I Survived in an Ancient, then Futuristic Town

Ryan: The other day I was eating dinner with Haley, and she asked me: "If you could time travel, would you go to the past or the future? ". And I answered with my mouth full of chicken strips: "I have no idea".

But if there's anything I know about being a YouTuber, it's that I can use her hypothetical question as an excuse to make a really cool video. Here are the rules. Rule 1: I must travel to the most ancient and most futuristic city I can possibly find.

Rule 2: I must do my typical daily routine in each town to see if I would survive better in the past or the future. And Rule 3: I can't leave the city, until I make a friend. That's not really essential to the challenge.

I just get lonely sometimes. So. .

. Haley! It's time to answer your question.

I traveled to the ancient one. The town behind me is Matera, Italy. It is ancient.

If you couldn't tell. It took a long time to get here. I love Italy for many reasons.

The art, the architecture, Olive Garden. Okay, I don't think they're directly responsible for Olive Garden, but there's definitely some overlap there. I'll look into it in my free time.

The point is: Italy is sick. And the fact that this town exists here as well, just makes it that much cooler. So really, I think there's only one thing left to do.

Let's go travel into the past! I thought that was gonna be cooler. Um.

. . I'm just gonna back up, I guess.

Alright. Guys! I have officially entered my first cave.

Thanks! Yeah. Now there's a first for everything, I guess.

I got out of my taxi, and immediately was greeted by a guy named Moosha, and he just took my luggage and started sprinting up an ancient staircase. When I walked in, my orange luggage was already here, and I here and I don't even know when he did that. He's so fast.

I don't know about you, but I don't think the caveman had a drink list in their cave. . .

and a bowl of fresh fruit. I don't think I've ever seen an orange with a leaf still on it. Is that a throne?

I could get used to this. The way I'm testing the past and the future is: I'm doing my normal daily routine that I do at home, and seeing if it works for me in this environment. It's a little bit past lunchtime, and I don't normally check into caves every day, but I think this is appropriate.

Let's do a quick cave tour! So you already saw the walk in area with the dining room and the fruit bowl. But what's really cool is: if you look outside of this window and just look across, you can see countless abandoned caves.

Like. . .

people just lived there at one point. That's so ancient. I'm gonna show you this way now.

So there's a tiny bed here, which is fun. I wouldn't mind sleeping on this, honestly. It is directly across from an ominous candle and ominous door with a lock on it.

So maybe it's best that I don't sleep in that bed tonight. The tiny bed path then leads to quite possibly the biggest bathroom I've ever seen in general, much less during the Paleolithic Period. It's just running water.

That's crazy. This bathroom has a sink that's quite literally carved out of stone. A mirror.

. . Should I.

. . No.

Obviously a bathtub. . .

A shower, bathrobes, towels and 2 toilets. This place is crazy. And the final room of the cave.

. . The master bedroom.

Of course, every cave needs a master bedroom. This bed frame goes hard. It's also stocked with not 1, but 2 ominous chairs.

I think this setup looks like you really had nothing to do. You just get out of bed, sit down and look at each other. Boring.

And lastly, you will never guess what this last little room is. Try to guess it real quick! Just.

. . just 3, 2.

. . It's a mini fridge room.

There's just a mini fridge in there. That's awesome. So that's the cave I'm sleeping in tonight.

There are a few things in this cave that I just don't even know what to call them. I don't even know what they do. And if you have any idea what these are, let me know in the comments!

But the point is: this place is old. It's actually really old. And if my hotel room is this cool, I can only imagine how awesome the town is.

Oh! Would you look at that? I arrived to Matera in the middle of the day, so I have to start my daily routine at dinner.

I'm enjoying my daily walk and everything, but I'm starting to get hungry for dinner. And every restaurant in this town seems to be closed. Surely the future will have more options than this, right?

Excuse me! Do you guys know when restaurants open? Woman in leather jacket: He knows.

Man in black jacket: So different. It's difficult. Ryan: Thank you very much!

Man in black jacket: You're welcome! Ryan: Alright. I'll go try it.

Thank you! It's kind of like a ghost town around here. On my way to go find that restaurant, I stumbled upon a gift shop.

