Thinking About the Next Destination (For Travel Lovers & Parents with a 3-Year-Old)
Although I haven't written much about it on note, travel is a theme of my life and something I value most. Every year, usually in January, I start by deciding when and where I will go that year.
So, when it came to thinking about my 2026 travel destination... surprisingly, nothing really came to mind. I have a list of places I want to go written down on paper, and it includes various countries, but considering the budget and my son's age, I couldn't quite find the perfect fit.
I asked Chappy (ChatGPT) a very rough question.
“I want to think about trips for Golden Week and the Obon holidays. Family composition: husband, 3-year-old son, and me. Total budget: 800,000 yen. A combination of overseas and domestic. Type: Active. Could you make suggestions while considering the seasons?”When I asked that,
The first things that came up were places like Guam or Hawaii... they didn't really resonate with me at all. Singapore isn't bad, but it seems like a good place to take my mother-in-law, so I want to save that for later.
“That's not attractive at all.”I replied, and the suggestion that hit the mark was
Uzbekistan 🇺🇿
Wow. I hadn't considered it at all, but while going to the Middle East is far and expensive, Central Asia might be good if the budget fits!
When I looked it up, it seems there used to be direct flights from Narita, but currently, there are no plans for April or May 2026. Comparison sites show routes via China, but looking into it further, going via Incheon in South Korea seems better in terms of time and price!
For now, I guess it will be about 350,000 yen for three plane tickets. It would be great if I could keep the total trip cost to 600,000 yen.
Uzbekistan has a low cost of living, is relatively safe, and the cities are compact, so it's recommended for those with small children! The visual impact of the cultural heritage is also significant, and it might finally be something my 3-year-old son will remember!
For the summer Obon holidays, it will automatically be domestic, but it's hot everywhere you go. To keep costs down a bit, it would be nice if we could go camping by car in a summer resort!
It's a pity for our dog to be left behind every time we fly.
Once my husband confirms his work schedule, let's finalize it!
Lately, I've noticed that almost all the thoughts in my head are being poured out to AI... and then moving toward a solution. It's truly terrifying, but there's no turning back to the past now. I wonder what kind of future awaits.