May 2, 2025 • 28 mins
BIG NEWS! Alun's been successful in his application for this fourth and final Working Holiday Visa, and the country he's chosen is Japan! Alun explains the Japan Working Holiday Visa application process and it's all very Japanese; we discuss the Japan WHV requirements, Alun's experience of applying, and the joyous moment he received his passport back with that all important visa!
If you're interested in Japan and would love the opportunity to work there, be sure to tune in!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
I can legally work in Japan. Ricotto goes Imus.
Welcome to this episode of Tripology.
(00:21):
I'm Alan and I'm here with the ever kawaii Adam.
Thank you ever so much mate, that's one of my favorite
adjectives so far. It's not one of my favorite
adjectives. Want to know why?
It's 'cause I said, Adam, what shall I call you in Japanese?
And you, being the Japanese expert that you are, said why
not for kawaii? What does it mean?
(00:41):
It means cute things that are cute things that, you know what,
it's like Japanese cartoons. There is this very strange
culture that exists in Japan where they like fluffy animals
and I don't know, like cartoon characters with big bulging
eyes, puppy dog eyes and that sort of stuff.
All that kind of thing is referred to as kawaii.
(01:04):
Maybe if you're going into a cafe, for example, and there are
some beautiful little kittens there, you say, oh, go away.
Well, there is something cute about you.
Don't disagree, and I know a lotof our listeners vehemently
agree with that statement, but why on earth are we talking
about Japan? And in order to answer that
question, I have to turn the time Turner thricely and go
(01:27):
back-to-back. When I was in Brazil, I was
feeling ever so much 30 years old, and I was looking over my
list of travel achievements. Oh, remember the time where I
jumped into the Nile? Remember the time where I came
face to face with that chimpanzee?
I was thinking back on all the things that I've done and I
thought, God, you know, what really is missing from my
(01:50):
journey is a good stint in the beautiful country of Japan.
Yeah, it's amazing mate. I, I mean, I'll be honest, it's
one of the best countries I've been to, if we can say that sort
of stuff. I absolutely love it.
I've been there three times in the last four years.
I'm somewhat of an addict. And to be honest with you mate,
I'm quite surprised you've left it this long.
(02:10):
Yeah, and you're constantly there.
And that serves as a reminder tome of my own inadequacies when
it comes to visiting that beautiful nation.
So I was in Brazil. I was feeling like, God, I
really want to go to Japan. I looked at the prices and I was
like, I actually can't go to Japan unless Tripology suddenly
(02:30):
becomes the world's biggest travel podcast in a manner much
more sudden than we're currentlyworking towards at the moment.
It's slow growth, baby. So, you know, I thought, God,
how am I going to do that? And just out of curiosity,
melancholy curiosity because I thought there's no chance, I
googled working holiday visas inJapan and I was shocked,
(02:51):
absolutely shocked to find that you could apply anytime before
your 31st birthday. OK.
I mean, that's already a good start.
Did you have any other visas to choose from at all?
It was a choice. The only working holiday visas
that I can apply for now at my age, Japanese working holiday
visa and the South Korean working holiday visa.
(03:14):
So it's between those two. I thought wow, what a great
opportunity to visit Japan. I know that you can't tell from
my sun damaged skin and beard, but I am actually young enough
to do that. Why not fill out the application
form? So I came back to the UK
specifically to get that application in before my 31st
(03:35):
birthday, and I've been living that process out for the last
few weeks. I mean, you're certainly the
right man to ask because it is so fresh, because you have
perhaps been successful, but I had a very negative experience
when I was applying for my Japanese visa.
Because you'll be able to tell me, correct me if you can.
I was refused a Japanese workingholiday visa not because of my
(03:58):
age, but because I wasn't livingin the UK 12 months prior to a
applying. Yeah, and that story, like a
famous Adam story being refused the Japanese working holiday
visa was weighing heavy in my mind.
I actually reached out to a couple of tropologists so I know
have been applying for working holiday visas in Japan, and they
(04:19):
told me that they both were turned away and invited back and
had to reapply at a later date because of various things that
were wrong with their application.
There's a real distinction, Adam, between the working
holidays I've done in the past and I've been to Australia,
Canada, New Zealand, all of those were shared this thing or
they were extraordinarily expensive.
(04:40):
I don't want to say extraordinarily expensive, they
are affordable. But how much?
How much was your New Zealand working holiday visa that you're
currently using? 800 New Zealand dollars.
So that's expensive, right? Yeah, that's roughly £400,
something like that. Plus all the time you put in,
you've got to go up to the, you know, an approved doctor's
surgery to get her medical and, and all that sort of stuff.
(05:00):
So it, it gets pretty expensive.But yeah, we're talking probably
not much change out of $1000. It's a hefty fee, very, very
worth it in my opinion. And then a lot of bureaucratic
documents. You've got to, like, do your
medical examination. You've got to do police checks
and that sort of thing as well. Yeah.
Yeah, all that sort of stuff. And do you know what?
(05:20):
When I applied for my New Zealand visa, I had just come
back after being approved my PR for Canada.
So I already had been through all of those checks within the
last six months or something because you've got to go to a
doctor's, you've got to get yourlungs tested and go for a
medical and, you know, get your biometrics done and all this
sort of stuff. So I already had all of those
(05:42):
results back and I sort of said to the New Zealand government,
the authorities, you like Canada, don't you, you know.
We don't trust those Canadian police checks, Matt.
Not worth the paper they're reading on.
Is it not like a, is it not likea share of information, you
know, like PR for Canada, you know, it's within six months,
probably the same. And they were like, no, no, we
(06:03):
don't use the same doctors. There's a New Zealand approved
doctor up in London and it costsyou an arm and a leg.
So go and do that please. We will not accept anything
else. And I don't doubt that the
Japanese process was any different.
Well, you should doubt it because I'm about to tell you
something. The Japanese visa is completely
different. The focus is not on bureaucracy
of any kind. There's very, very little in the
(06:25):
way of like, oh, I've got to check you haven't got
tuberculosis and make sure that the police aren't after you.
What the Japanese visa process cares most about is your passion
and desire to visit Japan. As a fan of the country, as
someone who wants to visit, the visa fee is 16 British pounds
(06:47):
and that's the only money that changes hands.
It's the cheapest working holiday visa I've ever even
thought about applying for, and I've thought about applying for
some fucking working holiday visas in my time, so that's a
beautiful surprise, isn't it? 16 English pounds Yeah, I mean,
I'm got I am gobsmacked, but whydon't more people know about
this? 16 lbs.
(07:08):
What can you even get in the UK for 16 lbs I.
Literally paid for my visa and had changed to buy a coffee on
my way back back to the train station.
