BackPackTrack

🇯🇵 Starting a new life in Japan sounds terrifying… until you actually do it.Before moving here, I had every horror scenario in my head:What if I do not get my visa?What if I cannot find housing?What if the paperwork is impossible?What if I completely fail? 🤡And honestly? The hardest part was overthinking it.Once I got my visa, things became way more manageable than I expected. In this video I talk about how I handled the big steps of moving to Japan:✨ visa process🏠 finding accommodation📱 getting a phone plan🏦 opening a bank account🗾 adjusting to everyday life in JapanIt was not always smooth (because… Japan bureaucracy loves a challenge 😅), but it was definitely not as impossible as people make it sound.If you are thinking about moving abroad, studying in Japan, or starting over somewhere completely new, this video is for you ✈️

Japan is one of the most loved countries in the world, but what is it actually like after living here for a year? In this episode, I share my honest opinion about Japan, the good, the bad, and the things people often romanticize too much.I talk about the cons like the weather, work culture, and how overtourism is hitting big cities while smaller places get left out. But I also talk about why I still love Japan so much, from the incredible food and unique culture to the fashion, the variety, and the little things that still make this country feel special to me.And the biggest question of all, is Japan still my favorite country? You will find out at the end.#Japan #livinginjapan #lifeinjapan #realtalk #life #dailylife

Making friends while traveling solo can feel scary at first, but it honestly gets way easier once you know where to look. In this episode, I talk about some of the best apps to meet people while traveling and what they are actually good for.I go through Hostelworld, Couchsurfing, Bumble, Going Solo, and Meetup, and talk about which ones are best for travelers, which ones are better for locals and expats, and why apps alone are still not enough if you never leave your bed and talk to people.

Making friends while traveling sounds exciting, and it is!!Solo travel can bring some of the best connections, the funniest memories, and those random moments with people you met one day ago but somehow click with instantly. But there is also a harder side to it.In this episode, I talk about what it really feels like to make friends while solo traveling, why it is often easier than people think, why being alone is not the same as being lonely, and why travel friendships can hit so hard when everyone eventually goes their own way.Some people stay in your life.Some are just part of one chapter.And somehow both can mean a lot.

At 28, I realized life is basically a video game 🎮You get a random spawn point, stats you did not choose, unexpected side quests, and a lot of grinding. But travel showed me something huge 🌍 if you do not choose your own path, life will choose one for you.In this episode, I talk about how solo travel changed the way I see life, freedom, growth, and success. Leaving home, starting over, getting uncomfortable, and stepping away from the default path made me realize there is more than one way to win ✈️This episode is for anyone who feels stuck, questions the usual life script, or knows deep down there has to be more than just work, routine, and waiting for later.Welcome to BackPackTrack, where I share honest solo travel stories, life abroad, and all the chaos of figuring it out as I go 🎒

When people ask me hey Mel when is the best season to come to Japan I can't really answer this right away. The only thing I can say is....don't come during summer unless you love sweating. There are a lot of pros and cons for every season but what is actually the best one?I will talk about it in this season but you might be surprised what I think is the best time to come to Japan!

Moving abroad sounds exciting, romantic, and like the start of a whole new life. But the reality is also loneliness, confusion, identity crisis, and realizing that solo travel and actually building a life somewhere are two very different things. In this episode, I talk about moving to Tokyo, what made it hard, what got better with time, and why starting over can change you in ways travel never does.

This is the first time I’ve ever recorded a podcast episode with someone else, and honestly, it was such a fun experience. In this co-hosted episode with Hekaya Haven, we talk about how I first got into travel, solo travel safety, mini retirement, and what traveling can really change in your life. It’s a very casual, funny, and genuinely entertaining conversation that feels more like two people chatting honestly than a super polished interview.If you want to know more about Hekaya and her Podcast follow this link:https://open.spotify.com/show/7Keg3qGIvm95X4dVXZTWLAhttps://www.instagram.com/hekayahaven/

In this episode I share 5 things I do now that old me would never have done, and why solo travel is not scary because you might get lost, but because you change. Going places alone, talking to strangers, setting boundaries, being braver, and finally not caring so much about other people’s opinions. If you’ve ever come home after traveling and felt like you do not fit into your old life the same way, you’re not alone.What’s one thing you do now that “old you” would never do? Tell me your story in the comments.

When people think about solo travel, they assume the scary part is getting lost, missing flights, eating alone, or not finding friends. I thought that too. But the truth hit me after I came home. The scariest part is how much you change, and you do not even notice it while it is happening. You come back and everything looks the same, same streets, same friends, same routines, but you are not the same person anymore. And suddenly you do not fit into your old life the way you used to. This episode is about the part nobody warns you about, the quiet identity shift, the distance that can grow with old friends, and what it feels like to return home as someone new.

