The Travelling Holts

2020: A Year in Review

So where to start….? We had only two certainties about 2020 when we started the year. We were going to be leaving Japan this year and we were going to leave in the July. Apart from that, we had no plans, no idea where we were going next. It was going to be an exciting…

Our First Swedish Christmas

Well we didn’t plan to spend our first Christmas back in Europe, in Sweden but when you’re in the middle of a global pandemic what can you do? We were hoping to go back home to the UK for the first time in 5 years but in true 2020 style and the UK’s relentless fluctuating…

Covid- What was it like for me?

If you were to think of a word for 2020, Covid is probably the word that springs to mind. Since it’s discovery way back in January, it has rapidly and unapologetically turned the whole world upside down. Countries have locked down, families have been separated and now we are all adjusting to a new reality…

3 Nights in Shanghai

Shanghai has been a place that we have wanted to visit ever since we arrived on this side of the world. Taking less than 3 hours by plane from Tokyo to Shanghai, it seemed silly not to go but, honestly, we had not heard great things about visiting China and so we kept putting it…

Gävleborg, Sweden

So it has been a little over a month since we relocated to Sweden in a town called Gävle about 90 mins north of Stockholm. It is a nice sized town that reminds us a lot of Lancaster, England. Some beautiful old parts of town, a nice selection of hotels and cafes and a sizeable…

Sayonara Japan

When I first started this blog, way back when in 2013, I had just handed my notice in at work and was preparing for the biggest move of our lives to Japan. I wanted a way to document our journey and there was born… The Travelling Holts. That was nearly 7 years ago and it…

Teaching in Japan- Everything you need to know.

So you’re thinking about accepting a teaching job in Japan but you’re not sure if it is for you? Well here are somethings I think you should be aware of after teaching in Japan for 6 years. So what do you need to know? Be prepared for fewer holidays. If you work for a Japanese…

2 Gluten Free Days in Hiroshima

Before I start, I just want to point out that I am not celiac. This is a recount of where we ate to cater for my Mother in Law (who is celiac) during our three day visit to Hiroshima. The good, the bad and the ugly. It is also important to note that because Japan…

Rikugien Gardens

Japan is a country of four distinct seasons. Winter is all about skiing and hot pot (Shabu Shabu), Spring is all about the famous Cherry Blossoms and Sakura flavoured food. Summer is the season of Matsuris and firework displays, which brings me to my favourite season… Autumn. Around late October to early December the changing…

Typhoons and Earthquakes

When we first decided to move to Japan the language was the only thing we really worried about. We knew it would be a huge cultural change and there were going to be difficulties with communication but we never once considered the number of natural events that happen here compared to the UK and how…