August 2023 Update!
July was a busy month…
Performing at a BBQ in Las Vegas for 4th of July.
The fireworks on July 4th were spectacular, especially because I could see all of the fireworks that were being lit all over the city. I was performing at a backyard BBQ (thanks Gerry and Lisa) and that was the last night I was in Las Vegas. The very next morning I flew to Portland, Oregon.
My buddy Matt and I at a bar in Portland, OR.
Portland, Oregon
I woke up suddenly in the darkness, everything seemed so unfamiliar… and then I remembered I’m at an AirBnb I rented for the week in Portland. I decided to come here to relax, and catch up with one of my friends Matt who was arriving later that night.
The week went by quickly, and my buddy Matt flew to Colorado, while I stayed in Portland, but now I am staying with my friend Jessee. Jessee is a friend who I met in my vanlife days, but she also plays the violin. We spent one Saturday busking at the PSU Farmer’s Market, performing a live looping dueling violin act, which was really fun.
Performing at the Portland State University Farmer’s Market on a Saturday.
Wedding in Canada
One of the reasons why I was in Portland was that I promised that I would play at a wedding in Tofino, Canada… which is about an 10 hour drive. Jessee was going to drive me up there in her campervan and I promised it would be a fun adventure.
Jessee and her 1994 Isuzu Rodeo Camper she imported from Japan.
A few days before the wedding we start driving in the afternoon and we made it to Seattle, Washington for sunset. The next day we drove across the border, which was a quicker process than I thought, and hung out in Vancouver the whole day. In the evening, there was an outdoor movie playing for the public so we hung around there until the late evening. When we went back to the campervan, we discovered it was not there, and towed away. Luckily we were able to get an Uber to the tow place, and we got the van out, after paying a $200 fee of course. The next day we took the ferry from Vancouver to Vancouver Island. The ferry was really nice and fun, but only last about an hour and a half.
Performing on the ferry from Vancouver to Vancouver Island.
After docking we went back on the road and drove 3 hours all the way to a campsite called Surf Grove Campground. It features really nice large campsites with water and electricity hookups, and a 5 minute walk to the beach. Which as soon as we got to the campground, I had to find the wedding couple for rehearsal. I walked along the beach and found them and we did the rehearsal. They invited me to go with them and the wedding party to the Tofino town center. It was tough to find a restaurant that would seat eleven people, but we finally found one. The next day was wedding day for this couple, and I sang at the ceremony on the beach, then set up and performed for the cocktail hour, dinner and dances. Then I also performed at the after party until 1am.
The “Welcome to Tofino” Sign. I’m already dressed for the wedding.
The wedding on the beach.
Hiked to a secret beach near Tofino, BC.
Jessee and her 1994 Isuzu Rodeo Camper in their natural habitat.
Performing on the ferry from Vancouver Island to Vancouver for sunset.
we stay around Tofino for the next few days hiking to a secret beach, eating lots of seafood, and hanging out with friends. After a few days we started driving back to the border which was another big adventure. We drove 3 hours to the other side of Vancouver Island, so we could take the ferry to the mainland. After the ferry we drove another 1.5 hours to the US/Canada border. it was a very quick passport check and we were back in America.
Holy Toledo!
We stayed in Portland long enough to do laundry, clean the van, and repack it for another weekend trip to Tofino, Oregon. Some friends put on a vanlife event where a bunch of vanlifers will park together for group activities, food, and games. We arrived just in time for dinner on friday night, and after the last band played, I set up my equipment to play, and some other friends came and joined in for a music jam. it was so fun! The weekend went by way too fast and we drove back to Portland.
Jam session at Holy Toledo!
2am acoustic jam session at Holy Toledo!
Back to Japan
I should be back in Japan right now. But sometimes there are setbacks… I need a visa to work in Japan and the process is less than ideal. The hotel I am working for has to mail me a specific document called a Certificate of Eligibility to my address in the USA. Then I need to mail that document along with some other documents, a copy of my driver’s license, a photo, and my actual passport to the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco. I also have to include a self-address envelope so they can send my passport back with the visa. A week goes by, and I still don’t have the visa. i’m calling the office a few times a day now but no answer. One day i’m sitting at a coffee shop, and my phone is ringing, and the number looks oddly familiar. it’s the consulate number i’ve been calling and calling with no answer. I answer, and the man on the other line tells me that I didn’t submit the right form, so if I just send him the right form then they can finish the visa. This call came at 4:30pm on a Friday, which means the post office is closing soon. I run to Office Depot to print out the correct document, and fill it out with pen, and then run over to the post office and send it to the consulate just in time before they close.
the documents I need to send to the Consulate General of Japan in San Francisco.
Next Steps
I’m crossing my fingers that I will be able to continue my journey to Japan, and onto the next journey after that! here are my plans for the next few months: Japan for the rest of August, Perth Australia for September and October, a cruise from Dubai to Sydney, back to Japan from December to March, Hong Kong from April to July or so. wow!
setting up for a rooftop performance in Portland.
Thank you so much for your continued support of my journey as a musician just traveling the world, and making people smile. And stay tuned, I have a bunch of new original songs written, i’m going to be working on recording them in the next few months.
Also, I am considering making more YouTube videos. What kind of videos would you watch?
weekly vlogs of my travels
weekly song challenge where you pick what song I learn
live performances
teaching how to be a traveling musician
all of the above
press reply and let me know what you would watch! thank you!
Daniel Park
