The secret to travelling light

Of all the inane things to be wasting my time googling in preparation for our upcoming holiday to the UK, I’ve fallen down the rabbit hole of travel and fashion bloggers’ packing tips. Somebody. Kill me.

Capital contrasts: Tokyo and Canberra – Part 2

Following on from Capital contrasts – Part 1, since returning home from a month-long holiday in Japan, I’ve been thinking about the differences I’ve noticed between life in Australia’s capital, Canberra, and Japan’s capital, Tokyo. These differences are by no means definitive, nor supported by any evidence other than my own observations as a resident of one city, and as a visitor to the other.

Capital contrasts: Tokyo and Canberra – Part 1

Recently I was lucky enough to spend a month pretending to live in Tokyo. Now that I’m home and settled back in Canberra, Australia, I’ve been thinking about the differences and similarities between these two great capital cities.

Street art: Bill Murray paste-up

With a somewhat uncanny yet irreverent nod to my month spent in Tokyo trying to emulate Scarlet Johansson in Lost in Translation (without the all-expenses-paid room at the Park Hyatt but with a pair of suitable pants for lounging – someone should really tell that girl about Uniqlo) my local shops welcomed me home with this surprise portrait of Bill Murray.

Japan’s upwardly mobile dogs

Japan’s favourite dog (a Shiba Inu) going for a ride.

When you first visit Japan it doesn’t take long to notice that Japanese dogs are treated like babies. Since I arrived I’ve been trying, stalker style (I’m not proud of my behaviour), to take photographs of dogs in cute outfits. It’s tricky because when they’re out, they’re on the move, either towards you or away from you. If they’re not walking they’re still likely to be mobile, just via some other means, usually pram or pushbike.