It was quite. Amazing it was only four times
less expensive. Exactly.
Let me talk to you about the visa application process, Adam,
because my feeling of what it would be like and what it was
actually like was entirely different.
(07:29):
There's a series of documents that you have to prepare.
And I know this sounds like, oh,but I miss tropology stories.
This is a tropology story. It's interesting.
Just listen. So you've got an application
form, yeah. And your visa fee, OK.
And bank statements proving thatyou can survive whilst you're in
Japan. OK.
(07:49):
And is, is there sort of an amount of money, a threshold
that they're looking for either Japanese yen or U.S. dollars?
Yeah, it goes down. It fluctuates depending on
whether you have your outbound and return flights or whether
you don't. But you need like I think it's
something like 6000 lbs but I don't know the number directly
off the top of my head. How?
How many passion points are you?Do you have to prove?
(08:10):
Yeah, the amount of passion thatyou have for the country
fluctuates with the amount of money in your bank account.
If you've got a lot of money butyou're not very passionate,
you've got a bad chance because there's someone who's got a mere
penny in a boat full of passion,right?
So. As class.
OK. So yeah, organization.
That's the sum total of the bureaucracy though.
The other documents are more about you and what you're like.
(08:32):
You've got to do a full CV, right?
You've got to do a full 12 monthbreakdown of what you intend to
do whilst you're in the country,and then you've got to write a
personal statement declaring whyyou want to live in Japan for a
year. I mean, I absolutely love it.
It certainly makes it more personal.
And one has to assume that it's because there is going to be an
(08:52):
individual, a human with a brain, reading your application,
digesting everything you've spent hours and hours writing, I
imagine, and then making a decision as to whether you are
successful or not. Yeah, absolutely.
You've got to assume that someone's going through with a
fine Japanese tooth comb. Are you thinking like, is this
person the kind of person that we want to live in the country
for a year now? I took a holistic approach to
(09:17):
this whole thing. I looked at what was going on in
Japan, what I'd quite like to do.
I imported a list of activities into ChatGPT and I said, I want
to do this, this, this and this.Build me a 12 month itinerary so
that you know, I can hand that to the Japanese embassy.
Do you think that's an ethical approach?
(09:37):
I think it's just smart use of the tools available to me.
Totally. I mean, I'm, I'm here with my
mouth open going, Oh my God, I never would have thought of
that. I would have spent, yeah, I
would have wasted hours probablyproducing something that's far
worse, in all honesty. An itinerary done months in
advance of when you intend to goto a country that has to be so
rigid as to include a monthly breakdown can only ever be a
(10:00):
rough plan. So basically I, I thought, this
is exactly what ChatGPT is designed for.
I'll give it a list of things that I want to do and let it
flesh out a breakdown. And I actually think it was so
effective, I might use it more to plan trips in the future.
Oh really? That's a great thing, isn't it?
If I say, hey, I'm really interested in hiking, I'm really
interested in live music, I'm really interested in food.
(10:22):
I want to start in Tokyo and finish in Tokyo and I've got 12
months. Give me a month by month
breakdown of what I should do. I mean, that's so valid, isn't
it really useful? No, no, that is incredibly
useful. I mean, it would have taken even
someone who had lived in Japan for a long time, possibly
someone who even worked in Japanese tourism quite a long
time to give you something that would be as good.
(10:43):
Perhaps, you know, tailor it to your to your interests.
But I don't know whether I don'twant to say, say anything too
negative because we love Japan. We love Japanese people and
Japanese culture. However, I do think that asking
someone to produce AA12 month itinerary is is somewhat
redundant and I would have thought they probably know that.
Do you think that in in these types of situations when there
(11:05):
is a lot of admin involved, I sometimes feel like they're
trying to make the process so difficult and arduous that it
puts some people off? Yeah, I I agree with you to some
extent. I think there's a number of
reasons why they make it like that.
One of them I think is generallyto catch people out who are just
sort of applying for the wrong reasons or maybe don't quite
(11:27):
know what they're applying for. One of the things about the
working holiday visa is that thework is supposed to be
supplementary to the holiday. You're supposed to be like
travelling around Japan and doing a little bit of work and
they're trying to catch you out.If you go like here's my 12
month itinerary, I'm going to beworking in a cafe in Tokyo and
they're like, no, that's not what it's for.
(11:47):
So it's just kind of basically away of getting a tabs on what is
your intentions here, you know? OK.
So in terms of what you were writing down, how close was it
to what you actually wanted to do?
Or were you trying to second guess what you thought the
authorities wanted to hear? Well, I think at the very least,
like AI has provided me with a framework that it's not going to
be unuseful. I can look through that little
(12:10):
itinerary and pick out bits like, yeah, maybe I want to do
that, maybe I want to do this. And it doesn't have to be such a
rigid thing. I can kind of like use it to
inform some of the things I might like to do while I'm
sojourning about the country. Yeah, I'm jealous.
Well, you have to share the itinerary with me because I've
done a little bit around Japan. It be interesting to see whether
ChatGPT recommends anything thatI've done, and then I can second
(12:31):
that sort of an AIAC combo. There's only one thing better
than AI, and that's when you combine it with the knowledge of
you that's already been there, and the two of you, AI and Adam,
can combine to make a sort of Japanese megalithic pool of
data. There's one of the part of the
visa I want to talk about, mate,and that's the personal
statement. That's the bit where you say to
(12:53):
whom it may concern. This is why I want to go to
Japan. And that's a big old, long
process in itself that I want totalk about.
But first, we've got to go on a brief meditation break.
I hate arriving at an airport and needing to prove I have an
onward ticket before boarding the plane.
It's the worst. I don't know when I'm going to
(13:13):
leave the country. OK, I'm the traveller.
That's why instead of buying a flight, we use a flight rental
service. Yeah, it's so convenient.
You just find a flight, rent it for 48 hours.
So it's the assistant they let you on the plane.
Onwardticket.com They're a greatcompany.
Click the link in the description.
Support the podcast. Like a Mancunian rapping on the
(13:34):
door of the Japanese consulate in Edinburgh.
Allow your conscious mind to return into your brain.
Adam. I'm halfway through my Japanese
working holiday visa applicationand I've just finished the 12
month itinerary. Was was that a bow?
What is a bow? A bow.
Yeah. Well, it's a type of steamed
(13:54):
bun, I guess, if we're going to talk about the food that's often
filled with pork belly. But I thought you were literally
bowing forward as you said the words working holiday visa.
Maybe this Japanese application process is rubbing off on you.
Oh, like I'm showing respect forthe process by leaning forward
into the camera. Yes.
Perhaps it's a subconscious thing.
