The Adventure Begins

After months of planning, countdowns, and dreaming about Japan, departure day had finally arrived.

The trip almost started with chaos though—Ali nearly missed her connection in Chicago. I was already at the gate when she came rushing up just as boarding was beginning. Nothing says “adventure” quite like immediately wondering if your travel partner is actually going to make the flight.

While waiting, I met a really kind woman from California who had been visiting family in Massachusetts. One of my favorite parts of traveling is how strangers become temporary chapters in your story for a few moments. Airports somehow make people more willing to talk about life.

The flight from Chicago to LAX brought another unexpected connection. I sat next to a woman named Maria from Indiana who was traveling to California to visit her uncle who wasn’t doing well. We spent most of the flight talking about kids, life, travel, and how important it is to keep experiencing the world even when life gets busy and complicated.

At one point she told me I inspired her to travel more.

That honestly stuck with me.

Sometimes we don’t realize how much sharing our adventures, fears, and dreams can quietly encourage someone else to take a leap too. When we landed, Maria hugged me goodbye like we were old friends instead of two strangers who happened to share a row on a plane for a few hours.

Ali and I stayed overnight in Los Angeles before our flight to Tokyo the next morning. After all the excitement and stress of the day, our glamorous pre-Japan dinner was… McDonald’s. Followed by McDonald’s breakfast the next morning.

International travelers? Yes.

Fancy travelers? Absolutely not.

And honestly? It was the perfect way to start the adventure.