Jan In Japan with The Goddess Ara Mina

(Note: I took this trip when I was still not 100% plant-based. I was still eating dairy, chicken, and seafood)

Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan - August 4 to 10, 2017; the trip that I really doubted I would enjoy. First, I would be away for 6 days; the longest time I would ever be away from home and my family. Second, I was so worried that my kids' (home)schooling would suffer because of my absence. And if it does, I will suffer in the end too. Homeschool moms could very well relate to this dilemma. I've heard so many people say that mothers need to take some time off alone to de-stress and recharge the "batteries". I do not really believe in that. Being home is bliss for me. Maybe it's because I've always been out of the house since my teens until I decided to take it easy and take an "indefinite leave" in 2015 from my chosen field of work for the past 25 years to focus on my growing children, homeschooling, and taking care of myself better.

So, I took this trip with friends; 2 groups of people actually, and there were 11 of us in all including one child (my goddaughter Mandy). I thought it would be chaotic, but, thanks to the tremendous organizational and leadership skills of our Ate Anna Dasig, she really made everything seem so easy and swift. Let me take you on my 6-day journey to Japan, with a side trip to Taipei, Taiwan.

Hello, Hokkaido!

This is our private bus from Omakase Travel and Tours. The drivers (we had two) were very friendly and kind, there's a mini fridge, and the bus is very clean!

We rented 3 Air BnB units. Hazel, Ate Aida, Mandy and me stayed in the biggest unit with a kitchen, bathroom, and an extra bedroom. I dread sleeping away from home, so I packed some melatonin, homeopathic anti-anxiety remedies, and calming essential oils for this trip. I averaged 7 hours of sleep every night, thank God! I even slept for 10 hours on the 3rd night.

On our first night, I slept at around 11pm and I got up to pee at 4:30 am and I was surprised to see that it's already so bright outside. I prayed so hard that I could get back to sleep for at least another 2 hours. Thankfully, I did, and finally got up at 7:15. We have a scheduled tour starting at 8:00 and I'm glad I was able to sleep well on the first night.

Our first stop was at the Tomita Lavender Farm. Breathtaking view, relaxing ambience, and so many food! I went crazy over the melons! They were unbelievably sweet and juicy. I also ate lavender ice cream which made me very sleepy, white sweet corn (too sweet for my liking), vegetable burger (which had potato salad as filling, it didn't make sense at all), and potato with butter.

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We went cherry-picking afterwards which was very interesting, albeit overpriced. I forgot the exact figures but it would've been a lot cheaper if we bought cherries from the grocery. Cherry season was almost over so we were left with only a few trees to pick from.

Then, we headed to the Furano Panoramic Flower Gardens in Biei, Hokkaido. The row of flowers resembled a popular Filipino delicacy called Sapin-Sapin. I said this many times and I'll say it again; I am not a big fan of flowers, but this farm took my breath away. We were probably the noisiest tourists that day and while riding the tractor that will take us around the farm, we all screamed in unison upon the first sight of the rainbow-colored hills. The driver didn't seem to enjoy our company haha!

By the time we finished touring the Furano flower farm, our energy levels were already low. The coaster/bus we hired was equipped with a chiller where we stored some fresh milk and water. I probably exceeded my calcium requirement that day! Our last stop for that day was at the Blue Pond. I don't know if my photo-taking skills gave justice to this beautiful place. The beauty of God's creation is truly awesome. I've seen photos of the pond during winter and I need to see it with my own eyes! Lord-willing, I'll be back in Hokkaido in the near future, preferably in the winter.