Uh. . .

Yes, please! You already know what I'm buying. I bought silly glasses.

All I'm saying is: I've never met a man with too many silly glasses. That's my argument. In terms of the daily routine: it is dinner time.

It took me a really long time to walk to this area. I don't know how I'm gonna get back, but the good news is: I found focaccia. I just learned what focaccia is.

It's not pizza. It isn't. There's a selection of pastries and.

. . and things in this little boutique cafe.

I got focaccia, and I'm loving it. Not gonna lie: When I booked this trip, I was expecting caves and rocks, and that's about it. Look how pretty this town square is!

I mean, it's crazy out here. My plan is to finish this food, and then go back to my hotel as quickly as possible, before it gets dark. Because I'm actually scared of the dark in a place that I've never been before.

That's normal. And when I get back to my cave hotel, I'm gonna have to improvise, because that's about the time of night I normally hang out with Haley. We watch TV, we play games.

It's a cute time. But Haley's back home. .

. probably reading or something. Bottoms up.

This is so crazy. It does feel like I time traveled. But then again, the oldest building I know of in my town is probably an IHOP.

And just like that, it is officially bedtime. I am very sleepy. I am excited for bedtime, but I did not skip out on the relevant daily routines.

Typically, after dinner, I'll watch TV shows with Haley, and I sat in this chair by the bed and pretended to watch Love is Blind with her. It was weird. The chair across from me being empty.

. . Strange.

The candles make it weirder. I didn't like it. After that, I went to the bathroom and did my nighttime routine.

I brushed my teeth, I washed my face. Unfortunately, I did not make a friend today officially, but I am excited for tomorrow, because it's gonna be a beautiful day. I'll have all day to do my daily routines, and absolutely nothing is gonna stop me from making a friend.

Alright, I'm gonna go night-night. Hey, yo! Ancient morning routine.

First things first: I look outside to make sure that no dinosaurs have stumbled across the town. Next, I walk out of my cave. .

. well, I'm still in my cave. But that's like my bed cave.

Next, I spit out the stuff in my mouth from brushing my teeth. I turn on the shower, I take a shower, I get dressed. I've been loving zip hoodies recently.

I think it's gonna become a trend in 2025 BC. I unlock the door and appreciate the view. And lastly, I go for a walk to begin primordial hunting for a coffee.

Well, I seem to have discovered not only another cave, but also coffee and a buffet. The food selection is amazing. I got a plate with this sandwich, eggs, ham, some sort of cake, fruit and even.

. . Oh, gosh!

Corn Flakes. Let's try these Corn Flakes! There weren't very many restaurants open yesterday in the town, so I kind of want to take advantage of this opportunity before me.

Looks like all the food in the town came to this place. Hey! Does this count as making a friend?

I don't think it does, but. . .

pretty cool guy. Uh-oh! It's about that time.

That's right. It's time for exercise. I get a lot of comments, like this.

. . or this.

. . or like this.

Those are a lot comments that I got. So kind of have to come clean a little bit, and show you me exercising. So come with me to exercise in an ancient city!

Yeah. As you can see, I go hard. Now.

. . this exercise was a little bit different, because I'm literally living inside of a rock right now.

So things will probably look a little bit different in the futuristic city. The point is: I got in a workout. It is officially that time of day I need to get some work done.

Nothing says ancient like sitting down at a desk with a candle lit and a MacBook Pro. Let's see what the Wi-Fi speed is! Le Grotte della Civita.

That's actually not bad at all. Normally, when I'm not filming, I'll brainstorm new video ideas or work on Joyride content. But before I start doing any of that, I have something I need to figure out.

Okay. Olive Garden definitely did not originate in Italy. So I'm just finishing up an edit for a video on my secret channel.

Unfortunately, I do have to leave in the next 5 minutes, because it is checkout time, and I'm moving homes. I'm staying in a different home tonight. Different cave.

I should really go. On my way to my next cave. I just cannot get over how old this town is.

Apparently 9000 years straight, people have lived here. . .

continuously. That's crazy. It's also just so beautiful.