Kyoto in winter hits different, cozy, calm, and seriously underrated. During our January break from language school, I took the shinkansen from Tokyo and spent a few days in Kyoto with a friend. Temples, traditional streets, way too much matcha, a super weird cat museum in the countryside, and of course a mandatory Pokémon Center stop. I’ve been to Kyoto three times and this was the calmest experience by far.If you’re planning Kyoto, I honestly think you should stay at least 4 days so you can enjoy the vibe without rushing.Let me know what your favorite Kyoto spot is, and what city I should vlog next.

Travel is not free. Unless you were born into the “my parents own property” club, you will work. In this episode I break down the three real ways I have funded long term travel: volunteer work for a bed and food, an online job that paid well but bored me to death, and chaotic underpaid part time jobs in Japan. I talk about what to expect, what not to romanticize, and how to make working abroad feel temporary, not like a cage, so you can keep traveling without burning out.

Is traveling multiple times a mistake or just a bad look on paper?In this episode, I talk honestly about CV gaps, career anxiety, and why choosing travel over stability feels both freeing and terrifying. From leaving a “safe path” to living in different countries, this is a real conversation about fear, fulfillment, and why a perfect CV doesn’t always mean a fulfilled life.

Last week I complained about Japan.A lot.So this week I am doing the adult thing and admitting where it absolutely wins.Toilets that feel like luxury, convenience stores that solve all life problems, people being kind without making it weird, and rules that actually work.

Japan is amazing 🇯🇵✨ I love living here.But once the honeymoon phase is over and you actually live in the country, reality hits hard.In this episode I talk about the one thing that genuinely bothers me the most about living in Japan and why it is one of the reasons I could never stay here forever.

I used to hate matcha 🤢🍵Like actually hate it.It made me gag during my first tea ceremony in Japan 🇯🇵 and I was fully convinced the hype was ridiculous.Fast forward a few years ⏳ and somehow I became that person who drinks bitter matcha with just water and no sugar 🍃🍵In this episode I talk about why my opinion flipped, why I do not care about fancy matcha lattes 🥛✨, and why sometimes the things we hate at first are the ones we grow into.Yes, it tastes like grass 🌱No, I do not want sugar 🚫🍬

Sometimes the best advice isn’t complicated.It’s uncomfortable. It’s scary. And it’s simple: LEAVE!In this episode, I talk about why leaving home, routines, and comfort zones changes you and why every powerful lesson I’ve ever learned started with walking away. ✈️🌍No life-coaching. Just honest thoughts from the road. 🎒✨

This is the end of this podcast...foooooor 2025! I am joking 🤡Thank you so much for your support and I hope I will see you see you next year ✨🫶

Last Christmas I gave you my heart…Yeah. Same songs, same chaos, every single year.This year is my third Christmas away from home and this time I’m spending it in Japan.No family dinners, no days off, no big traditions. Christmas here is more about couples, fancy dates, KFC buckets and then… going to work on the 25th like it’s any other day.In this episode I talk about what Christmas in Japan actually feels like.The weird parts, the pretty parts, Tokyo’s insane illuminations, Christmas markets, seasonal food, overpriced strawberries and why having no pressure, no expectations and no forced Christmas mood might not be such a bad thing after all.Not festive. Not sad.Just different.I ABSOLUTELY love it!!Show NotesChristmas in Japan hits very different 🎄🇯🇵No family gatherings, no traditions — couples everywhere 💑KFC buckets as a Christmas “tradition” 🍗😂Working on December 25th… yes, really 🧠💥Tokyo’s insane illuminations & cozy Christmas markets ✨🏙️Seasonal food, Christmas cake & very expensive strawberries 🍰🍓💸Mulled wine, coffee stalls & random nostalgia for Germany ☕🍷No pressure, no guilt, no expectations — and why that feels kinda nice 😌✨

Everyone thinks solo travel is expensive.Everyone also thinks I’m rich.Spoiler: I’m not.I worked my ass off for years and then learned how to travel cheap without hating my life. No fancy hotels, no aesthetic brunches, no “Eat Pray Love” nonsense. Just hostels, street food, volunteering, questionable dinners made of cookies and instant noodles, and a very honest look at what budget travel actually means.In this episode I talk about how I afford long-term solo travel, why hostels are underrated, why traveling is not the same as vacation, how volunteering is basically a legal cheat code, and why my bank is probably richer than me at this point.This is not a guide for luxury travel.This is for people who want freedom, stories, chaos and to stay on the road as long as possible.Shownotes:Solo travel hype vs reality ✈️No, I’m not rich 🫠Working while traveling 💻Hostels, chaos and cheap beds 🛏️Cookie dinners & street food 🍪🍜Volunteering = cheat code 🧑‍🌾Hidden fees & banks winning 🏦Budget travel without suffering 🍵

