.



06/01/2026

We traded the quiet, carefully manicured world of gardens and shrines for the untamed grandeur of nature.

Our journey began aboard an old mountain train, listening to the rhythmic clickety-clack of narrow-gauge rails as we wound our way alongside a rushing river. Around every bend were dense forests, steep canyon walls, and rugged peaks disappearing into the clouds. It felt less like transportation and more like traveling through a living postcard.

At the summit, we traded rails for a raft and let the river carry us back down through this protected wilderness. Floating between towering cliffs and lush green slopes, we learned about the history and ecology of the region while simply soaking in the beauty around us.

Sometimes the most memorable journeys happen when you slow down and let nature set the pace.



05/29/2026

Off to Kyoto and another first for both of us...the famous Japanese bullet train.

Like most things in Japan, it somehow manages to make something ordinary feel extraordinary. Trains arrive with quiet precision, passengers board in minutes, luggage disappears neatly into place, and before long you're gliding across the countryside at nearly 175 miles per hour and it even tilts as it glides around the corners.

The cars are remarkably quiet, the seats recline comfortably, and if you're traveling with friends you can even rotate the seats to face each other. Standing on the platform, we watched train after train arrive and depart every few minutes, each one carrying people off to their next adventure.

I've never quite understood why the United States never fully embraced high-speed rail. For me, trains have always been one of the great ways to travel. You aren't sealed away above the world at 35,000 feet. Instead, you move through it...watching cities, villages, farms, and mountains drift past your window as the landscape slowly tells its story.

A couple of hours later, Kyoto welcomed us with a promise of new discoveries. We found our hotel just a block away, our home for the next week as Jade and I set out to explore another corner of Japan.

The adventure continues.

05/28/2026

Tokyo is a city of contradictions.
Neon and silence. Chaos and ritual. A place where millions move at full speed while, tucked behind towering buildings and crowded train stations, ancient forests still whisper.

Jade and I stepped out of the noise and into Meiji Jingu, an oasis hidden in the middle of Tokyo. Beneath the massive torii gate, the city seemed to disappear. The air cooled, the sounds softened, and for a while it felt less like walking through a capital city and more like wandering into another century.

The shrine itself carries a quiet gravity. People come there not just to sightsee, but to pause. To reflect. To ask for guidance from forces older than themselves. We purchased an ema — a traditional wooden wishing plaque — wrote our prayers for Alex and for the future, and hung them among hundreds of others left by strangers from around the world. Different languages. Different hopes. Same human instinct to believe tomorrow can still hold something good.

While we stood near the shrine grounds, a wedding procession emerged. A Shinto bride in white, priests moving slowly to the sound of ancient ceremonial music, family following with quiet reverence. In the middle of one of the largest cities on earth, life slowed long enough for tradition, faith, and family to take center stage.

Afterward, we did what travelers do best — followed curiosity. Our first Japanese meal ended up being at a tiny Japanese spaghetti house, because Tokyo refuses to fit neatly into anyone’s expectations. Then it was back into the electric current of the city for shopping, crowds, anime stores, and bright lights.

But for me, the memory that lingers is the silence beneath those trees.

05/25/2026

Anime may have brought us to Japan... but the soul of this country lives far beyond the neon lights, crowded arcades, and endless shopping streets. Sometimes the best part of travel is stepping away from the chase and allowing a place to teach you something quieter.

So for an afternoon we traded collectibles and chaos for tradition and stillness. Draped in beautiful fabrics and transformed into something from another century, we wandered peaceful gardens before sitting down to experience an authentic Japanese tea ceremony.

Every movement had meaning... every gesture intentional. The preparation of the tea, the way it was served, the respect shown to the guests, the silence between words. In a world addicted to speed, it felt almost rebellious to slow down and simply be present.

Travel has taught me that the world doesn’t just reveal itself through monuments and adventures... sometimes it whispers through ritual, patience, and moments of shared humanity.

And honestly... it was also a good excuse to dress up, play the part, and pretend for a little while that we belonged to another time entirely.

05/24/2026

This isn't Old McDonald's farm, but there are definitely plenty of pigs... not full-size pigs, not miniature pigs, but micro pigs. Welcome to the Micro Pig Café.

We wandered into Takesh*ta Street where animal cafés are all the rage. After stopping at a cat café, we made our way past hedgehog cafés, dog cafés specializing in different breeds, gerbils, and finally ended up at the micro pig café.

Unlike the cat café where you have to bribe the animals with treats and move around trying to earn their attention, here you simply sit down and wait to see if the pigs choose you.

The only other customer, an older lady, laughed nonstop the entire time... and honestly, I understood why. Before long the pigs wandered over, climbed into our laps, curled up beside us, and settled in for naps while we scratched their bellies.

I don't know much about micro pigs, but this seemed like a pretty good life... pick a human, get petted, snuggle with your friends, and nap the day away.

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