A Letter to 2023

A Letter to 2023

Thank you for the 365 days that we've shared together. It was a memorable one. Like last year, numerous blessings and travel opportunities came into my life. But the biggest one was when Team Nicerio welcomed another member – Leonne Hokkaido G. Nicerio.

Let's look back and see what milestones we've crossed and achieved this year.

1. This year, there were 182 published articles ( That's 88 more articles than last year 😄😄).

2. I have reached 3.5 million views (That's 400K new views this year).

3. I got my contract renewed as an ALT under the JET Programme. I’m officially in my 3rd year as an ALT.

4. I passed the Japan Driver’s License exams last May. Now, I can drive around Japan.

5. My son, Leonne Hokkaido G. Nicerio was born in Osaka. I'm super thankful to our Japanese family for allowing my wife to live with them for a month in preparation for her birth.

6. My article “Unveiling Hokkaido’s Hidden Gem” was published in the Manila Bulletin last August 23.

136/ 179 Municipalities of Hokkaido
136 / 179 municipalities

7. My family and I got to travel a lot around Hokkaido Prefecture. We visited 136 of the prefecture's 179 cities, towns, and villages. We have a few more municipalities left before we get to complete the #Hokkaido179 Challenge.

8. We visited 1 new prefecture in Japan this year which is Shiga Prefecture. 

9. According to my Google Maps 2023 Timeline update, I have traveled 12,399 km this year around Japan. 

Speaking of travels, here are the highlights of my travels for each month last year:


January

New Year with the Kameyama family
New Year with the Kameyama family @ Kumatori, Osaka

Hatsunode @ Kokawadera - Kinokawa City, Wakayama
Hatsunode @ Kokawadera - Kinokawa City, Wakayama

Daddy and Ella Travel Date @ Sakai City and Osaka City
Daddy and Ella Travel Date @ Sakai City and Osaka City

Wakayama City Road Trip with Ms. Akiko and friends
Wakayama City Road Trip with Ms. Akiko and friends

Hiking Ameyama with Andy
Hiking Ameyama with Andy

Kyoto Trip with the family
Kyoto Trip with the family

Shiga day trip
Shiga day trip

Revisiting Nara City
Revisiting Nara City

Sapporo City Tour
Sapporo City Tour

February

Skiing in Haboro Townspeople Ski Resort with the Tomamae Commercial High School student
Skiing in Haboro Townspeople Ski Resort with the Tomamae Commercial High School student

Lunch at Sapporo Beer Garden
Lunch at Sapporo Beer Garden 

We attended the 2-day Sapporo Snow Festival
We attended the 2-day Sapporo Snow Festival

Attended the Asahikawa Snow Festival with the Tomamae Gang
Attended the Asahikawa Snow Festival with the Tomamae Gang


March

Mashike Day Trip
Mashike Weekend Trip

Takikawa City Day Trip
Takikawa City Museum Trip

I participated in the Moekko Waiting For Spring Festival with my coworkers from Rumoi High School
I participated in the banya race of the Moekko Waiting For Spring Festival with my coworkers from Rumoi High School

Tsukigata - Tobetsu - Ebetsu Road Trip
Tsukigata - Tobetsu - Ebetsu Road Trip

Biei - Kamifurano - Furano - Takikawa Road Trip during the Vernal Equinox Holiday

Takikawa - Asahikawa Weekend Roadtrip
Takikawa - Asahikawa Weekend Road Trip

Sapporo - Ishikari Weekend Road Trip
Sapporo - Ishikari Weekend Road Trip


April

3-Day Hakodate Birthday Trip
3-Day Hakodate Birthday Trip

Hanami @ Kamuiwa Park in Rumoi City
Hanami @ Kamuiwa Park in Rumoi City

May

Kazunoko Day @ Rumoi Roadside Station - Rumoi City
Kazunoko Day @ Rumoi Roadside Station - Rumoi City
Kuriyama - Yubari - Yuni Wedding Anniv Road Trip
Kuriyama - Yubari - Yuni Wedding Anniv Road Trip

Ishikari - Mashike Mother's Day Road Trip

We attended the 2023 Takikawa Nanohana Festival
We attended the 2023 Takikawa Nanohana Festival

We attended the 2023 Takinoue Park Shibazakura Festival
We attended the 2023 Takinoue Park Shibazakura Festival

We attended the 2023 Kamiyubetsu Tulip Festival
We attended the 2023 Kamiyubetsu Tulip Festival

