(Photo: Ella and Naavah in Niseko, Japan.)

Our travels so far have taken us from winter in South Carolina to New Zealand’s cool summer to Austrial’s hot summer to the tropics in the Philippines to deep snow in northern Japan. The change from the Philippines to Japan was by far the most dramatic.

During our time in the Philippines, we jumped from cliffs into clear blue seas, snorkeled above beautiful reefs, skipped across choppy seas on jet skis, motored across lakes to hike volcanos, and lounged by the pool soaking in the tropical sun.

(Ok, this doesn’t sound like the educational experience I have argued this trip is about, but you have to play some while traveling!)

A week later we were in the town of Niseko on Japan’s northern Hokkaido Island snowboarding and skiing (Ella) in the best powder our family has ever experienced. Rather than write a long blog, I’ve tried to capture the journey in captioned video and photographs. Pictures, in my opinion, are always better than words.