Who is Tyler MacNiven?

Tyler MacNiven is practically an inspiration to all travelers... He traveled by foot from the most southern-most tip to the northern-most tip of Japan! This was quite a journey of his, as he walked the entire length of the country in 145 days! There were three reasons for this unbelievable trip... First, when he went to Japan a couple years before, he fell in love with the country and decided he needed to go back and visit again. Second, he had high hopes of impressing a girl, Ayumi Meegan, whose parents recorded the longest unbroken walk in history. And lastly, it was on this trip that he became known as Kintaro, which means "Golden Boy" in japanese, mostly because of his blond hair. He had made a wise choice of embarking on this journey, and even though he had some hard times along the way and many unexpected things, he walked the entire length of the nation with courage and determination. He never gave up! That's what is so fascinating about Tyler MacNiven... He knew from the very beginning that this was going to be a hard task and goal to accomplish; however, he went through with it, developing a totally different view towards travel and its capability of seeing things you might've never seen before. Because of this journey, he had made a documentary video, "Kintaro Walks Japan", about his adventures...  He is truly a person to look up to and is a great role model for many travelers worldwide!

1. What is the most important thing you can take away from Tyler's approach to travel?
I personally think that one of the most important things you can take away from Tyler's view upon travel is that you shouldn't be afraid to accept a new challenge when embarking on a new journey! Travel is most definitely a way to accept new ideas and the surroundings around you. Wherever you go, if you have the opportunity to put yourself "into the moment", you'll definitely get that muvch more out of it for sure! I think traveling is way to take advantage of the trip. By being fearless and taking risks, you can definitely get the most out of a trip!

2. How do you think Tyler's approach to travel relates to his normal everyday life?
Tyler MacNiven seems to come off as a very outgoing, fearless, and very social person! He is willing to put himself out there and do pretty much anything and everything that comes his way, and that is definitely how his everyday life relates to his travels. His travels are full of determination and goals, seeing it all in a very openminded viewpoint. Everyone changes because of travels and come out of their comfort zone or even develop a totally different viewpoint upon the world, yet somehow, Tyler seems to stay the same, showing his personlaity not only through his travels, but also in his everyday life!

3. What is a quote that stands out to you from either of Tyler's videos? And how can you apply that quote to our upcoming travels or your life in general?
One of the many things Tyler says upon his adventure, one quote seems to stick with me: "When you are traveling in a vehicle, you are going through the scenery. When you are walking, you are a part of the scenery." I absolutely love this quote, as it explains the entire essence and atmosphere of traveling! In my opinion, it truly is hard to experience and completely indulge a trip when you're constantly using public transportation to get places. It's way too easy to get caught up in public transportation.... Yes, it may be the easiest way out when you don't want to get up and do anything, but then again, why are you on this trip? When you travel, the best way to gain experience and develop memories, is to truly become part of the scenery... Walking on foot gives you time to reflect, and it is truly a great, natural, healthy way of travel. On the trip this summer, I expect lots and lots of walking, and I'm totally fine with that! It gives me a chance to live in the moment, as you never really know when the next time you'll be here will be...

4. What do you think Tyler's advice to you on our upcoming trip would be?
I think that Tyler's advice towards our upcoming trip is to truly love in the moment and take advantage of anything and everything in front of you! Looking over even the most simplest things shouldn't be on our agenda... We need to be openminded and indulge every single little second of our trip! We need to be fearless and just let loose and have fun, all while exploring the new culture around us, whether it's interacting with the locals or trying new food. This trip is all about taking new chances and challenges, as it's the only real way to put yourself in the midst of the moment!

5. What are you most excited to ask Tyler about during our interview? 
One thing I really want to ask Tyler about is what were his emotions at the very beginning of his trip compared to the feelings he had at the very end! With everything that he went through during his experience, I'm sure that something must've changed about himself and who he is in the world. Everyone finds themselves on a journey, and I'd really like to know what those emotions describe about him...