The Far East

When someone tells you that life is a book, and those who did not travel never learn anything, perhaps it's true. Because as it turns out, there really is extraordinary things out there, things they don't write in the book, or the newspaper, or even the internet. There are things that you have to find out for yourself. Of course as a normal person you can't go to every places they recommended you, just like you can't read all the best books, or ride the fancies cars, or maybe date all the beautiful boys. But one day when I'm awfully rich, I would use all of my savings to travel anywhere possible; anywhere without any exception, along with the people I love. I'm not really the kind of traveler that you'd think about whenever that word comes to your mind, but I know about a thing or two about traveling and it's this: never say no.

Always, always have some kind of cruise in your itinerary

Say yes to anything. To go to the countries where people don't speak English (even when that's the only foreign language you can actually use) or to eat all the bizarre foods and feeling like you're the new Andrew Zimmern. Say yes to do the things you will never do when you're home, and say yes to wearing clothes that flatter or don't flatter your shape. Say yes to buy the things, whether you'll find useful or not, that you will not find back at home, but make sure that they would remind you of the beauty you'd seen while on the journey. Say yes to spend your money on overpriced tourist-y souvenirs, and say yes to having to sit on the plane between people who don't speak your language and go through hours of flying not talking at all. Say yes to... oh, everything, really.

But for now let me make some points of the story that I'm trying to tell you here. And here it goes.

A much too warm Osaka weather

1. In Korea and Japan, I learned something special about mankind: We may not speak the same language, but we can always try to understand each other, even by signal languages. There's not standards as to how you'd use it to people, because like in Japan, it's like there's a million people there who can't even speak a single word in English. It's so easy to be Scarlett Johansson there. It's so, very easy to be lost in translation in Japan, even when you think you're already in a much visited tourist attraction in Tokyo. It seems to me that the Koreans are still more willing to try to speak English to you than the Japanese. Basically if you don't speak Japanese, you're lost in Japan. Because the minute you landed, you'd start to think of yourself as somewhat illiterate. And by God I swear that even in the Narita airport, you can be lost in reading their signs. It's so hard understand their directions. We can be lost. Just... lost.

2. The thing with both countries is, when you're Asian, and you like Japanese food, or even Chinese food, you can live there. The culinary is awesome. And when you're Asian, you'll be fine with the sizes of the hotel bathtub and beds. It's even better if you get yourself used to eat fermented vegetables or any kinds of pickles, really. Just one single thing about you that's not really Asian, even as simple as shoe size, you're doomed. 

Nami Island!

3. Naminara Island should just be named Winter Sonata Island. No, seriously. It's easier for visitors to get a clue of what's ahead of them. So many young couples visit this island and do the sweet things I thought only exists in Korean dramas. But anyway, it's a beautiful island, and imagine it in winter..... Must be a winter wonderland.

4. Japan is so damn clean. Mungkin pertanyaannya, "Sebersih itukah, Rien?" Dan jawaban gue, "Iya, sebersih itu." It seems to me that the Japanese is a little obsessed with cleanliness, because even in the place where you'd expect it to be messy, there are various kinds of trash bins, so in a way, you would have to think before you throw something away. This is not a lie.

Too casual for dinner, eh?

5. If you're a Kpop fan in Seoul, you may lose your voice from screaming too much because people literally put pictures of them everywhere. But if you're not, you'll be just fine. If you're a Kpop fan, you can spend your money on so many Kpop stuffs, but if you're not, buy cosmetics instead. Actually, either you're a Kpop fan or not: When in Seoul, buy cosmetics. Full stop.

6. It's not a myth that Japan is an expensive country. But here's a little story about my relationship with Japan. I knew that I always wanted to go to Japan; in fact it's the only country in the whole of Asia besides India that I really wanted to visit in my life. But I wasn't sure what I want out of it because I don't speak Japanese (one of the things I regretted in life is that I didn't pay enough attention to my Japanese sensei in twelfth grade) and I'm not really into the music, or the fashion, or the manga, or the so-called mysterious culture... And then one of my best friends go to college there and it was hard for me at first to see what's so interesting about Japan. But then I came up there and I saw it for myself and now I understand what all the fuss is all about. I still don't have the way to explain it to you what it is, but now I understand. It's... really cool. So all that expensiveness we were talking about? They can do that. They're cool.

In Asakusa Temple, eating what seems to be Doraemon and Nobita's favorite Shanghai Ice

7. Every place, or things, you hear in Japan, would sound like it's a name written on the menu in your favorite sushi restaurant. When Karl Lagerfeld said that Italy and Japan have the best kitchen in the world, he wasn't kidding. The food is mostly great. On the other hand in Korea, you have to get yourself used to eating Kimchi. They literally serve kimchi in every meal they serve, everyday. And some food would make you lose your appetite, especially the ones with ginseng in it, so be prepared to just stuff your stomach with kimchi and rice. Mark my words, fellas.

8. I think I know why some Kpop stars are so outrageously dressed up, some even dyed his hair blue and every other impossible shades for hair. Because to be fashionable is so common in big cities like Seoul. You have to see it for yourself, because the boys are so pretty with really smooth and silky white skin and they wear the coolest trends I only see in fashion blogs. Amazing. Meanwhile the street style in Japan is pretty much what you see in the media. Not a surprise there. One surprise is probably this: You know when American movies stereotyped Japanese office workers as wearing white collared shirts and black pants? It's true. Almost 90% of the employees in Tokyo that I had a chance to look at was wearing that.

9. Doraemon is still kind of big in Japan. Years and years since he was adorable, it seems like the robot cat is still an icon. And if you wanna learn things about Japan, the easiest way is probably to read comics like Detective Conan, because Doraemon isn't such a good references (Thanks to those who always remind me not to use Doraemon as a reference ^^)

Every tourists must do shameless self photographs, tourists' way :) 

10. After all is said and done, keep this in mind when you're visiting both countries: Generally, they are very friendly and hospitable people, and they have a good relationship with Indonesia too so basically when they know that you're from here, they'd smile. But they can't show it to you because they don't speak your language and not even English, so, always use smile. It's a universal language, everyone understands.