My 2014 Instagram journey | Travel and You

I had joined Instagram in the middle of 2014, shortly before my trip to Japan. Consequently, it was no surprise that I did some extensive picture posting during that particular trip.

This post is a flashback of the year gone by through some of the pictures I had shared on Instagram.

No gyan here, just reliving some memories.

A hand-rickshaw puller waits for passengers at Sudder Street in Kolkata

This was one of my first posts. I was just about getting the hang of the editing options. The two pictures below were some more practice before the Japan trip!

Ferry on the Hooghly river in Kolkata. Tin the background is the Howrah bridge, the busiest cantilever bridge in the world

One of the gates of Raj Bhavan, the current official residence of the West Bengal's governor. During the British rule, this was the viceroy's official residence and India was ruled from here — One of the gates of Raj Bhavan, the current official residence of the West Bengal’s governor. During the British rule, this was the viceroy’s official residence and India was ruled from here

Enough practice pictures. Japan pictures follow. But I began right from packing!

Bags packed for my Japan trip. I was worried because they were way too light!

On the way to the airport through a rainy night. Japan, here I come!

The first entry in my Japan journal at the Kolkata airport.

Transitting through Pudong airport in Shanghai

My Kyoto guesthouse welcomed me with manju, a snack made from bean paste+sugar+some more stuff (too complicated for my hostel manager to explain in english). Quite yum! — My Kyoto guesthouse welcomed me with manju, a snack made from bean paste+sugar+some more stuff (too complicated for my hostel manager to explain in English). Quite yum!

The Arashiyama bamboo grove near Kyoto is among Japan's most recognisable places. We have enough bamboos back home. How come we dont market it this way? — The Arashiyama bamboo grove near Kyoto is among Japan’s most recognisable places. We have enough bamboos back home. How come we dont market it this way?

Nijojo Castle in Kyoto from my bus on the way to Gion

The shinkanshen (bullet train) that took me from Kyoto to Osaka

My Osaka hostel bunk — My Osaka hostel. Mine was the lower bunk

Japanese toilets are fascinating. Check out this button on the gadget next to the toilet

Inside the Shinkansen Nozomi Superexpress- not so much different from an airplane! This was on my day trip to Kobe — Inside the Shinkansen Nozomi Superexpress — not so much different from an airplane! This was on my day trip to Kobe

Grim reminder: Atomic Bomb Dome in Hiroshima. The bomb exploded very close to it. — Grim reminder: Atomic Bomb Dome in Hiroshima. The bomb exploded very close to this building.

Thank you postcard for my Couchsurfing host in Kagoshima

Nice view while you pee from the Kagoshima new port

Sakurajima volcano from my ship deck on the way to Yoron island

I found this welcome postcard at my room in Yoron island guest house. Very sweet :) — I found this welcome postcard at my room in Yoron island guest house. Very sweet 🙂

Japanese mishti doi (sweetened curd). Not bad at all!

Chat over Yusen, the local drink made out of sugarcane, with others staying at my guest house in Yoron. — Chat over Yusen, the local drink made out of sugarcane, with the others staying at my guest house in Yoron.

Chilling out at the cute Umi Cafe with a couple of new friends when my ship was cancelled because of a typhoon alert

A typhoon alert was sounded the day I was supposed to take a ship back to Kagoshima from Yoron. My ship was cancelled and no one could say when the next ship was coming. I went to the tiny airport on the island and found that the only flight that had empty seats was going to Naha, which is on the opposite direction to the way I wanted to go. But Naha was a bigger airport and I hoped to get better connections from there. When I arrived in Naha, I realised I liked the city and decided to stay an additional day there.