Ricky went to Japan

Per usual, I wrote this a while ago and I’m only finishing it now, to explain the time gap between what I wrote initially and now. At some point I will switch to past tense.

I write this in the San Diego airport as I prepare to board my flight to LAX, which in turn will fly to Japan. This is actually my first time out of North America; it's a little hard to believe I’ve waited until my mid-thirties to do this. Then again, maybe not. It wasn’t that long ago the world seemed to be closed due to Covid. And prior to that, I was working crazy hours in San Jose, and then prior to that I was in school and therefore didn’t have a job, meaning a trip like this would be quite expensive.

I think what I’ve partially learned is there are some ways to make a trip like this cheaper. I’ll write about what I’m doing to make it cheap, which doesn’t necessarily mean you should do the same.

First, I used airline miles to book the trip. I earned a decent amount of them from flying for work and what not, as well as signing up for a credit card. So the flight was free in a sense.

Next, in Japan I stayed in capsule hotels. These cost something like $50 a night, which is quite affordable.

The food and transit in Japan are all generally pretty cheap. You can take public transit anywhere, and the cities are also very walkable (although big, so you will get some steps in!).

I loved that even in the airport, the prices are pretty reasonable. I bought a sandwich from a vending machine for $2 there (there were actually three halves, each different: tuna, beef, and egg salad).

Many of the attractions in Japan are free as well, like visiting the giant Buddha or the LDS temple. I actually went to services there on Sunday (well, at the stake center right next to the temple). That was an interesting experience as well.

The last part I wanted to mention was planning. For this trip, I just piggybacked on my coworker's Japan trip. Normally you would need to plan something like this out yourself. Or, if you paid someone to plan your trip, I think it could be quite expensive. Instead, stealing my friend's plan was free. Nick also helped me understand some of the culture there, which I might not have picked up on my own.

I recorded an episode about it here. I think I ramble about the specifics of the capsule hotel, which does take some adjustment. I think I will have to go back at some point. And also at some point, I might write more about it. Then again, it has been six months between when I started this post and the present, so perhaps not. Feel free to comment on what you think I should write next.

San Antonio

 Brooke and I recently wrapped up a trip to San Antonio! I honestly didn’t realize quite how much history is packed into this city. For reference, Europeans first established a permanent presence in Texas in 1690 with the founding of Mission San Francisco de los Tejas.

I’m actually writing the start of this post from the base of the Tower of the Americas, a 700-foot observation deck and restaurant. It’s been fun and really reminds me of my recent trip to Japan; they have a massive culture of observation towers and decks over there. Sitting here by the fountain at the base, the sound of the falling water completely drowns out the city noise. I haven’t done much "on-location" writing recently, and it’s a refreshing change of pace.

Earlier in the trip, we hit SeaWorld. It was a total blast—definitely a more ride-focused experience than the San Diego location. They also have a Beluga whale and Pacific white-sided dolphin show, which our home park doesn't have. The other two shows we saw, the sea lion and orca presentations, were pretty similar to what you’d see in San Diego.

I will say, it feels like SeaWorld might be hitting some tough times. The park is currently only open on weekends and wasn't crowded at all. While that made for a great experience with almost no lines, I do worry about the company’s future. I’d dive into my pitch for "SeaWorld at Sea"—a SeaWorld-themed cruise ship—but I’ll save that before this turns into a Ricky Rambles episode.

We spent the rest of our time downtown exploring the Alamo and the surrounding attractions. As a kid, I remember idolizing Davy Crockett. I’m not sure how historically accurate the Alamo movie was, but Davy was certainly the star! Brooke and I found ourselves wondering how things might look today if Santa Anna hadn't revoked the Mexican Federalist Constitution. Imagine a timeline where Texas and California were still part of Mexico. I’ll leave the "alternate history" talk there, though, so this doesn't accidentally become a post on my politics blog.

Of course, I had to sample the Texas BBQ. I think I had the best pulled pork and chicken of the trip at Harmon’s. Even though those aren't usually my go-to BBQ items, they were excellent. The brisket and ribs were solid, too—though don't tell anyone, I actually preferred the St. Louis-style ribs.

We also visited Two Bros. BBQ Market. We did the "family-style" box, which was served picnic-style where you grab a box and share. It worked well, though I wish there had been a bit more brisket. The sausage was great, and the smoked turkey was surprisingly delicious. I also appreciated that they had four different sauces to choose from; one was a bit fruity, which was a fun twist.

I’ll be covering more specific details of the trip on Ricky Rambles soon. Depending on my publishing schedule, I might owe you a few more deep-dive posts on some of these spots!

I never ended up sharing my St. Louis post, but similar to that trip, parts of San Antonio felt surprisingly empty. Looking out from the tower, many shops appeared closed. It might have just been nearby construction, but it felt a little odd.

On the flip side, other areas like the freeways were absolutely packed. I was also surprised by the variety in the suburban strip malls—there was a boba shop right near our Airbnb! The suburbs here have a bit of a rural vibe that reminds me of Eagle, Idaho, just with more boba options. The architecture, however, feels more like Kansas City.

Overall, it was a great trip. There are still a few things in the general area I’d like to do, like visiting Ryan Holiday’s bookstore, The Painted Porch, or eating at Oma’s Schnitzel Haus. Both were a bit too far outside the city for this run. I also still need to link up with Jeff in Fort Worth for the lunch he won through The Frug Life.

I’ll be back to Texas soon—I’ve definitely learned that this state is massive and it takes a while to get between cities!

More updates to come soon.