Yes, that's true! Then the fanfic is like canon but with smooching, which sometimes can be satisfying to me. lolololol my deep dark secret is that when I am sad, I like reading schmaltzy fluffy domestic fic. Actually, I avoid fic that ends on unrelentingly grim notes; that's not why I read fiction of any kind. (I mean conflict in the--uhhh, literary sense? like 'all plots need conflict' sort of way, so tension between characters counts--a problem in the narrative/relationship that must be dealt with)

Ahhh, so studying up beforehand and general fearlessness. :D I totally did the writing down thing the last time I was in Japan.

(#1 is general phobia of unfamiliar locations. so i admire your ability to travel very much! I armchair-enjoyed that period when you were in college and took advantage of being in Europe to go all over the continent, that looked like fun.)