I have been immersing in Japanese culture over the last
(14:16):
little while, Adam. I had to write a personal
statement and I did that right. I said to whom it may concern.
I really, really want to go to Japan because I tried to, well,
I tried to put a lot of myself into that.
I was like, you know, I love hiking, I love nature, I love
travel. I love food and cuisine and
Japanese, Japanese food and cuisines always fascinated me.
(14:38):
And I wrote this A4 full A4 pagepersonal statement and I sent it
to some tribologists and said, hey, you know, do you think this
is along the right track? And they said to me when they
applied for their working holiday visa, they were turned
away and had to make another appointment because their
personal statement basically they said you can do hiking
(15:00):
anywhere, you can do surfing anywhere, you can do skiing
anywhere. So why do you specifically want
to come to Japan? Oh, I mean, that is a good piece
of advice because obviously whatwe can deduct from that is that
you have to make it so specific to Japan and yeah, Japan, the
country definitely focus on things that you can only do in
Japan and things that Japan is known for.
(15:21):
Yeah, So I changed it. I was like that piece of advice
forced me to go hyper personal. And I was like, ever since I was
a kid playing The Legend of Zelda on the N64, I like
developed this love for the Japanese art style and Japanese
music. And it, it really actually
forced me to go into myself and write a really personal
(15:43):
statement in a way that I think was really useful and maybe more
excited about Japan. And I think, oh, wow, that in a
lot of ways they're the way they've pitched this whole
working visa process does kind of get you excited in a way that
the Canadian application or the New Zealand or the Australian
one didn't. Yeah, I mean, ChatGPT is not
getting a look in. There's no way that ChatGPT
(16:04):
could come up with a personal statement like that that's
specific. And I think that's wicked.
I think the fact that you're already so invested through the
application process as a result of this personal statement, I
guess it gets you to sort of go sort of introspective and you
think, actually, yeah, what is it?
I love about Japan. And that's only going to pull
out really positive things. So go on then, yeah?
I actually have mad respect for the way they've set it up
(16:24):
because it's affordable so that anyone can do it.
It's so not prohibitive and it'sjust it's all about what is your
personal relationship with this country.
That means you're going to be a respectful, curious traveller
and that's what cultural exchange and travelling in that
way is all about. They've distilled down the
reasons why I think someone should want to do a working
(16:47):
holiday visa and forced you to ponder that as part of the
application process. Yeah, I mean, they flipped it on
its head. I'm, I'm like really quickly in
real time, trying to think aboutwhat it is about Japan.
You know, what would I write in that letter, for example?
I mean, I, I, I'm worried that Iwould just come up with a lot of
the same things that everyone else would.
(17:07):
So how how long did it take you to write this letter?
I would say I spent a weekend doing the whole thing.
Right. Yeah.
Yeah, putting my CV up today, doing the itinerary, getting the
personal statement. So it was a good weekend of of
work really figuring out how to do it.
It's such a shame that you nevergot the opportunity to actually
get to that part of the process because I think you'd have such
good things to say. Japan means so much to you,
(17:30):
really. I think you'd write such a great
personal statement. Yeah, I mean, the way I talk
about Japan and the way that I describe Japan to people who've
never been there is that it seems so familiar in so, so many
ways, but with like a Japanese filter over the top of it for,
for lack of a better word. I mean, I, I can guarantee you
that when you get to Japan, it will be exactly as you imagine
(17:51):
it. And I think, I think I mean that
in the best way possible. Everything that you've seen, all
of the content, all of the mediasurrounding it, old films, the
way that it's portrayed, the style, the fashion, you know,
the anime, all this kind of stuff, is that is that sort of
an area that interests you at all, Anime and manga?
Because unlike most Japanese fanatics, even though I've seen
quite a few anime films, some ofus, some of them we've seen
(18:13):
together, haven't we? Yeah, we have watched a few
together, yeah. That's very nice indeed.
Then. You know, I haven't really
flirted with that sort of stuff too much, even though that is a
very important part of the culture.
And there are some neighborhoodsin Tokyo that are completely
overrun by people in cosplay outfits and, you know, these
secondhand shops selling these, Yeah, Game Boys and Playstations
(18:35):
and Nintendos from, like, the 80s.
It interests me in the sense that, you know, I used to like
watch Pokémon when I was a kid and got into Nintendo video
games and and I've watched my fair share of Studio Ghibli.
I imagine that is the chief thing that's mentioned in these
personal statements is like anime manga, Studio Ghibli
staff. Spirited Away, I imagine is
(18:57):
typed more in those personal statements than any other thing.
Yeah, yeah. What about a kimono?
Did the. And parcels wearing what?
Geisha get adventured at all you're interested in Japanese.
Darts, No. Imagine if that was my opening
line. Hi, I'm Alan, 30 years old.
I would love to see a kimono live there where it happened.
(19:18):
So once you've got all those baddocuments, mate, you've got to
book an appointment online. You can go to London or to
Edinburgh. You have to apply from your home
country. So for me, those are the two
options. I made an appointment for like
10:30 in the morning, prime time, got on a train nice and
early, got to Edinburgh, got to the door of the consulate at
(19:39):
1025, knocked on the door and said hi, I've got an
appointment. They said what's your name?
I said it's Alan. They said you're 5 minutes early
for your appointment and I went,yeah, yeah, I'm 5 minutes early
and they went when we can't let you in, so it's time for your
appointment. And so I just stood on the door
(20:00):
of the consulate underneath the Japanese flag for 5 minutes
waiting. And bang on 10:30 the door
opened and I was letting. It was incredible.
That's absolutely amazing. I mean, very, very famously,
there was an article a couple ofyears ago that was where
published in the Japanese newspaper.
But a a national train company issued a public apology
(20:23):
basically because one of their trains left a station 20 seconds
early. And I mean, if that doesn't tell
you everything you need to know about Japanese culture, then I
don't know what will. But yeah, that's amazing.
So you got you got let in. What were you wearing?
I dressed a little bit smart. I had a little shirt on, but not
too smart for them to think thatwas fuddy Duddy and wasn't
(20:43):
pretty cool to have in the country.
I always think, like going to anembassy to try and get a visa is
a bit like going on a first datewhere I'm trying to be really.
I'm like, I'm cool, I'm relaxed,please give me a visa.
Yeah, but I went in. It was a nice conversation.
They basically just took my documents.
And then because it was over Easter, it took a little bit
(21:04):
longer. I think from handing my visa in
to being able to pick it up. It was about 7 or 8 days.
I mean, that is so fast. I think that's so fast.
And I, I wonder, don't feel likeyou have to know this answer,
but there, there must be a quota, right of people that are
from the UK that are able to getvisas into Japan now.
