Jeremy, Author at LIVING THE DREAM

Flying Into Madeira is Harrowing – Be Prepared for This One

It’s not everyday that we have a story to tell from a flight. But for Madeira, we could talk all day about the logistics of reaching this island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

Getting to Madeira is half the battle in some respects!

Although we were quite fortunate to have an uneventful landing and takeoff, many others are not so lucky as this airport is prone to delays due to wind and, for those who are afraid of flying outright, a rather unique landing approach.

So let’s talk about things you should know about flying into Madeira before booking that trip!

Oh Japan, you are one delicious country!

It is virtually impossible to discuss all of the great dishes that can be found throughout Japan. From national staples to regional specialties, you could eat your way around this country for years and still likely not be able to try every single dish that exists.

Japanese cuisine really is that varied.

But, as we always love to highlight some of our favorite dishes, we thought we’d take a stab at highlighting 10 or so of our favorite Japanese foods you should not miss when traveling in the country.

When possible, we’re going to give some recommendations on individual restaurants where we had some of the best meals during our many trips to Japan as well (in Tokyo, Osaka, or beyond). That said, given Japan’s robust food culture, you can find many of these cuisine types in most cities such that the answer for “where can you find this dish” is, well, everywhere! Recommended spots are only noted as they were a particular highlight for us that we’d go back to without hesitation.

We’re also going to end this one talking about some regional specialties that are a bit harder to find, so don’t miss that as an extra bonus!

Note: Japan’s food culture is so intense that one of the best ways to get an introduction to a city’s food scene is to take a tour. We do a food tour most every time we visit and they help us find some great gems. Click here to check out some options!

On a recent trip to Tokyo, we were lucky enough to be staying rather close to Toyosu on the eastern side of the city, which meant two things- we were next to the Toyosu Fish Market (and won the lottery to get into the viewing platform!) and also quite close to teamLab Planets.

As I had heard many rave reviews of this one from friends, it was high on my list to check out and it didn’t take long for me to understand- this is one of the coolest attractions in Tokyo.

So, what’s teamLab Planets like and how can you get tickets? Let’s jump into it!

If there is one thing we have learned over our nearly 20 years of running this site, it is that there are an untold number of unique travel styles out there- group travel, private tours, solo travel, cruises, and so much more.

We’d argue that the only wrong way to travel is to not travel at all, and if you have a preference that suits your particular style, go for it!

Although we personally prioritize solo travel, we have actually gone on many group trips over the years, too. Many of these were for special circumstances when the situation called for it (like my first trip to Europe when I was nervous going solo or a month-long African safari that we got for quite the deal), but they, for the most part, were a ton of fun too!

So in this one, we thought we’d break down some of our pros and cons of group and solo travel to share some highlights and considerations that you may want to keep in mind before booking your next trip.

Flying Into Madeira is Harrowing – Be Prepared for This One

10+ of the Best Japanese Foods (and Where to Try Them)

teamLab Planets May Be The Coolest Art Experience in Tokyo

The Pros and Cons of Group Trips vs Solo Travel