Nicole meet Instagram, Instagram meet Nicole

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Ebisubashi Bridge in Osaka. Best food in Osaka in the area

Late bloomage is kind of like my modus operandi. I didn't have my first boyfriend until I was 19, I didn't start traveling seriously until my late 20's, and I didn't install the mother of all photo app's until about three weeks ago while in Japan. Better late than never, I reckon.

Exploring Kyoto: Impressions of Japan's Former Capital City

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Tourist dressed as Geisha as part of the Geisha experience

I made my way to Kyoto late last week after a few days in Osaka. Kyoto is such an enchanting city. I didn't have enough time to explore it all but spent hours admiring the district of Gion, sampling Japanese treats in the Nishiki Market and trekking through the maze of torri at the Fushimi Inari Shrine. Here are just a few pictures from my short trip. I hope you all enjoy.

Couch Surfing Success in Osaka, Japan

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My entry into my couch surfing host's guestbook

Stop the presses! I am a couch surfing convert. I know, I know, I can be snobbish and a bit of a wimp when it comes to "roughing it". I turn my nose up at hostels and "budget accommodations" but for this trip to Japan I figured to either go big or go home. Couch surfing isn't revolutionary but it's not anything I envisioned was for me, for one, I typically travel solo and as woman I have personal safety concerns and  two, I don't like everybody. LOL This may not come as a surprise to many of you, but random people usually annoy me.

My First Few Days In Japan

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Across the platform at Narita Airport Train Station

I made it to Japan!! I hope to keep you all updated at least with pictures. I am tweeting constantly and posting to my facebook wall, thanks to the folks at econnect Japan and my pocket WiFi. It has been a total game changer and I have been able to keep in contact with family, friends and fans. I am currently in Osaka, I took the bullet train, Shinkansen, from Tokyo yesterday afternoon! Here is a visual round up of my first few days in Japan.

How I Planned My Trip to Japan

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Voucher for my Japan Rail Pass

I'm a planner, much to the annoyance of some of my friends and family, the "go with the flow" mantra never sat well with me. Call it long term trauma from being the only and eldest girl, but I have always been the overly responsible one, highly skeptical, asking tons of questions until I felt satisfied. Right or wrong, I also apply this level of due diligence to travel. Before I land in a new country I need to know the national emergency number (because 911 is not universal), what the tipping policy is in that region of the world and whether or not they are "tolerant" of Black folks (yes, people still have to think about this in 2012).  

The Forgotten Art of Travel and A Louis Vuitton Hotel Label Postcard Box Giveaway

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Vintage suitcase with labels from word travels (source)

The image of an antique steamer trunk covered in hotel labels has always been the ultimate symbol of travel for me. I think of the Golden Age of travel, when different modes of transportation made the unreachable finally reachable. During this time hotel labels were in high fashion and served as a memento of one's past journeys.

Reykjavik, Iceland: The Perfect Escape

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Iceland's capital is a progressive, vibrant city despite its provincial village-like appearance

My favorite trip of 2011 had to be my weekend escape to Reykjavik, Iceland, the world's northernmost capital city.  Reykjavik is the largest and most cosmopolitan city in Iceland. Despite it's provincial appearance, Reykjavik has been dubbed the "the nightlife capital of the north", with clubs that stay open past 4 a.m. Don't be put off if you aren't much of a raver, the city and its surrounding areas offer a mixture of nature, adventure and relaxation. The solo female traveler should feel more than comfortable in Reykjavik, the city is virtually crime free and almost everyone speaks perfect English.

The ABC's of Travel: nicole is the new black edition

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On a boat and smiling, I'm afraid of water!

The ABC's of travel gives bloggers the opportunity to share their favorite and most memorable travel moments from A-Z!  Thanks to both Fidel from Scene with a Hart and Cheryl from cherylhoward.com for tagging me! It was really fun putting this together. At the end of the post I will tag three other bloggers to see what they have to say. Enjoy!