(21:26):
I would be quite surprised if it's as many as a couple of
1000. Yeah.
Well, you're, you're, you were so right.
But it's recently increased by amassive amount.
So I don't have the specific numbers, we can write them in
the description, but the quota that used to be the case a few
years ago is now drastically increased.
Oh, just to rub salt into the wound.
Just to rub soy sauce into the womb.
(21:49):
That's awesome, man. I mean, tell me about the
feeling when you, when you went to collect your passport, you
opened it up and there it was. That that because it is a paper,
you know an insert isn't it intoyour passport.
Yeah, I went, I picked it up andbut I was still not as I was
invited back. They were like, oh, come and
pick up your visa on the 23rd orthey said book a visa collection
(22:10):
appointment. But I was still a little bit
concerned that I'd get there andbe like, oh, your visa's being
denied. Well, here's your passport back.
You know, you leave your passport with them.
So I still had a little bit of concern.
And then I got there and they were like, OK, can you pay your
16 LB visa fit? Here's your visa.
I saw it and I was like, Oh yes.And I was like, yeah, I'll just
pay on card, please. And they were like, no, no cash
(22:30):
only. You're joking because it's.
And then you had that moment where I was like, I'd booked an
appointment. I was in Edinburgh for that day.
I was like, OK, I'm going to go right now.
I promise I'll be back right nowand don't RIP the page out of my
passport. Still let me have the visa.
I'll get bring pass straight back right now.
And then I ran, had to get cash,brought it back, 20 lbs, four
pound change, bought a coffee onthe way home.
(22:51):
That whole story that you already know.
Very, very nice to have the insurance of a visa, that
knowledge that I can continue totravel.
And if I need some more money, if all our Patreon subscribers
jump ship and one of them says something offensive and no one
wants to listen to topology anymore, I can like do a working
holiday in Japan. That's very beautiful.
Well, I just think what an amazing moment in your life,
(23:14):
what an amazing time in our friendship, what an amazing time
for Tripology. Because in terms of social media
content, I mean, Japan, along with probably places like India
are at the very, very top of thetree in, in my opinion.
So I can't wait for it, man. I just, I can't wait until you
get over there. You're going to do what all the
other expats do, which is fucking wear really large
(23:37):
platform shoes and dye their hair blue.
Yeah. Well, look forward to that.
It's going to be a very, very different time, Anthropology.
So that's my working holiday visa, man.
Like I say, what a beautiful thing to have and there's going
to be obviously, you know, I've got 12 months to enter Japan
from now. So sometime in the future, all
those Japan fanatics out there, there's going to be some good
(23:57):
topology content. But I want to, before we go,
talk a little bit about you mate, because it's been a while
since we've talked. Every time you said, Alan, can
we have a chat? I've said I'm busy waiting for
my passport back. So what's going on with you
mate? Where are you right now?
Well, I might look the same as Idid last week, but I'm actually
somewhere much further South. I took the decision just three
(24:18):
days ago to fly all the way fromAuckland on the North Island all
the way down to Queenstown in the South Island, because it's
getting to that time of year where people are going to start
moving S The snow's going to come in the next few months and
then the ski season's going to get going.
So it's a very crucial time in New Zealand at the moment
because if you do want to find work and you want to find
(24:38):
accommodation in these very small busy towns, there's,
there's probably a couple of weeks where you know, if you
miss the boat, then you'll be, you'll be out on your ear.
So I'm down in Queenstown, mate,somewhere that I've been before.
I did venture out for a Little Ferg burger earlier, you'll be
pleased to know. But I'm currently sat at the
reception of a hostel called theFlaming Kiwi, Flaming Kiwi
(25:00):
Backpackers. Can you see it there down in
Queenstown? They have been very
accommodating indeed and they basically let me take over the
reception desk for the. Show Wow.
So I didn't actually know. You told me at the top of the
show that you'd done a receptiontakeover.
Well, in my head I thought that you had exchanged working behind
(25:22):
the reception for a private roomin which to record.
I didn't for a second think thatyou were now at the reception
desk. I am, I am, so hopefully there's
no late check insurance because there'll be a guest appearing on
the show. Right.
So yeah, of course it's late. It's PM for you and it's AM for
me. So you're like just the door of
the hostel's locked and you're hoping no one will arrive?
(25:42):
Fingers crossed. I mean we, we, yeah, we're not
due any guests and I'm going to have to make it up on the fly as
to the, the checking in routine.But this is it mate.
I mean, how accommodating is that?
It's a wicked hostel as well. They've got some, you know,
premium cabins out the back and some dorms and it's a, a very
familial feel with nice sort of common room and all that sort of
(26:03):
stuff. It is lovely to be back in a
hostel. I mean, you've now spent quite a
bit of time out of 1. I don't know if you're, if
you're itching to get back into one.
But yeah, all, all exciting things ahead.
It's not so much the flaming Kiwi outside, it's more like the
freezing Kiwi because it's the temperature's dropped.
It actually looks quite similar to where we were living in
Canada, mate, in terms of the flora and fauna at the moment.
(26:25):
Nice autumn colours. Well, that's amazing.
I don't know much about Ornithology, don't know whether
a Kiwi would fare better in a hot condition where it might
begin to flame or a cold condition where it might begin
to freeze. But those are the kind of things
that I love to ponder. I'm happy that you're somewhere
where you can buckle down and doa bit of work.
I'm actually thinking like, well, I'm about to jet off to
(26:48):
the Philippines. Like the next time I speak to
you, I'll likely be there or in transit to get there.
So I'm doing all sorts of admin on my end.
I think in the Lost and Found section in Patron, I'm going to
talk about booking a flight and that whole process.
So if you're interested in that,people should head over to
Patreon. Patreon.com/tripology podcast
Now you didn't mention mate thatwhether you have to speak any
(27:09):
Japanese or not. Is that something they ask on
the application form? Very uninterested in whether I
spoke Japanese or not. I actually said I've got to be
honest, I'm not very good at learning languages and I
probably won't try, but I'd still like to come and enjoy the
sushi. Well, maybe in the Patreon
section as well. I'll teach you a few phrases
that I've managed to remember from my time in Japan.
(27:31):
Otherwise, guys, head over to atTripology podcast on Instagram.
There's some cool stuff going onthere all the time.
Yeah, and if you've got any questions for me and Adam, like
Alan, you know, you talk about Japan a lot, but I'm thinking
about going there. What should I do?
What did your ChatGPT said? Mine's broken.
You can ask that over tripologypodcast.com hostel
common room contact form. And if you want me to come and
take over your hostel reception,then just flick as a message on
(27:54):
Instagram. I'd love to speak to you.
I'm a professional. At Tripology Podcast, and we'll
see you all on the next week's episode of Tripology where I'll
be in Transient, Adam will be inQueenstown.