I've never been to a city like this. Look how pretty it is! Every corner of it is beautiful.

I still need to make a friend, but it's gonna be hard for the future to top this. That's all I know. We need a cave tour.

Before I show you what I'm looking at right now, you have to understand: this is an Airbnb. They have Airbnbs in Matera. Not only that, but basically every review is 5-Stars, saying things like: "It's perfect.

The balcony is beautiful. Gianfranco is my new best friend". Now that one is compelling, especially for my goal.

The point is: this is not your average cave. This cave has a living room with a couch and a television. Is that an Amazon Echo?

What is this? What's going on? Right behind that is potentially the cutest kitchen I've ever seen.

There's an electric stovetop, a microwave, a pastry, cereal. I don't know what that is. Refrigerator.

. . containing juice boxes, a bunch of snacks, and a cute dining table.

And on the other side is. . .

Oh! The bed. I just cannot believe this is built from a cave.

Look at this! It's like glamping, except a cave. "Glaving".

That was the least confident I've ever said a word. Looks like there's just one more room right this way. And the bathroom.

Oh, my gosh! They have RGB lights. Are you serious?

If cavemen could even see this for a second, they would lose it. Sorry! I got a little ahead of myself, but yeah, this bathroom is incredible.

The fact that they've made something so nice out of a literal cliff is crazy. Gianfranco: Hi! Ryan: Hello!

Hi! Gianfranco? Gianfranco: Nice to meet you.

Gianfranco. Ryan: Nice to meet you. You're very popular in the Airbnb reviews.

Gianfranco: Okay. Ryan: Okay. Gianfranco: This is the Wi-Fi.

Ryan: Oh, yes. Gianfranco: This is your breakfast tomorrow. Ryan: Yes.

Uh. . .

Quick question. Ryan: Um. .

. Gianfranco: Yes. Ryan: Will.

. . will you be my friend?

A friend like. . .

Um. . .

Gianfranco: Your. . .

your friend? Ryan: Yes, yes. Gianfranco: 1 or 2?

Wow! Ryan: Oh, no. Will you be my friend?

Gianfranco: Ah! Do you need then the. .

. to WhatsApp? To Facebook?

Ryan: Uh, yeah. Sure. Yeah.

Gianfranco: Yeah. Ryan: Okay. Gianfranco: Gianfranco.

Ryan: Okay. Thank you, thank you! Gianfranco: Bye!

Bye! Ryan: That went so well. I didn't even think about adding him on Facebook, but that's a genius idea.

How else can I prove to people that I actually made a friend? I'm gonna look gonna look him up later. And once he accepts, challenge complete.

Anyway, I did not quite finish the tour, because there is a balcony. Oh, my goodness! I just can't believe it.

I just can't. It is currently lunchtime. I did not see this restaurant open yesterday, but it's open today.

I got tagliatelle. I don't know how to say it actually, but it's very good. It's pretty late in the day, so I think I can technically qualify this meal as both lunch and dinner.

2 for 1. Alright, it is Saturday as I'm filming this, and it finally makes sense where everyone's been. It is an absolute party out here.

On a serious note, this is the best pasta I've ever had. We're a long way from Olive Garden. No hate!

You can almost taste the flavor of the hands that made it. That's how fresh it is. Meal all done.

Let's head back to our "glave"! It's probably not gonna stick, is it? Work Round 2.

Uh-oh! We're working again. He's a workaholic.

Not a single one. Can you believe that? That is my last comment on Olive Garden.

Okay? I'm not gonna let it control my life anymore. At this point of the day when I'm not filming, I would most likely be doing computer work, such as photoshopping things.

I do need to finish editing some Joyride photos. We're announcing today on Instagram that we are officially a Top 3 candy in Target. Yes!

Thank you! Thanks! Wow!

One of the perks of the job right here. Before I get to work on that, I did text Haley a selfie of me and Gianfranco. I said: "I made a friend!

Gianfranco". "Well, almost. .

. he hasn't accepted my friend request yet. But he will!

" He will. Right? Assuming he does, I'm just really excited for tomorrow.

Like what is. . .

what even is a futuristic city? I guess we're gonna find out. It's so quiet here and slow here.