June

We drove my wife to New Chitose Airport for her solo flight to Osaka
We drove my wife to New Chitose Airport for her solo flight to Osaka

Daddy and Ella Road Trip 1: Asahikawa
Daddy and Ella Road Trip 1: Asahikawa City

Daddy and Ella Road Trip 2: Tsukigata & Ishikari
Daddy and Ella Road Trip 2: Tsukigata & Ishikari

Daddy and Ella Road Trip 3: Horokanai - Nayoro - Shibetsu - Tomamae with Mike
Daddy and Ella Road Trip 3: Horokanai - Nayoro - Shibetsu - Tomamae with Mike

Daddy and Ella Road Trip 4: Haboro - Yagishiri - Teuri Island Hopping with the Tomamae Gang
Daddy and Ella Road Trip 4: Haboro - Yagishiri - Teuri Island Hopping with the Tomamae Gang  


July

Daddy and Ella Road Trip 5: Northeastern Hokkaido 3-Day Road Trip
Daddy and Ella Road Trip 5: Northeastern Hokkaido 3-Day Road Trip 

Welcome to Hokkaido Patrick and Aya
Welcome to Hokkaido Patrick and Aya @ Asahikawa Airport

Siblings Road Trip 1: Eniwa - Tomakomai
Siblings Road Trip 1: Eniwa - Tomakomai 

Siblings Road Trip 2: Fukagawa - Ashibetsu - Nakafurano - Kamifurano - Biei
Siblings Road Trip 2: Fukagawa - Ashibetsu - Nakafurano - Kamifurano - Biei

Siblings Road Trip 3: Asahikawa
Siblings Road Trip 3: Asahikawa City 

Siblings Road Trip 4: Tobetsu - Kitahiroshima - Sapporo
Siblings Road Trip 4: Tobetsu - Kitahiroshima - Sapporo

Siblings Road Trip 5: Mashike
Siblings Road Trip 5: Mashike

We attended the 2023 Rumoi Dontou Festival
We attended the 2023 Rumoi Dontou Festival

Farewell, Patrick and Aya. Welcome back to Hokkaido, Mommy and Kai.


August

We watched the Rumoi Fireworks Festival 2023 from Senbodai
We watched the Rumoi Fireworks Festival 2023 from Senbodai

Utashinai - Minamifurano - Shintoku - Memuro Weekend Road Trip
Utashinai - Minamifurano - Shintoku - Memuro Weekend Road Trip

We watched the 2023 Numata Andon Festival @ Numata, Hokkaido
We watched the 2023 Numata Andon Festival @ Numata, Hokkaido

My article was published in Manila Bulletin
My article "Unveiling Hokkaido's Hidden Gem" was published in the Manila Bulletin


September

3-Day "Respect For The Aged" Road Trip
3-Day "Respect For The Aged" Road Trip

3-Day "Sports Day" Road Trip
3-Day "Sports Day" Road Trip

October

Mt. Rishirifuji Hike with the Tomamae Gang
Mt. Rishirifuji Hike with the Tomamae Gang

Mommy's Birthday Celebration @ Toriton in Asahikawa City
Mommy's Birthday Celebration @ Toriton in Asahikawa City


November

3-Day "Culture Day" Road Trip
3-Day "Culture Day" Road Trip

Onsen trip to Yuttarikan in Obira, Hokkaido
Onsen trip to Yuttarikan in Obira, Hokkaido

Road Trip with the Kameyama Fam @ Yura, Wakayama
Road Trip with the Kameyama Fam @ Yura, Wakayama

Solo Osaka Backpacking Trip after submitting documents @ Philippine Consulate Osaka
Solo Osaka Backpacking Trip after submitting documents at the Philippine Consulate Osaka

Onsen Trip @ Banya no Yu in Ishikari City, Hokkaido
Onsen Trip to Banya no Yu in Ishikari City, Hokkaido

December

Christmas with friends
Christmas with friends - the Matsumoto family @ Rumoi City

New Year's Eve with Teacher Kanda
New Year's Eve with Teacher Kanda




With this, I'm sure 2024 won't disappoint as we have a lot to look forward to and accomplish this year. Again, thanks a lot 2023!


#Dear2023



Sincerely yours,

Neil Alvin Nicerio

The Backpack Adventures



Location: Rumoi, Hokkaido, Japan

Comments

  1. AnonymousJanuary 17, 2024 at 3:51 PM

    Happy New Year Neil! Keep blogging your trips in Hokkaido and please continue sharing it to my Facebook page! I appreciate your works buddy!

    ReplyDelete

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