It’s been a banner run for women in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics so far. Flora Duffy from Bermuda brought home her country’s first-ever gold medal in the women’s triathlon. Hidilyn Diaz, a female weightlifter in the 55-kilogram category, is bringing home the first-ever gold medal for the Philippines. The first gold medal of this year’s …
Letting my Guard Down in Japan
“The wound is the place where the light enters you.” – Rumi I’ve wanted to return to travel writing for a while. Although the original concept behind Coffee + Camo was a travel blog, it didn’t take me long to realize I’m not a great travel writer. With the onset of the pandemic and travel …
Moving to Japan? What to Know for Your PCS
All great changes are preceded by chaos – Deepak Chopra In spring 2018, I embarked on the biggest, and longest, adventure of my life. Husband and I relocated to Japan with the military. Moving is one of the most exciting, and most heartbreaking and stressful parts of military life. As a new military spouse going …
My Mountaintop Experience: Climbing Mt. Fuji
A wise man climbs Mt. Fuji once, a fool climbs it twice – Japanese proverb Although the climbing season for Mt. Fuji ended this week, I feel like now is a good time to share my experience. As usual, I like a little time between the “doing” and the “telling.” I plan to put out …
5 Coffee Shops Worth Returning to
I was taken by the power that savoring a simple cup of coffee can have to connect people and create community – Howard Schultz Given the name of this blog, it might surprise you that this is my first post about coffee! Despite a deep love for the stuff, I’m still learning to put words …
Let’s Go Thrift Shopping!
The whole thing of clothes is insane. You can spend a dollar on a jacket in a thrift store. And you can spend a thousand dollars on a jacket in a shop. And if you saw those two jackets walking down the street, you probably wouldn’t know which was which. – Helen Mirren Spring is …
6 Things to Do in Osaka
All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware – Martin Buber Being stationed in Japan is wonderful! Not only do we have the luxury to experience a new culture, but we also have access to an amazing transportation system. Japan’s railway system gives us easy access to much of Honshu, meaning we …
Osaka Amazing Pass – Is it Worth it?
A penny saved is a penny earned – Benjamin Franklin Travel is an exciting perk of an overseas duty station. The country is yours to explore, and you may be in closer proximity to other cities and countries than ever before. But trip expenses add up quickly. It can be hard to research and find …
Our Favorite Places to Eat (and Drink) in Kyoto
Pull up a chair. Take a taste. Come join us. Life is so endlessly delicious. – Ruth Reichl One of the perks of travel is the chance to discover new food and drink. As much as we can, we aim to find local places to support and enjoy. For those of you that know us …
A Weekend in Kyoto: 5 Things to Do
Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all. – Helen Keller Sometimes duty calls, making it hard to get away on leave for a large block of time. Thankfully, the military calendar contains a few four-day weekends. Even if you only have a small window of time to travel, don’t sweat it! There’s …