It's pretty relaxing. I like it a lot. It's also beautiful.

It's gonna be hard to top this. That's all I'm saying. Anyways, I'm gonna get some work done.

I finished up working on the Joyride post, and flipped on Love Is Blind Germany. I typically watch shows like this with Haley, but I guess. .

. technically, I wouldn't have her with me if I lived in the past. Also, I wouldn't have a TV or Love Is Blind.

The point is: I'm watching this alone. Buongior. .

. Buongiorno! I am going to bed, but first let's check Facebook!

I really have not gone on Facebook in years. This is crazy. Gianfranco has not added me on Facebook yet.

That is concerning. I'm gonna go to sleep. And when I wake up.

. . Gianfranco.

. . Maybe he's a night owl.

What's up, caveman? I've got my breakfast spread here. Got my tiny espresso.

Oh, it's really good. Matera is absolutely looking stunning this morning. And I get to look at it with a juice box in hand.

Life is good. Mhm! Oh!

Gianfranco accepted my friend request. Yay! That means now I can go to the.

. . Okay.

Come on! Can we hear it for that transition? Is that all you got?

That's. . .

okay. I just spawned into what I consider the most futuristic city in the world. Tokyo, Japan.

Here in Tokyo, I will find futuristic vending machines, robot servers, 7-Elevens that sell this stuff. So yeah. .

. I'd say my daily routines are gonna be a little bit different here, Kyle. I don't know Kyle.

I just. . .

I don't know. I just imagine someone named Kyle watching this, being like: "Whoa! Cool.

He said Kyle". Anyways, I've got a To Do List. Let's move!

I am pretty hungry from time traveling, so let's see if there's somewhere good to eat! The first thing I'm noticing really is that everything here is shiny. Eventually I stumble across these robots, and when I look around the corner, I realize: I just walked into a robot restaurant.

I just got seated and my waiter is already at the table. But it's got a few questions for me. Robot: What draws you to this beautiful city?

Ryan: I'm here to test out futuristic things. Robot: How do you feel about the idea of robots working alongside humans? Ryan: That feels like a trick question.

My order came out very quickly. The food is super yummy, and the best part is: you get to eat your meal alongside a friend. Good job.

Good job. My robot just sang Taylor Swift in Japanese. That was amazing.

Bye! I don't know why, but I'm kind of scared this robot is just gonna follow me. This is my first time having lunch with a robot.

I don't know. . .

I'm just gonna leave. Getting to my hotel tonight requires a train ride. I'm intimidated.

I'm scared to do this by myself, but I think I found the right one. Here goes nothing. Luckily, another train came only a few minutes later.

I'm from Texas, so pretty much any public transportation feels like the future to me, but this is really cool. Receptionist: When you check out, then we'll do your room. Ryan: Okay.

Thank you! On the way to my room, I found a bunch of vending machines. Definitely gonna have to come back here later.

I got on the elevator to take me to my room on the 17th floor. Top floor. Oh, there's a TV.

Um. . .

guys. . .

I don't think I'm "glaving" anymore. As you can probably tell, this hotel room looks like it's from the year 3000. I don't know.

It's got chrome, it's got mirrors, it's got white leather seats, lamp, abstract plates. Every texture in here is shiny. The question is: What's the bed like?

It's actually quite stiff. Maybe that's a progressive design. The bathroom is so bright, I can barely even stand in it with.

. . with my eyes open.

But it is a very nice bathroom. I love Japan, because they've got these high tech toilets. Why do they have so many buttons of things that you can spray?

I'm standing in the shower. There's a bathtub in this shower. I feel like I'm standing in a decent sized room.

Yes, this room looks futuristic. It's beautiful. It's amazing.

But the question is: How fast is the Wi-Fi? Oh, now we're cookin'. Welcome to the future, baby!

I know I kind of just ate, but those vending machines are calling my name. Okay. I'm sold.

The future is a vibe. As I finished up dinner, I walk over to the window and notice that there's a really cool rooftop bar that potentially has snacks. I've got myself a nice hot ham and cheese sandwich.