We're talking about all sorts ofcrazy things.
It's going to be exciting. Tell your friends to meet you
there and we'll see you next week.
See you there. Bye.
I can legally work in Japan. Ricotto goes Imus.
Welcome to this episode of Tripology.
(00:21):
I'm Alan and I'm here with the ever kawaii Adam.
Thank you ever so much mate, that's one of my favorite
adjectives so far. It's not one of my favorite
adjectives. Want to know why?
It's 'cause I said, Adam, what shall I call you in Japanese?
And you, being the Japanese expert that you are, said why
not for kawaii? What does it mean?
(00:41):
It means cute things that are cute things that, you know what,
it's like Japanese cartoons. There is this very strange
culture that exists in Japan where they like fluffy animals
and I don't know, like cartoon characters with big bulging
eyes, puppy dog eyes and that sort of stuff.
All that kind of thing is referred to as kawaii.
(01:04):
Maybe if you're going into a cafe, for example, and there are
some beautiful little kittens there, you say, oh, go away.
Well, there is something cute about you.
Don't disagree, and I know a lotof our listeners vehemently
agree with that statement, but why on earth are we talking
about Japan? And in order to answer that
question, I have to turn the time Turner thricely and go
(01:27):
back-to-back. When I was in Brazil, I was
feeling ever so much 30 years old, and I was looking over my
list of travel achievements. Oh, remember the time where I
jumped into the Nile? Remember the time where I came
face to face with that chimpanzee?
I was thinking back on all the things that I've done and I
thought, God, you know, what really is missing from my
(01:50):
journey is a good stint in the beautiful country of Japan.
Yeah, it's amazing mate. I, I mean, I'll be honest, it's
one of the best countries I've been to, if we can say that sort
of stuff. I absolutely love it.
I've been there three times in the last four years.
I'm somewhat of an addict. And to be honest with you mate,
I'm quite surprised you've left it this long.
(02:10):
Yeah, and you're constantly there.
And that serves as a reminder tome of my own inadequacies when
it comes to visiting that beautiful nation.
So I was in Brazil. I was feeling like, God, I
really want to go to Japan. I looked at the prices and I was
like, I actually can't go to Japan unless Tripology suddenly
(02:30):
becomes the world's biggest travel podcast in a manner much
more sudden than we're currentlyworking towards at the moment.
It's slow growth, baby. So, you know, I thought, God,
how am I going to do that? And just out of curiosity,
melancholy curiosity because I thought there's no chance, I
googled working holiday visas inJapan and I was shocked,
(02:51):
absolutely shocked to find that you could apply anytime before
your 31st birthday. OK.
I mean, that's already a good start.
Did you have any other visas to choose from at all?
It was a choice. The only working holiday visas
that I can apply for now at my age, Japanese working holiday
visa and the South Korean working holiday visa.
(03:14):
So it's between those two. I thought wow, what a great
opportunity to visit Japan. I know that you can't tell from
my sun damaged skin and beard, but I am actually young enough
to do that. Why not fill out the application
form? So I came back to the UK
specifically to get that application in before my 31st
(03:35):
birthday, and I've been living that process out for the last
few weeks. I mean, you're certainly the
right man to ask because it is so fresh, because you have
perhaps been successful, but I had a very negative experience
when I was applying for my Japanese visa.
Because you'll be able to tell me, correct me if you can.
I was refused a Japanese workingholiday visa not because of my
(03:58):
age, but because I wasn't livingin the UK 12 months prior to a
applying. Yeah, and that story, like a
famous Adam story being refused the Japanese working holiday
visa was weighing heavy in my mind.
I actually reached out to a couple of tropologists so I know
have been applying for working holiday visas in Japan, and they
(04:19):
told me that they both were turned away and invited back and
had to reapply at a later date because of various things that
were wrong with their application.
There's a real distinction, Adam, between the working
holidays I've done in the past and I've been to Australia,
Canada, New Zealand, all of those were shared this thing or
they were extraordinarily expensive.
(04:40):
I don't want to say extraordinarily expensive, they
are affordable. But how much?
How much was your New Zealand working holiday visa that you're
currently using? 800 New Zealand dollars.
So that's expensive, right? Yeah, that's roughly £400,
something like that. Plus all the time you put in,
you've got to go up to the, you know, an approved doctor's
surgery to get her medical and, and all that sort of stuff.
(05:00):
So it, it gets pretty expensive.But yeah, we're talking probably
not much change out of $1000. It's a hefty fee, very, very
worth it in my opinion. And then a lot of bureaucratic
documents. You've got to, like, do your
medical examination. You've got to do police checks
and that sort of thing as well. Yeah.
Yeah, all that sort of stuff. And do you know what?
(05:20):
When I applied for my New Zealand visa, I had just come
back after being approved my PR for Canada.
So I already had been through all of those checks within the
last six months or something because you've got to go to a
doctor's, you've got to get yourlungs tested and go for a
medical and, you know, get your biometrics done and all this
sort of stuff. So I already had all of those
(05:42):
results back and I sort of said to the New Zealand government,
the authorities, you like Canada, don't you, you know.
We don't trust those Canadian police checks, Matt.
Not worth the paper they're reading on.
Is it not like a, is it not likea share of information, you
know, like PR for Canada, you know, it's within six months,
probably the same. And they were like, no, no, we
(06:03):
don't use the same doctors. There's a New Zealand approved
doctor up in London and it costsyou an arm and a leg.
So go and do that please. We will not accept anything
else. And I don't doubt that the
Japanese process was any different.
Well, you should doubt it because I'm about to tell you
something. The Japanese visa is completely
different. The focus is not on bureaucracy
of any kind. There's very, very little in the
(06:25):
way of like, oh, I've got to check you haven't got
tuberculosis and make sure that the police aren't after you.
What the Japanese visa process cares most about is your passion
and desire to visit Japan. As a fan of the country, as
someone who wants to visit, the visa fee is 16 British pounds
(06:47):
and that's the only money that changes hands.
It's the cheapest working holiday visa I've ever even
thought about applying for, and I've thought about applying for
some fucking working holiday visas in my time, so that's a
beautiful surprise, isn't it? 16 English pounds Yeah, I mean,
I'm got I am gobsmacked, but whydon't more people know about
this? 16 lbs.
(07:08):
What can you even get in the UK for 16 lbs I.
Literally paid for my visa and had changed to buy a coffee on
my way back back to the train station.
It was quite. Amazing it was only four times
less expensive. Exactly.
Let me talk to you about the visa application process, Adam,
because my feeling of what it would be like and what it was
actually like was entirely different.
(07:29):
There's a series of documents that you have to prepare.
