Every now and then you experience a kindness that is both unexpected and trajectory shifting. Soo, our Airbnb host, came by to drop off a home cooked meal. She wanted to ensure we had this experience while in Seoul, South Korea. Amazing!

Sharing quality time while exploring Seoul, South Korea, Violet and Bill Carmody go on a long walk together and discuss the importance of having purpose — even if you can’t clearly define it right now in this moment.

While listening to the audiobook, Why We Sleep, Bill Carmody explores the interesting walking paths in Seoul, South Korea.

Korean Popular Music known as K-Pop originated here in Seoul, South Korea. What better way to dive into the culture than to attend a K-Pop music festival? Violet and Bill Carmody investigate together.

Will Carmody teaches Violet and Bill how to play Rummikub. This is a numbers game that’s part luck and part skill. Anyone can play and it’s easy to learn. A perfect way to spend a relaxing “down” day together.

Bill Carmody with son Will and daughter Violet explore Gamaksan Mountain Suspension Bridge in South Korea. Beautiful hike. Epic views. Totally awesome.

One of the highlights of coming to South Korea is visiting the DMZ (demilitarized zone) at the border of North Korea and South Korea. Today Will, Violet and Bill Carmody took a deep dive into Korean history.

Today, Will, Violet and Bill Carmody found a 24 hour table tennis room that is full automated. We enjoyed playing together with a twist.

Giving Violet and Will a day to recover from all our early morning activities, Bill Carmody spent the day planning the next month’s travel logistics. Good times!

As Bill Carmody leaves Japan with his son Will and daughter Violet, he reflects on his second visit here with his family as well as the ten months leading up to this moment.

How do you take advantage of a 3 hour gap between bullet trains in Japan? How about going bowling and jumping on a trampoline? Violet, Will and Bill Carmody enjoy Matsuyama’s amusement complex.

Today, the Carmodys went out of our way to visit “Cat Island.” Technically, the island is called Aoshima, Japan, but to this day, the number of cats out number the residents. We wanted to check it out.

Bill Carmody reflects on life’s impermanence with the news of the death of his friend and minister, the Reverend, Dr. Natalie Fenimore on

Violet and Bill Carmody return to Universal Studios, Japan with Will so that all three can enjoy the incredible theming of Nintendo World together. We even had lunch in the most popular sit down spot in the heart of Nintendo World, Kinopio’s.

Will and Violet Carmody experience fully domesticated deer that bow for a biscuit. This was a wonderful day to spend our last full day together before Elena returns to New York.

Thanks to our friend, Michele Moul and her husband, Scott, the Carmodys venture beyond the Fushimi Inari Taisha temple (which is already spectacular) and explore the road less travelled.

“I’d rather be lucky than smart,” says Richard Knies, Bill Carmody’s father-in-law. This is how we felt staying in the Airbnb known as “Hideaway Hakone Sengokuhara.” Reflecting on these past few days we exit Hakone and make our way to Kyoto today.

Happy accident when I witnessed the sun setting behind Mount Fuji. Wow. Spectacular contrast between the reds of the sun setting and the pure white of the mountain.

Hakone’s Botanical Garden is unusual in all the right ways. Yes there are pretty flowers to admire, and there are also wide open fields with a lot LESS so that you are enabled to take in MORE.

The Carmodys join a pirate ship to tour around the Hakone Lake Ashinoko and we FINALLY saw Mount Fuji. The last time we were in the area, the rain hindered our ability to see Mt. Fuji.