Budget Traveling in Japan

It is expensive to travel in Japan, the transportation expenses, the accommodations cost, the entertainment fees (food, drinks, admission fees to galleries and museums). Most Japanese are conversative about traveling, they don't want to end up in debt after an expensive tour, let alone their Taiwanese neighbors.

Being a foreigner, I could purchase a Japan Rail Pass at home. The JR Pass offers a quite reasonable discount of transportation fee. The more I travel in Japan, the wiser I use the trains, the hotels, the supermarkets, and public facilities.

I always keep budget traveling in mind. No matter how much I had in my pocket, I tried to save every penny for the rainy days and for the future trips. I wouldn't use cash or charge unless it was absolutely necessary. I waivered a mobile phone. I refrained from internet cafe. I visited the local markets for the fresh fruits and vegetables to supplement the vitamines and minerals. I went to the convenient stores for instant rice, noodles, soup to fill in my empty stomach. I stayed at youth hostels, reasonable hotels to contain the accommodation cost. I stayed with friends if they have an extra bed to offer.

I'm thinking maybe toastmasters can learn from their Rotarian counterparts to provide homestay services to fellow members, to promote culture exchange activities among member. We can encourage more foreign toastmasters to visit our clubs in Taipei. I'd be more than willing to offer my sweet home to traveling foreign toastmasters in town.

While traveling, life is about simplicity, necessity, accessbility and flexibility. Even though it is hard to reduce the amount of clothes, shoes, and accessories for a woman traveler like me, I've learned how to break down a long journey into several short ones. I find a center location to deposit the heavy luggage and carry the light backpack to move around in surrounding satellite towns.

Internet is no doubt a must. I felt secured and at home being able to answer emails and blog at the most welcoming free internet at the local hotel. I felt good and relaxed sitting at a small and quiet corner to connect myself to the family and friends around the world.