And I know this sounds like, oh,but I miss tropology stories.
This is a tropology story. It's interesting.
Just listen. So you've got an application
form, yeah. And your visa fee, OK.
And bank statements proving thatyou can survive whilst you're in
Japan. OK.
(07:49):
And is, is there sort of an amount of money, a threshold
that they're looking for either Japanese yen or U.S. dollars?
Yeah, it goes down. It fluctuates depending on
whether you have your outbound and return flights or whether
you don't. But you need like I think it's
something like 6000 lbs but I don't know the number directly
off the top of my head. How?
How many passion points are you?Do you have to prove?
(08:10):
Yeah, the amount of passion thatyou have for the country
fluctuates with the amount of money in your bank account.
If you've got a lot of money butyou're not very passionate,
you've got a bad chance because there's someone who's got a mere
penny in a boat full of passion,right?
So. As class.
OK. So yeah, organization.
That's the sum total of the bureaucracy though.
The other documents are more about you and what you're like.
(08:32):
You've got to do a full CV, right?
You've got to do a full 12 monthbreakdown of what you intend to
do whilst you're in the country,and then you've got to write a
personal statement declaring whyyou want to live in Japan for a
year. I mean, I absolutely love it.
It certainly makes it more personal.
And one has to assume that it's because there is going to be an
(08:52):
individual, a human with a brain, reading your application,
digesting everything you've spent hours and hours writing, I
imagine, and then making a decision as to whether you are
successful or not. Yeah, absolutely.
You've got to assume that someone's going through with a
fine Japanese tooth comb. Are you thinking like, is this
person the kind of person that we want to live in the country
for a year now? I took a holistic approach to
(09:17):
this whole thing. I looked at what was going on in
Japan, what I'd quite like to do.
I imported a list of activities into ChatGPT and I said, I want
to do this, this, this and this.Build me a 12 month itinerary so
that you know, I can hand that to the Japanese embassy.
Do you think that's an ethical approach?
(09:37):
I think it's just smart use of the tools available to me.
Totally. I mean, I'm, I'm here with my
mouth open going, Oh my God, I never would have thought of
that. I would have spent, yeah, I
would have wasted hours probablyproducing something that's far
worse, in all honesty. An itinerary done months in
advance of when you intend to goto a country that has to be so
rigid as to include a monthly breakdown can only ever be a
(10:00):
rough plan. So basically I, I thought, this
is exactly what ChatGPT is designed for.
I'll give it a list of things that I want to do and let it
flesh out a breakdown. And I actually think it was so
effective, I might use it more to plan trips in the future.
Oh really? That's a great thing, isn't it?
If I say, hey, I'm really interested in hiking, I'm really
interested in live music, I'm really interested in food.
(10:22):
I want to start in Tokyo and finish in Tokyo and I've got 12
months. Give me a month by month
breakdown of what I should do. I mean, that's so valid, isn't
it really useful? No, no, that is incredibly
useful. I mean, it would have taken even
someone who had lived in Japan for a long time, possibly
someone who even worked in Japanese tourism quite a long
time to give you something that would be as good.
(10:43):
Perhaps, you know, tailor it to your to your interests.
But I don't know whether I don'twant to say, say anything too
negative because we love Japan. We love Japanese people and
Japanese culture. However, I do think that asking
someone to produce AA12 month itinerary is is somewhat
redundant and I would have thought they probably know that.
Do you think that in in these types of situations when there
(11:05):
is a lot of admin involved, I sometimes feel like they're
trying to make the process so difficult and arduous that it
puts some people off? Yeah, I I agree with you to some
extent. I think there's a number of
reasons why they make it like that.
One of them I think is generallyto catch people out who are just
sort of applying for the wrong reasons or maybe don't quite
(11:27):
know what they're applying for. One of the things about the
working holiday visa is that thework is supposed to be
supplementary to the holiday. You're supposed to be like
travelling around Japan and doing a little bit of work and
they're trying to catch you out.If you go like here's my 12
month itinerary, I'm going to beworking in a cafe in Tokyo and
they're like, no, that's not what it's for.
(11:47):
So it's just kind of basically away of getting a tabs on what is
your intentions here, you know? OK.
So in terms of what you were writing down, how close was it
to what you actually wanted to do?
Or were you trying to second guess what you thought the
authorities wanted to hear? Well, I think at the very least,
like AI has provided me with a framework that it's not going to
be unuseful. I can look through that little
(12:10):
itinerary and pick out bits like, yeah, maybe I want to do
that, maybe I want to do this. And it doesn't have to be such a
rigid thing. I can kind of like use it to
inform some of the things I might like to do while I'm
sojourning about the country. Yeah, I'm jealous.
Well, you have to share the itinerary with me because I've
done a little bit around Japan. It be interesting to see whether
ChatGPT recommends anything thatI've done, and then I can second
(12:31):
that sort of an AIAC combo. There's only one thing better
than AI, and that's when you combine it with the knowledge of
you that's already been there, and the two of you, AI and Adam,
can combine to make a sort of Japanese megalithic pool of
data. There's one of the part of the
visa I want to talk about, mate,and that's the personal
statement. That's the bit where you say to
(12:53):
whom it may concern. This is why I want to go to
Japan. And that's a big old, long
process in itself that I want totalk about.
But first, we've got to go on a brief meditation break.
I hate arriving at an airport and needing to prove I have an
onward ticket before boarding the plane.
It's the worst. I don't know when I'm going to
(13:13):
leave the country. OK, I'm the traveller.
That's why instead of buying a flight, we use a flight rental
service. Yeah, it's so convenient.
You just find a flight, rent it for 48 hours.
So it's the assistant they let you on the plane.
Onwardticket.com They're a greatcompany.
Click the link in the description.
Support the podcast. Like a Mancunian rapping on the
(13:34):
door of the Japanese consulate in Edinburgh.
Allow your conscious mind to return into your brain.
Adam. I'm halfway through my Japanese
working holiday visa applicationand I've just finished the 12
month itinerary. Was was that a bow?
What is a bow? A bow.
Yeah. Well, it's a type of steamed
(13:54):
bun, I guess, if we're going to talk about the food that's often
filled with pork belly. But I thought you were literally
bowing forward as you said the words working holiday visa.
Maybe this Japanese application process is rubbing off on you.
Oh, like I'm showing respect forthe process by leaning forward
into the camera. Yes.
Perhaps it's a subconscious thing.
I have been immersing in Japanese culture over the last
(14:16):
little while, Adam. I had to write a personal
statement and I did that right. I said to whom it may concern.
I really, really want to go to Japan because I tried to, well,
I tried to put a lot of myself into that.
