The Whole World is Two Drinks Behind Me

I love beer. I love whiskey. I seem to love anything that will blur my vision, waste my money and make me forget everything as well as my dignity. Here is the post that may only matter when you are deciding where to travel next, a post about alcohol and where the hell to find it. Among my travels I am always swayed to a place if there is a brewery or some kind of alcohol filled tour, therefore welcome to my tipsy post about where the alcohol brands are around the world, the tours they give and essentially how the locals get drunk and what on.

Dublin

Dublin needs no introduction on the alcohol front. Famous for Guinness and Jameson, Dublin is definitely a place to visit to try the local poison. I feel ashamed to say I've never been into the Guinness Storehouse, due to my friend’s preferred plans at the time, but we did take a trip to The Old Jameson Distillery. Sweet honeyed whiskey and a place I would recommend. At €14 a ticket you get the typical tour and about three shots of free samples at the end, which you can sample with a choice of ginger, soda and the sort. I liked the distillery; it had a very warm and homey feel to it which can often be lacked in factory tours. Also they host a nice restaurant and cafe at the entrance where you could buy a variety of Jameson mixed cocktails/hot drinks. So, if you have the time take a wander to the whisky house at the very least for the Jameson hot chocolate at the entrance of the distillery which is to die for.

Osaka, My Japanese City

I've lived in Osaka, Japan for the past five months and I love this city! When I first came here I wasn't too impressed, especially since I'd just spent a week in the beautiful and traditional Kyoto. Osaka and Kyoto are very close distance wise in a literal sense, but culturally they couldn't be further. 
Kyoto is a city full of temples, shrines and nature, whereas Osaka is full of impressive skyscrapers, bars and restaurants. At first glance this city did not have much to offer me, but I stayed here for work as getting an English teaching job was much easier and more available here. After five months of being here I wouldn't want to live anywhere else in Japan. The city is big enough to offer the average local, but small enough to get around cheaply and even by walking. The city also has an airport, which flies all over the world, and getting around the city is easy by its subway and JR lines.

I describe Osaka like Manchester in the UK, as there isn't much for a tourist but to live it's a great city for work/business, shopping, nightlight and restaurants. Osaka also has a good handful of foreigners, so it's great for me to meet people as my Japanese is so shit.  But as the city isn't great for sightseeing and tourists, let me help you out on good ways to spend your time here.

Where to go in Kansai?

Kansai is a big area in central Japan and a tourist hotspot. It homes two of the most popular Japanese cities, Kyoto and Osaka, but there is also plenty to see outside of these two hubs, check out some of the towns more off the tourist beaten track.

Nara

Nara was on my To Do List when I first came to Japan, and having now been a few times I still highly recommend it. Nara is a former capital of Japan and worth at least a few days of your time. The large town is knee-deep in history, culture and Japanese tradition, and it has grass, something which Kyoto and Osaka lack. Nara has a lot of wild deer roaming around, which is a reason worth visiting the city alone. The area is also home to many historical sights and many claims to fame including the largest Buddha in Japan (and one of the largest in the world), and also the largest wooden building in the world.

Backpacking Japan on a Budget

Japan is labelled as one of the most expensive countries in the world, and having lived here for the past eight months I can certainly say it isn't cheap, however this country still can be done cheaply. Not Eastern Europe, South East Asia cheap, but a bit cheaper than you first might think. As a local I now know some of the tricks to travelling this wonderful country on a budget, and I feel it’s only right that I pass on my thoughts.

Accommodation

Firstly, your main cost no doubt, is accommodation. This can be avoided by any traveller who is familiar with couchsurfing. There are a million and one foreigners in Japan, so if you're worried about the Japanese language barrier, then worry no more! Couchsurfing is worth exploring, and although it can limit your travel due to location and timings, it’s still a great way to explore a country. However, if couchsurfing isn’t for you then I’d recommend these cheap but good quality hostels in the main cities of Japan:

Sakura. The Best Time to Visit Japan?

If you’re going to travel to Japan, I highly recommend going during the Spring season which is the sakura season where you'll see vasts amount of the incredible cherry blossom season.
This probably doesn't help to be honest as the cherry blossom season lasts a maximum of three weeks a year on average, and it can vary each year due to the seasons, weather and unpredictable Mother Nature. You’re generally looking at the end of March-April time to catch the sakura, and if you’re lucky enough then you can see it all over Japan.

The cherry blossoms are some of the most amazing spectacles in Japan. The blossoms can make the dullest of streets look beautiful, and they make the parks and gardens look out of this world. It may seem like I am exaggerating, after all they are just a few flowers on some trees, but they take over Japan when they do and the whole nation get involved. During the sakura season a lot of sakura chasing can be carried out where locals and tourists fleet the streets to find trails of blossom. You’ll see millions of locals and tourists taking tonnes of pictures, which capture Japan in its prettiest form. Here are a few places I would recommend visiting during the sakura season, to catch the best images and the best blossom:

My 2013 Travel Resolutions

Just like any girl, I love making a list. My best friend and I made our Missions Before We’re 25 Bucket List when we were 18, which included a fair few countries I wanted to visit. Furthermore, from looking at other travel blogs I've found that a lot of fellow bloggers have a travel bucket list, which tends to be pretty generic of what people want to achieve on their travels. Well, as it’s the start of a new year, I’m going to do a 2013 bucket list.