I woke up at 10:10 today. I was really sleepy, but since I had to check out at 11 I hurried to shower and pack. How many times have I checked out so far? Ive been traveling for four months now, so Ive checked out a lot. As much as I find this fun, I still think Vietnam, where check-out is at noon, is the best.
The kindness of the hotel owner
I took one last shower and completed check-out. I got my deposit back. But my flight isnt until 8:00 PM, so I still had a ton of time. I wanted to go have lunch first, so I asked if I could leave my bag and they said it was fine until 1:00 PM, so I had them keep it.
I went to my favorite restaurant from yesterday called Ichidon. When I tried to go to a seat in the back today I was stopped and told to sit here, which annoyed me a bit. It put me in a down mood. But after I ordered the food I didn't care about that anymore. I ordered from the noodle menu: a yakisoba and Taiwanese chicken set, and milk tea. It was very tasty. The spiciness was just right.
After lunch I went back to the hostel. I did a little work and gradually became mentally unstable. Why is that? What happened again? The last time I became unstable and anxiety hit was the day after scuba diving in Thailand.
I thought it was probably the effects of nitrogen. But why this time? I wondered if it was due to lack of sleep and nutrient deficiency from feeling unwell. Even so, I wondered how often I fall ill while traveling.
I went outside to calm down and took deep breaths, when the hotel owner came over and asked, "When is your flight?" I said, "8:00 PM," and he said, "You still have loads of time. Leave your bag here and go for a walk."
He was so kind and I was really happy. I thanked him over and over and left my backpack with him before heading out. When youre traveling you sometimes unexpectedly encounter peoples kindness like this. Those moments are truly heartwarming.
Phone call with Grandma
I went to 7-Eleven and bought a drink with minerals in it. Thinking I might be mineral-deficient because of feeling unwell, I also took mineral supplements. I walked to a small park and sat down. I felt a bit anxious, like my brain wasnt getting enough oxygen. Maybe because my nose was congested.
I relaxed there for a bit and called my grandma for the first time in a while. On the phone I talked non-stop about what Im doing on the trip and my worries. I said Ive been really interested in self-understanding lately and that Ive been constantly analyzing myself—discovering who I am through travel—and she said, "Youve gotten too smart." We talked for about 1 hour and 12 minutes and I felt refreshed.
Thanks, Grandma. Whenever Im mentally in a bad spot I always call her. But I also felt a little scared thinking, what would happen if she were gone?
The sea and a souvenir candle
I took a taxi to a nearby beach. Though I said "nearby," it took about 40 minutes. When I got there it was mostly locals and the sea was just ordinary—not super beautiful. There was one person windsurfing.
I thought Id like to try it too. I spent about 20 minutes there. Then I decided to head back into town right away. If there was traffic, getting to the airport would take longer, so I wanted to leave myself some cushion.
It took 30 minutes to get back to town. While wandering souvenir shops I found a nicely scented candle and decided to buy it as a souvenir. I realized my luggage was getting heavier and heavier and thought that was a problem, but I shrugged it off.
The staff were extremely polite and even lit all the incense so I could try them. I thought it was amazing to buy a 49-ringgit (about 1,750 yen) candle. When people are treated with warm, VIP-like care, you inevitably want to respond in kind. I think that applies to all human relationships.
What matters is taking the initiative yourself. It really only brings good things.
Just by kindly lighting three incense sticks, I ended up buying a candle I wouldnt have bought for 49 ringgit. I thought, this is brilliant marketing.
Conversation with the taxi driver
I went back to the hostel and got ready. I called a taxi to the airport. The taxi driver this time was a really nice guy and along the way he asked, "Kota, where are you from?" We had a pleasant chat. Hes from Penang and apparently loves Penang.
I thought, indeed, Penang is a really nice city. I told him I was heading to Kota Kinabalu now.
Self check-in at a machine
I arrived at the airport, dropped my bags, and went to check in. For the first time I checked in myself at a machine and had the drop-off handled by a machine; there was only one staff member. Malaysia seems very systematized in that regard and it felt very smooth. I thought other countries should take note.
After checking in I passed through the gate. Before that, I wanted to look at fragrances for the first time in a while and went to Jo Malone. Im not usually into Jo Malones scents, but they had an exclusive line so I tried it. They had hinoki and agarwood, so I thought theyd smell good, and they really did.
The hinoki scent in particular was amazing and I really fell in love with it. I thought Id consider buying it when I return to Japan. I even laughed thinking about how many more perfumes my collection would gain.
Thoughts in the lounge
I went to the lounge and had a light dinner. I ate pasta, curry rice, watermelon and salad. I felt recharged for the first time in a while. My appetite came back and my fever gradually went away, which made me happy. My stomach still wasnt in great shape, though, so I wanted it to recover quickly.
Act on your feelings. Try asking.
With boarding time approaching I headed to the gate. But it was delayed by over 30 minutes. My seat was 30B, in the middle. I usually reserve the very back left window seat, so when its random like this I always get a weird seat. But oh well.
Boarding the plane and taking off! At that moment I mustered the courage and boldly asked the person on my left, "Hey, can I record a video during takeoff?" He was like, "Of course, sure." So I confidently followed my feelings, filmed the takeoff, said thanks, and that was that.
Its super simple. That was the result of acting on emotion. It really doesnt matter if someone dislikes you over it. No one is going to hate you for that. So if you want to record, then record.
Ask. Reaching out silently to film feels a bit rude, so ask. If you want to do something, act on it. And ask. Actually, as Steve Jobs said, its really rare to be turned down when you ask people for help.
I was able to capture a nice video. After that I enjoyed the flight, writing in my journal until arriving in Kota Kinabalu, scheduled for 11:30 PM.
My purpose in life
In the end I sometimes wonder what my purpose in life is. To fulfill my dream of moving overseas and live a wonderful, romantic life with the partner I love. But more than that, I want to give people my sun-like energy and make them feel energized.
I want to give positive energy. I want to make people smile, and even as an ordinary person I want to take on challenges to support those who are struggling in life. I thought that might be my purpose.