I was like, you know, I love hiking, I love nature, I love
travel. I love food and cuisine and
Japanese, Japanese food and cuisines always fascinated me.
(14:38):
And I wrote this A4 full A4 pagepersonal statement and I sent it
to some tribologists and said, hey, you know, do you think this
is along the right track? And they said to me when they
applied for their working holiday visa, they were turned
away and had to make another appointment because their
personal statement basically they said you can do hiking
(15:00):
anywhere, you can do surfing anywhere, you can do skiing
anywhere. So why do you specifically want
to come to Japan? Oh, I mean, that is a good piece
of advice because obviously whatwe can deduct from that is that
you have to make it so specific to Japan and yeah, Japan, the
country definitely focus on things that you can only do in
Japan and things that Japan is known for.
(15:21):
Yeah, So I changed it. I was like that piece of advice
forced me to go hyper personal. And I was like, ever since I was
a kid playing The Legend of Zelda on the N64, I like
developed this love for the Japanese art style and Japanese
music. And it, it really actually
forced me to go into myself and write a really personal
(15:43):
statement in a way that I think was really useful and maybe more
excited about Japan. And I think, oh, wow, that in a
lot of ways they're the way they've pitched this whole
working visa process does kind of get you excited in a way that
the Canadian application or the New Zealand or the Australian
one didn't. Yeah, I mean, ChatGPT is not
getting a look in. There's no way that ChatGPT
(16:04):
could come up with a personal statement like that that's
specific. And I think that's wicked.
I think the fact that you're already so invested through the
application process as a result of this personal statement, I
guess it gets you to sort of go sort of introspective and you
think, actually, yeah, what is it?
I love about Japan. And that's only going to pull
out really positive things. So go on then, yeah?
I actually have mad respect for the way they've set it up
(16:24):
because it's affordable so that anyone can do it.
It's so not prohibitive and it'sjust it's all about what is your
personal relationship with this country.
That means you're going to be a respectful, curious traveller
and that's what cultural exchange and travelling in that
way is all about. They've distilled down the
reasons why I think someone should want to do a working
(16:47):
holiday visa and forced you to ponder that as part of the
application process. Yeah, I mean, they flipped it on
its head. I'm, I'm like really quickly in
real time, trying to think aboutwhat it is about Japan.
You know, what would I write in that letter, for example?
I mean, I, I, I'm worried that Iwould just come up with a lot of
the same things that everyone else would.
(17:07):
So how how long did it take you to write this letter?
I would say I spent a weekend doing the whole thing.
Right. Yeah.
Yeah, putting my CV up today, doing the itinerary, getting the
personal statement. So it was a good weekend of of
work really figuring out how to do it.
It's such a shame that you nevergot the opportunity to actually
get to that part of the process because I think you'd have such
good things to say. Japan means so much to you,
(17:30):
really. I think you'd write such a great
personal statement. Yeah, I mean, the way I talk
about Japan and the way that I describe Japan to people who've
never been there is that it seems so familiar in so, so many
ways, but with like a Japanese filter over the top of it for,
for lack of a better word. I mean, I, I can guarantee you
that when you get to Japan, it will be exactly as you imagine
(17:51):
it. And I think, I think I mean that
in the best way possible. Everything that you've seen, all
of the content, all of the mediasurrounding it, old films, the
way that it's portrayed, the style, the fashion, you know,
the anime, all this kind of stuff, is that is that sort of
an area that interests you at all, Anime and manga?
Because unlike most Japanese fanatics, even though I've seen
quite a few anime films, some ofus, some of them we've seen
(18:13):
together, haven't we? Yeah, we have watched a few
together, yeah. That's very nice indeed.
Then. You know, I haven't really
flirted with that sort of stuff too much, even though that is a
very important part of the culture.
And there are some neighborhoodsin Tokyo that are completely
overrun by people in cosplay outfits and, you know, these
secondhand shops selling these, Yeah, Game Boys and Playstations
(18:35):
and Nintendos from, like, the 80s.
It interests me in the sense that, you know, I used to like
watch Pokémon when I was a kid and got into Nintendo video
games and and I've watched my fair share of Studio Ghibli.
I imagine that is the chief thing that's mentioned in these
personal statements is like anime manga, Studio Ghibli
staff. Spirited Away, I imagine is
(18:57):
typed more in those personal statements than any other thing.
Yeah, yeah. What about a kimono?
Did the. And parcels wearing what?
Geisha get adventured at all you're interested in Japanese.
Darts, No. Imagine if that was my opening
line. Hi, I'm Alan, 30 years old.
I would love to see a kimono live there where it happened.
(19:18):
So once you've got all those baddocuments, mate, you've got to
book an appointment online. You can go to London or to
Edinburgh. You have to apply from your home
country. So for me, those are the two
options. I made an appointment for like
10:30 in the morning, prime time, got on a train nice and
early, got to Edinburgh, got to the door of the consulate at
(19:39):
1025, knocked on the door and said hi, I've got an
appointment. They said what's your name?
I said it's Alan. They said you're 5 minutes early
for your appointment and I went,yeah, yeah, I'm 5 minutes early
and they went when we can't let you in, so it's time for your
appointment. And so I just stood on the door
(20:00):
of the consulate underneath the Japanese flag for 5 minutes
waiting. And bang on 10:30 the door
opened and I was letting. It was incredible.
That's absolutely amazing. I mean, very, very famously,
there was an article a couple ofyears ago that was where
published in the Japanese newspaper.
But a a national train company issued a public apology
(20:23):
basically because one of their trains left a station 20 seconds
early. And I mean, if that doesn't tell
you everything you need to know about Japanese culture, then I
don't know what will. But yeah, that's amazing.
So you got you got let in. What were you wearing?
I dressed a little bit smart. I had a little shirt on, but not
too smart for them to think thatwas fuddy Duddy and wasn't
(20:43):
pretty cool to have in the country.
I always think, like going to anembassy to try and get a visa is
a bit like going on a first datewhere I'm trying to be really.
I'm like, I'm cool, I'm relaxed,please give me a visa.
Yeah, but I went in. It was a nice conversation.
They basically just took my documents.
And then because it was over Easter, it took a little bit
(21:04):
longer. I think from handing my visa in
to being able to pick it up. It was about 7 or 8 days.
I mean, that is so fast. I think that's so fast.
And I, I wonder, don't feel likeyou have to know this answer,
but there, there must be a quota, right of people that are
from the UK that are able to getvisas into Japan now.
(21:26):
I would be quite surprised if it's as many as a couple of
1000. Yeah.
Well, you're, you're, you were so right.
But it's recently increased by amassive amount.
So I don't have the specific numbers, we can write them in
the description, but the quota that used to be the case a few
years ago is now drastically increased.
