Trading Caps and Gowns for Passports and Boots – Slade’s Graduation Trip to Japan & Indonesia

One-chapter closes; another adventure begins. Slade and Tara, graduation night.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that life’s detours often lead to the best adventures. In just two days, we’re boarding a plane for a trip that means more than just travel – it’s a celebration, a send-off, and a moment I know I’ll hold onto forever.

My son Slade just graduated high school, and in a few months, he’ll leave for Marine Corps Boot Camp. Before that chapter begins, we’re taking him (and his girlfriend Tara) on one last big family adventure – to Japan and Indonesia.

Japan holds a special place in our hearts. We were stationed in Okinawa for over five years, and for Slade, it’s always felt like home. We moved back to the States when he was 10, but those memories shaped who he is today. Going back feels like closing a loop – returning to a place that built us before he heads off to build himself.

This trip is bittersweet. It will probably be the last we take as a family before Slade steps into his own adventure. And while we’re excited, our hearts are heavy too. Our oldest son, Tristin, chose not to come with us. We were devastated when he decided he didn’t want to join. I canceled his plane tickets, hotels, and activities. It wasn’t how I pictured this trip – but like so many moments in life, this is a detour I’m learning to embrace.

Because here’s the thing about detours: they force you to see what’s actually in front of you. And right now, that means leaning into the time we get with Slade before he leaves – to have conversations we might have missed, to see his eyes light up at ramen bowls and jungle temples, to watch him take in these experiences with Tara by his side. This trip may not look like the family adventure I planned, but maybe it’s exactly the one we needed.

🌏 Our Japan, Okinawa, Bali & San Francisco Itinerary (July 12 – Aug 3, 2025)

Because apparently, I still haven’t let go of my Marine Corps need for an op order. Let’s see how many of these plans actually stick – and what detours await us.

📅 July 12 (Sat)✈️ Fly from Tampa → Minneapolis → Tokyo

📅 July 13 (Sun)🛬 Arrive in Tokyo (1:05 PM)🏨 Check-in: The New Sanno Hotel🍣 Dinner nearby or at hotel – maybe a local izakaya or convenience store bento box for our casual intro to Japan’s food scene.

📅 July 14 (Mon)🏙️ Shibuya Crossing & Hachiko Statue🎌 Meiji Shrine + Harajuku Street🛍️ Takeshita-dori shopping (crepes and kawaii everything)🌆 Evening in Roppongi – dinner and city views

📅 July 15 (Tues)🌀 teamLab Planets🗼 Tokyo Skytree – aim for sunset views🛍️ Omotesando or Ginza shopping🗡️ Samurai Museum in Shinjuku (late afternoon)🌆 Shinjuku nightlife – Golden Gai’s tiny bars and neon-lit alleys

📅 July 16 (Wed) – Kyoto

🚅 Morning Shinkansen to Kyoto🏨 Check-in: Hotel Resol Kyoto Kawaramachi Sanjo🌿 Arashiyama Bamboo Grove – peaceful bamboo path stroll🐒 Optional: Iwatayama Monkey Park – macaques with city views🍵 Tenryu-ji Temple & Gardens – Zen temple and beautiful gardens🏮 Evening walk in Gion District – geisha streets and lanterns

📅 July 17 (Thurs)🏯 Morning: Fushimi Inari Shrine or Nishiki Market✈️ Afternoon flight to Okinawa🏨 Check-in: Aqua Palace Chatan🌅 Dinner near American Village – neon lights, arcades, and seaside eateries

📅 July 18 (Fri)🛶 Cape Maeda & Blue Cave snorkeling🏖️ Beach break at Zanpa Beach🍹 Drinks + arcade fun at American Village

📅 July 19 (Sat)🐠 Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium🌉 Kouri Island & Bridge – scenic drive and purple sweet potato ice cream

📅 July 20 (Sun)📸 Okinawa World cultural park – Gyokusendo Cave & Eisa dance🍖 Dinner at Sam’s Anchor Inn or Ryukyu BBQ

📅 July 21 (Mon)🧺 Laundry day, rest, and souvenir shopping at Aeon Mall or street shops

📅 July 22 (Tues)✈️ Fly to Bali via Singapore🛬 Arrive late evening🏨 Check-in: Hard Rock Hotel Bali

📅 July 23 (Wed)🧘 Morning: Relax at Hard Rock Bali pool🍹 Afternoon at Azul Beach Club🌅 Sunset dinner at La Plancha – beanbags on the sand, tapas, and cocktails

📅 July 24 (Thurs)📸 Padang Padang Beach🛕 Uluwatu Temple🌅 Sunset dinner at Rock Bar, AYANA

📅 July 25 (Fri)🌊 Ocean Walker helmet diving🧖 Optional spa treatment🛍️ Beachwalk Mall or pool time🍽️ Dinner at Fat Chow or room service

📅 July 26 (Sat)🚗 Transfer to Sanctoo Suites🐘 Afternoon: Elephant Mud Fun📸 Evening photo session

📅 July 27 (Sun)🦧 Breakfast with orangutans🦜 Bali Zoo encounters🐑 Visit Bali Farm House & alpaca feeding🦩 Optional Flamingo Beach Club

📅 July 28 (Mon)🚗 Transfer to Kamandalu Ubud🌊 Stop at Tirta Empul Temple (spiritual purification pools)🍛 Lunch at Bebek Tepi Sawah (Balinese duck)🏨 Check-in at Kamandalu🍸 Jungle infinity pool + sunset drinks at Cretya Ubud🍽️ Dinner nearby

📅 July 29 (Tues)🐵 Monkey Forest Sanctuary🛍️ Ubud Art Market + Saraswati Temple🌾 Tegallalang Rice Terrace + suspended bike and swing photos🍽️ Dinner at Warung Pondok Madu🔥 Kecak Fire Dance performance

📅 July 30 (Wed)🏎️ Morning ATV jungle adventure💆 Afternoon spa treatment at Kamandalu Jungle Spa🍽️ Farewell dinner at The Sayan House – cliffside sunset dining

📅 July 31 (Thurs)🥐 Breakfast + check out✈️ Fly to San Francisco via Taipei

📅 August 1 (Fri)🍳 Morning free time⛴️ Alcatraz Day Tour🍽️ Dinner at Fog Harbor Fish House or Tony’s Pizza Napoletana

📅 August 2 (Sat) – San Francisco:

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Spend the day with Tristin and his girlfriend, Katie

🌉 Tour San Francisco together – sights, food, and final family time before heading home

📅 Aug 3 (Sun)✈️ Fly home to Tampa

But let’s be real – we all know this itinerary is just a rough draft. Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that the detours are where the real stories come from. Stay tuned to see which plans survive, which ones get hilariously replaced by unexpected adventures, wrong turns, and “whose idea was this again?” moments.

Major Detour isn’t just a blog about travel. It’s about these moments – the honest, raw, unfiltered experiences that shape us. The unexpected twists that remind us who we are and what really matters.

I’ll be sharing it all here: the hilarious mishaps, the tearful moments, the hidden gems, and the ways each detour teaches us something new about ourselves and each other.

Here’s to Slade’s next chapter, to embracing what is right in front of us, and to every detour along the way.

Have you ever taken a trip that looked different than you planned but turned out to be exactly what you needed? Tell me about your most meaningful journey in the comments below.

Thanks for taking this detour with me – until next time,

Kolleen