The culture and history of Japan is one of the oldest and richest in the world, and its capital city, Tokyo, seems to be in constant battle with itself, combining the immense bulk of Japanese tradition with the hyper speed of modern day commerce. When I traveled to Japan, I had no choice but to spend at least a few days in the city, perspiring in the humidity and admiring the colossal mass of people that sifts constantly down gigantic thoroughfares on foot, in vehicles and on bicycles, interweaving with buildings so tall that the tops seem to touch the clouds.

Canada in general is a great place to visit. From the sportsman to the history buff, there is a lot to do, see, and enjoy in this large country. There are sparkling cities with long stretches of wild countryside in between, and a choice of terrain from the seaside fisherman’s paradise to high mountain ranges.

The only thing I knew about Australia before I decided to take a trip there was that its modern history began as a European penal colony, and that it is known as one of the most naturally beautiful destinations on the planet. I suppose I also knew I’d see kangaroos, but we’ll come back to them later. To get to Australia, I’d taken a morning flight from Denver, Colorado, thus landing me (with one short layover) in Sydney around 11pm local time. Because of this, the view from my 20th floor room in a downtown hotel the next morning nearly shocked me out of my already jet-lagged skin.