Oh, just to rub salt into the wound.
Just to rub soy sauce into the womb.
(21:49):
That's awesome, man. I mean, tell me about the
feeling when you, when you went to collect your passport, you
opened it up and there it was. That that because it is a paper,
you know an insert isn't it intoyour passport.
Yeah, I went, I picked it up andbut I was still not as I was
invited back. They were like, oh, come and
pick up your visa on the 23rd orthey said book a visa collection
(22:10):
appointment. But I was still a little bit
concerned that I'd get there andbe like, oh, your visa's being
denied. Well, here's your passport back.
You know, you leave your passport with them.
So I still had a little bit of concern.
And then I got there and they were like, OK, can you pay your
16 LB visa fit? Here's your visa.
I saw it and I was like, Oh yes.And I was like, yeah, I'll just
pay on card, please. And they were like, no, no cash
(22:30):
only. You're joking because it's.
And then you had that moment where I was like, I'd booked an
appointment. I was in Edinburgh for that day.
I was like, OK, I'm going to go right now.
I promise I'll be back right nowand don't RIP the page out of my
passport. Still let me have the visa.
I'll get bring pass straight back right now.
And then I ran, had to get cash,brought it back, 20 lbs, four
pound change, bought a coffee onthe way home.
(22:51):
That whole story that you already know.
Very, very nice to have the insurance of a visa, that
knowledge that I can continue totravel.
And if I need some more money, if all our Patreon subscribers
jump ship and one of them says something offensive and no one
wants to listen to topology anymore, I can like do a working
holiday in Japan. That's very beautiful.
Well, I just think what an amazing moment in your life,
(23:14):
what an amazing time in our friendship, what an amazing time
for Tripology. Because in terms of social media
content, I mean, Japan, along with probably places like India
are at the very, very top of thetree in, in my opinion.
So I can't wait for it, man. I just, I can't wait until you
get over there. You're going to do what all the
other expats do, which is fucking wear really large
(23:37):
platform shoes and dye their hair blue.
Yeah. Well, look forward to that.
It's going to be a very, very different time, Anthropology.
So that's my working holiday visa, man.
Like I say, what a beautiful thing to have and there's going
to be obviously, you know, I've got 12 months to enter Japan
from now. So sometime in the future, all
those Japan fanatics out there, there's going to be some good
(23:57):
topology content. But I want to, before we go,
talk a little bit about you mate, because it's been a while
since we've talked. Every time you said, Alan, can
we have a chat? I've said I'm busy waiting for
my passport back. So what's going on with you
mate? Where are you right now?
Well, I might look the same as Idid last week, but I'm actually
somewhere much further South. I took the decision just three
(24:18):
days ago to fly all the way fromAuckland on the North Island all
the way down to Queenstown in the South Island, because it's
getting to that time of year where people are going to start
moving S The snow's going to come in the next few months and
then the ski season's going to get going.
So it's a very crucial time in New Zealand at the moment
because if you do want to find work and you want to find
(24:38):
accommodation in these very small busy towns, there's,
there's probably a couple of weeks where you know, if you
miss the boat, then you'll be, you'll be out on your ear.
So I'm down in Queenstown, mate,somewhere that I've been before.
I did venture out for a Little Ferg burger earlier, you'll be
pleased to know. But I'm currently sat at the
reception of a hostel called theFlaming Kiwi, Flaming Kiwi
(25:00):
Backpackers. Can you see it there down in
Queenstown? They have been very
accommodating indeed and they basically let me take over the
reception desk for the. Show Wow.
So I didn't actually know. You told me at the top of the
show that you'd done a receptiontakeover.
Well, in my head I thought that you had exchanged working behind
(25:22):
the reception for a private roomin which to record.
I didn't for a second think thatyou were now at the reception
desk. I am, I am, so hopefully there's
no late check insurance because there'll be a guest appearing on
the show. Right.
So yeah, of course it's late. It's PM for you and it's AM for
me. So you're like just the door of
the hostel's locked and you're hoping no one will arrive?
(25:42):
Fingers crossed. I mean we, we, yeah, we're not
due any guests and I'm going to have to make it up on the fly as
to the, the checking in routine.But this is it mate.
I mean, how accommodating is that?
It's a wicked hostel as well. They've got some, you know,
premium cabins out the back and some dorms and it's a, a very
familial feel with nice sort of common room and all that sort of
(26:03):
stuff. It is lovely to be back in a
hostel. I mean, you've now spent quite a
bit of time out of 1. I don't know if you're, if
you're itching to get back into one.
But yeah, all, all exciting things ahead.
It's not so much the flaming Kiwi outside, it's more like the
freezing Kiwi because it's the temperature's dropped.
It actually looks quite similar to where we were living in
Canada, mate, in terms of the flora and fauna at the moment.
(26:25):
Nice autumn colours. Well, that's amazing.
I don't know much about Ornithology, don't know whether
a Kiwi would fare better in a hot condition where it might
begin to flame or a cold condition where it might begin
to freeze. But those are the kind of things
that I love to ponder. I'm happy that you're somewhere
where you can buckle down and doa bit of work.
I'm actually thinking like, well, I'm about to jet off to
(26:48):
the Philippines. Like the next time I speak to
you, I'll likely be there or in transit to get there.
So I'm doing all sorts of admin on my end.
I think in the Lost and Found section in Patron, I'm going to
talk about booking a flight and that whole process.
So if you're interested in that,people should head over to
Patreon. Patreon.com/tripology podcast
Now you didn't mention mate thatwhether you have to speak any
(27:09):
Japanese or not. Is that something they ask on
the application form? Very uninterested in whether I
spoke Japanese or not. I actually said I've got to be
honest, I'm not very good at learning languages and I
probably won't try, but I'd still like to come and enjoy the
sushi. Well, maybe in the Patreon
section as well. I'll teach you a few phrases
that I've managed to remember from my time in Japan.
(27:31):
Otherwise, guys, head over to atTripology podcast on Instagram.
There's some cool stuff going onthere all the time.
Yeah, and if you've got any questions for me and Adam, like
Alan, you know, you talk about Japan a lot, but I'm thinking
about going there. What should I do?
What did your ChatGPT said? Mine's broken.
You can ask that over tripologypodcast.com hostel
common room contact form. And if you want me to come and
take over your hostel reception,then just flick as a message on
(27:54):
Instagram. I'd love to speak to you.
I'm a professional. At Tripology Podcast, and we'll
see you all on the next week's episode of Tripology where I'll
be in Transient, Adam will be inQueenstown.
We're talking about all sorts ofcrazy things.
It's going to be exciting. Tell your friends to meet you
there and we'll see you next week.
See you there. Bye.
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