Today I’m dragging you with me into the chaos that is the JLPT N4. Apparently many of you love hearing about daily life in Japan… so here you go: I took a Japanese language test and absolutely got humbled.The JLPT is split into three parts:1 vocabulary/kanji, 2. grammar + reading, and 3. listening. Trust me, none of them were playing...at least for me!In this episode I share what the test was really like, how unprepared I actually felt, what shocked me, and how it feels to take an exam in a completely different country and language.If you've ever wondered what the JLPT experience is really like, this one’s for you. Let’s suffer and learn together. 🎧🇯🇵

Studying in Japan is wild! The language is hard, the bureaucracy is crazy, but you end up making a bunch of friends at school. The beginning feels tough and messy, and you basically never have enough time for anything… but somehow it’s exciting, funny, and insanely rewarding.Would I do it again? Definitely. ✨🇯🇵

Ever wondered what a real day in Japan looks like when you’re not an aesthetic Tokyo girl living off matcha and unlimited free time?Yeah… welcome to my life.In this episode I walk you through my daily routine in Japan: waking up too late, rushing to work, smelling like fish even though I’m vegetarian, getting yelled at in fast Japanese I absolutely do not understand, spending my entire salary at convenience stores, and pretending bouldering will fix my life.It’s chaotic, it’s messy, it’s exhausting and honestly?It’s exactly what living in Japan as a normal human actually feels like.So buckle up for a brutally honest, slightly unhinged Japan-routine episode.No filters, no aesthetic lies, just my everyday survival mode in Tokyo.Here’s what you’ll hear:🍣 working in a sushi kitchen (as a vegetarian lol)💸 losing my salary at konbinis🧠 Japanese school brain melt🧗‍♀️ bouldering to stay alive🏙️ Tokyo overstimulation🎒 missing travel but surviving routine

In this episode I basically expose myself for being the kind of person who books a “perfect trip,” only to have everything fall apart immediately. My yoga school ghosted me right after taking my deposit, my airline cancelled my flight 20 hours before departure, I rage-quit India, fell for a suspiciously good last-minute deal, misread the date like an absolute legend, missed my connection, got shipped to Qatar, and arrived 32 hours later questioning my life choices.And the best part? I thought I learned something from all of this… until I messed up another booking again very recently.Apparently chaos is my love language.If you’ve ever made one tiny mistake that snowballed into a full travel disaster, but yeah it is somewhat entertaining.In this episode:yoga school ghosting after the deposit 😑airline canceling my flight last minute ✈️💥skipping Indiafalling for a last-minute deal 🤡✈️wrong date, wrong timing… classicflight delay → missed connection 🌀surprise Qatar detour 🛫🇶🇦32 hours of pure chaos“lesson learned” (absolutely not)

We all know the trend: romanticize your life. Sounds cute, looks aesthetic, but what does it actually mean when life isn’t picture-perfect? In this episode, I talk about how we often make our memories look shinier than they were and why that’s not always a bad thing.From lonely hostel nights to “magical” hikes that were actually hell, I’m diving into the fine line between appreciating the small things and straight-up lying to yourself. Because sometimes romanticizing your life helps you survive it and sometimes it’s just another filter we hide behind.This one’s for anyone who’s ever tried to make chaos look cinematic. ✨What “romanticizing your life” really means (beyond social media)Why small details matter more than big milestonesHow travel changes your perception of beauty and chaosWhen romanticizing becomes self-love The Tongariro story: why I remember pain as magicFinding balance between filters and realness🎧 Tune in if you want some honesty, humor, and a little reminder that life doesn’t need to be perfect to feel beautiful.

