I’m riding in the car of a friend of mine who is on his way to Tokyo from Gunma prefecture.
The destination is Shinjuku, Tokyo.
The highway is empty at night, the street lights are evenly spaced and flowing quickly. As I stare out of the window, I think about the future.
How long is this trip going to take?
“Can I go round the world with no money?”
“How long will this trip take?” “Can I do it?” I have no idea about the “deadline”, and the more I think about “can I do it”, the more I feel like I can’t do it.
The more I think about it, the more I feel that I can’t do it.
But there is more anticipation than anxiety, and the proof is in the boy’s euphoria before the excursion.
The car drives smoothly, without getting caught in any traffic jams, and we arrive at our destination much earlier than expected, even though it is almost midnight.
I thank my friend and get out of the car, it’s late on a Sunday and the streets are sparse.
I go through my pockets. The total amount of coins that came out was 160 yen(about 2$)
I don’t have any credit cards on me, and I don’t have any money in case I need it, so 160 yen is all I really have.
April 15, 2001, in front of the East Exit of Shinjuku Station, Tokyo. No one sees me off, but I start my journey in silence.