Making Plans

 To help me stay focused on my diet and exercise, I make plans.

I find making goals of losing X amount by a certain date doesn't inspire me, but having a goal of doing something or going somewhere really helps.

Hannah and I have been making plans to visit a few different places in Japan and to watch another musical. One place, maybe next month, depending on Hannah's schedule, then going to see Phantom of the Opera on Christmas Day, then a couple of overnight trips next year!

Just writing that makes me excited, but I also realise I have a lot of work to do, not just to get a lot healthier so I can enjoy myself, but also all the money I will need!

The place we are planning to visit next month is just a train ride away. It's a lovely city called Hita. There is an area called Mameda, which is modelled after Kyoto, with lots of lovely old buildings that house museums and shops selling local crafts! I've watched a couple of videos, and it looks really stunning, but a lot of walking!

Next spring, we are planning on going to Aichi Prefecture to see an open-air museum called Meji-Mura. To get there takes about 3hours by shinkansen (bullet train) or plane. All of the transportation and hotel bookings I leave up to Hannah. I don't know if she enjoys doing that, but she is very good a finding the best deals!

I got the idea to visit Meji-Mura from a video I was watching. 

I'm so inspired by this lady. I'm not sure when I first came across her videos, but I love her can-do attitude. She moved from New Zealand to restart her life in her 50s. I remember thinking when I first came across her YouTube channel that she is embracing a new life in her 50s, moving from one country to another, with all the problems that come with that, she shows courage and determination to have a wonderful life.  Here's me just moving from one city to another, not wanting to embrace anything new because I'm in my early 60s, and think I should be settled! I need her determination and courage to face things!

Here's the link to the video of Meji-Mura.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9C3-p8ZSGhk&t=294s

Please watch and subscribe, she is really incredible!

The other plan Hannah and I have is for September. There are several national holidays in September that are usually spread out over the month, but next year, there are 3 consecutive days, 4 if you count the Sunday of holidays. This doesn't happen very often, but when it does, it's a great chance to get away. We are thinking of going to Osaka, maybe see a musical, visit nearby Wakayama because there is a train station that has a cat as its train station master!

There is this cute train, called the Tama Train, named after the original cat, that you can ride. I need to check where this goes, but I think some lovely stations have nice cafes nearby to enjoy lunch.
We are still deciding what to do on the other days, lots of choices, but I don't want to go to the overly touristy places.

So lots of plans, which means lots of work! 

But I think it's good for me. Whenever I get tempted to eat something that I shouldn't or skip my exercise, I remember what I want to do!

The first goal is to be able to walk for 15 minutes without being in too much pain! So I have some chair exercise videos saved, and as the weather cools down, I'll start taking little walks around the neighbourhood!