Ever wondered what it’s like to live inside an anime? 🇯🇵Well… I kinda did. I got the chance to join a real Japanese school festival....... and it was exactly like the ones you see in anime: classrooms turned into cafés, students welcoming guests, decorations everywhere, and food made with a level of organization that only Japan could pull off.In this episode, I share what it was really like to experience Japanese school life from the inside, not as a tourist, but as a guest.No chaos, no stress, just creativity, teamwork and a surprisingly wholesome vibe.💬 Show Notes🏫 Inside a real Japanese school festival🍱 How every class turns their idea into a mini project🎌 The mix of culture, teamwork, and fun💭 What surprised me most about Japanese school life✈️ Why these local moments matter more than any tourist spot🎧 New episodes every Tuesday on BackPackTrack🌍 More stories on backpacktrack.net

So, you’re planning a trip to New Zealand? 🇳🇿Great choice — but before you start packing your hiking boots and a year’s worth of instant noodles, listen to this episode.I’m sharing everything I wish someone had told me before I went: how long you actually need, which island is worth your time, how chaotic the weather really gets, and why buying your own car is the single smartest thing you can do.From surviving the Devil’s Staircase to freezing showers in rivers (yes, that happened), this is your unfiltered survival guide to Aotearoa — the land of sheep, volcanoes, and sunburns in the shade.Because New Zealand will test your patience, your budget, and your ability to dry laundry in constant rain — but trust me, you’ll still fall in love with it.Real talk: how much time you really needNorth vs South Island differencesBuy a car, don’t rent it 🚗CamperMate app = life saverWork & Travel visa mistakeWeather chaos ☀️

We grow up being fed the fairytale: one career path, one soulmate, one “forever” friendship. But let’s be honest—that’s a trap. While traveling, I had one of my biggest realizations: nothing actually needs to last forever.Life works better in chapters. Jobs, people, places—they come, they shape you, and sometimes they go. And that’s not failure, that’s freedom. The pressure to “hold on forever” dropped off my shoulders the moment I saw life as a series of chapters instead of one rigid storyline.In this episode, I share how I got here, why it changed the way I see relationships, careers, and friendships, and how you can finally stop feeling guilty about moving on.Spoiler: letting go isn’t the end. It’s just the page-turn. 📖✨In this episode:🌍 My biggest travel realization💔 Why nothing has to be “forever”📖 Life works better in chapters⚡ How this mindset kills pressure👉 More chaos, stories & travel thoughts on backpacktrack.net

Alright, let’s get straight to it: these are my go-to travel apps. The ones I actually use on the road, the ones that saved my ass more than once, and yes—the ones I keep recommending even though I sometimes curse at them. If you’re wondering which apps are worth the storage space on your phone, this episode is basically your cheat sheet🌍📱In this episode, I share the apps that make traveling a little less chaotic (and sometimes more fun):Google Maps – still the king of not getting lost.Maps.me – offline maps for when you’re broke or have no signal.Polarsteps – a digital travel diary you’ll actually keep up with.Day One – perfect for documenting your travel chaos.Worldpackers & Workaway – free accommodation with a side of questionable jobs.GoSolo – because traveling alone doesn’t have to feel lonely.👉 Listen in for the real talk on which apps are worth downloading—and which ones are just taking up memory.

Solo travelling ruined my life – and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. 🌍✈️When I first booked that one-way ticket to New Zealand, I thought travel would magically solve all my problems. Instead, I got six weeks of loneliness, restless hostel-hopping, public transport disasters and way too much small talk. 🚌💤But then something changed. A stranger sat down next to me in a hostel garden in Picton – and that conversation shifted my entire perspective. From there, solo travelling stopped being a burden and became the best thing that ever happened to me.Since then, I’ve learned that travel doesn’t fix your problems – it magnifies them, forces you to face them, and pushes you to grow in ways you didn’t think were possible. And yes, it ruins your old life – because once you’ve experienced that freedom, you can’t go back to “normal” again.This episode is about the highs, the lows, the breakdowns, and the breakthroughs that solo travelling brought into my life. Maybe it’ll ruin yours too 😉In this episode:✨ The shitty first 6 weeks in NZ✨ Hostel small talk & loneliness✨ The turning point ✨ Why I can’t go back to 9–5 lifeSolo travelling won’t solve your problems – but it will change you. 🌍🎒

Ever tried working in a place where you barely understand a word? Spoiler: it’s chaotic, hilarious, and honestly one of the best confidence boosts you can get.In this episode I share my work experience in Japan — yes, I’m currently hustling in a sushi restaurant, armed with only basic Japanese and a lot of hand gestures. From ordering mix-ups to unintentional comedy, I explain why everyone should, at least once in their life, work in a country where you don’t fully understand the language.Because trust me: you’ll learn faster, laugh harder, and never forget it. 🍣😂📝 Show Notes🍣 My sushi restaurant survival guide💪 How working abroad makes you way more confident🎓 The fastest way to actually learn a language (hint: not Duolingo)😂 Everyday fails that somehow turn into wins🌍 Why everyone should try working somewhere they don’t fully understand the language✨ Honest, chaotic, and proof that lost-in-translation jobs are unforgettable.🎒 Moral of the story: You don’t need perfect grammar to start your adventure. Sometimes, being lost in translation is exactly where the magic happens.

Everyone wants to know: “What’s the best country to start backpacking?” Easy answer? There isn’t one. Honest answer? Some countries will hug you like a banana pancake hostel breakfast, others will slap you in the face with a culture shock and a bus ride from hell.In this episode I break down the fight: 🎒 Backpacker Disneyland (aka Australia & New Zealand), cheap chaos (Southeast Asia), and the wild cards (South America & Africa). We’ll talk Work & Travel “freedom” (translation: farm slavery), budgets that actually survive, and why Southeast Asia is basically backpacker kindergarten.Spoiler: no matter where you start, you’ll lose a flip-flop, get food poisoning, and swear you’re “never drinking again.” Congratulations — you’re officially a backpacker.Show Notes:🎒 Work & Travel visas → freedom (or just farm slavery)🌶 Culture shock → from “cute” to full stomach rebellion💸 Money → where your budget survives (and where it dies)🦘 Australia & NZ = backpacker Disneyland🍌 Southeast Asia = cheap chaos & backpacker kindergarten🌍 South America & Africa = raw adventure

Ever wondered how many fails you can collect in Sri Lanka before it counts as a full-time job? 🌴 Let’s just say… enough for a whole episode. Tune in for Tuk-Tuk traps, wrong turns, and the sacks that kept me humble.In this episode I dive into all the expensive lessons Sri Lanka had to offer:🚖 Overpriced taxis 🛺 Tuk-tuk rides that turned into scams🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Tour guides with very creative price tags🌶️ Spice gardens that spiced up only the billBecause sometimes solo travel isn’t about finding yourself… it’s about finding out how quickly your budget can disappear.

Suitcases look cute… until the first staircase or cobblestone turns them into a useless drama queen. 🎭 Meanwhile, my backpack? Sure, it ruined my posture, but at least it never quit on me.In this episode I unpack (pun intended) the real fight of the century: 🎒 Backpack vs. 🧳 Suitcase. Spoiler: the suitcase never stood a chance. And while we’re at it, let’s talk about what you actually should pack — and why choosing the “right” backpack is way harder than anyone admits.🎒 In this episode:Backpack vs. Suitcase → the fight nobody asked for, but you needed anyway 🥊Why suitcases are basically divas that only work on airport floors 🛬🧳Backpacks: they destroy your posture but save your dignity 💀✨What you actually need to pack (spoiler: not 5 pairs of jeans) 👖🚫The painful truth: choosing the right backpack is harder than expected 🎒✨ By the end you’ll know why I’m firmly on Team Backpack, what goes inside mine, and why my bag weighs more than my life choices.

I packed last-minute.I forgot things.I suffered.Here are 10 things you should actually plan before your next trip – so you don’t end up panicking at the airport!In this episode I cover:🧳 10 things you should plan before boarding a plane – even if you're a proud chaos traveler🛂 Why “I’ll figure it out” doesn’t work at immigration (spoiler: they don’t vibe with spontaneity)💉 13 vaccinations later and my arm is still not speaking to me🔋 Why your power bank deserves more love than most humans🧼 The truth about microfiber towels (scratchy but loyal)💧 How a filtered water bottle might save your stomach — and your soul🎫 And yes… that one technically legal but kinda sketchy trick involving a fake return flight 👀

The Flight That Changed Everything ✈️I had no plan, booked my first hostel just two days before the flight, and was honestly shitscared. But taking that one-way ticket to New Zealand was the best decision I’ve ever made – it completely changed my life.In this episode, I talk about why I chose solo travel, what it felt like to leave everything behind, and how that first year of backpacking shaped me in ways I never expected. From staying longer in just a few countries to realizing that the typical 9-to-5 life wasn’t for me – this flight was the beginning of a whole new chapter.It wasn’t always easy. There were great times, but also hard ones, and that’s the truth about traveling alone that social media often leaves out. But in the end, the lessons, freedom, and new perspective made it all worth it.If you’ve ever dreamed of a gap year, thought about a working holiday, or just needed some honest travel inspiration – this story is for you.

Boarding Now: One Backpack, One Mic 🎙️✈️I’ve missed flights, slept in airports, and somehow ended up with a podcast mic. In this pilot episode, I overshare why 9-to-5 wasn’t for me, how solo travel became my chaos therapy, and why Backpacktrack is officially taking off.