And don't even get me started on the tea! It's just one of those nights. Haley and I don't really do stuff like this back home.

Like, go outside at night and stuff. I mean, this view is insane. I gotta get a selfie.

Oh, my gosh! I look rough. Is that me?

Is that real? That jet lag from time traveling hitting different. I'm gonna.

. . I'll see y'all.

I'll see you at the room. Guess what time it is! Nighttime routine.

I used toilet, I took shower, I brushed teeth. These actions will all help me with my goal of making a friend tomorrow. I'm locking in.

I'm doing my full daily routine in the future. Okay. Good night!

Robot: . . .

think about the idea of robots working alongside humans? Ryan: That feels like a trick. Okay.

Good morning, Cyborgs! I started off my morning with some face washing. I brushed my teeth, I got dressed, I admired the view and headed out the door.

Next, I stumbled upon a coffee shop for my morning coffee. And that's where I am now. Ah!

That's good. It is a beautiful morning in Shinjuku. The sun has risen.

The city is alive. Everyone is out and about having a great time, getting their breakfast, driving to work. It's an inspiring morning.

I'm inspired. I will say that this city is a little bit bigger than the last one. With that being said, let's go find a gym!

Let's go. . .

let's go get shredded! Fun Drnk. We made it.

Weight room? Gym worker: Weight room. Okay.

Ryan: Yes. Gym worker: No. No shoes there.

Ryan: No shoes? Next thing I know, I'm renting indoor shoes at another vending machine. This is crazy.

Look what I found! 7-Eleven. A little post-workout snack?

Let's see! 7-Eleven in Japan is a little bit different from America. They have normal things like chips, candy.

. . No Joyride, unfortunately.

Not yet anyway. Maybe one day. But they also have full meals, like fried chicken and rice.

A huge wall of ramen, sandwiches, beef and rice balls, Japanese fun drinks, protein shakes. But I'm really looking for sushi. Ryan: Sushi?

Shop assistant: Sushi. Ryan: Alright. Shop assistant: Thank you!

Ryan: Thank you! Shop assistant: Thank you! Ryan: Arigato!

I headed back to the hotel to devour my 7-Eleven haul. I am finally all alone, and I get to eat my 7-Eleven snacks. Beef, rice and soy sauce test.

Mhm! If I had this for every meal, I'd be stoked. $1.

35. Are you serious? Mhm!

7-Eleven Japan. You've outdone yourself. 30 grand protein shake.

I am so stuffed. It's not even lunchtime. I'm still probably gonna get lunch, because I'm in Japan.

I want to have whatever I can eat. However, it is time for me to get some work done, before I check out of this hotel. And the good news is: I think I've got some video ideas coming to me.

So. . .

let's put. . .

let's put in some work! Just got done grinding, saying goodbye to this amazing hotel room. It's been real.

It's been beautiful. So long view. I might not ever get over it.

But I'm staying in a different hotel room tonight, and it's gonna be a little bit smaller. It's gonna be a capsule hotel. I'm very excited.

Can't really check in until later tonight, but it's gonna be awesome. So I'm gonna hit the road, uh. .

. actually, the train tracks, and go to a different place. I also need to make a make a friend.

That is actually so cool that Allbirds has a store here in Japan, because they're one of Shopify's success stories, and Shopify is the sponsor of this video. I know. I'm excited too.

Shopify gives you the power to create and grow your business. As you guys know, Joyride is my candy, but I actually started 5 other businesses before Joyride, and with every single one of them, I used Shopify. I can personally say this: Shopify has the best tools to help you reach your goals.

Whether it's features like "Tap To Pay" to make it easy to sell in person, or Shopify Magic to give you the best product photos imaginable. I literally took this on my phone. Isn't that crazy?

And I can't believe I'm about to say this, but I'm partnering with Shopify to open my very own Joyride pop up shop in New York City. And the dates of this pop up will be March 28th and 29th. So save the date!

Please come see me in New York City! There will be exclusive Joyride merch. There will be candy.

I'm hearing Joyride Jerry might even make an appearance. It's gonna be so much fun. So if you've ever had a dream to start your own business, stop waiting and start today by going to shopify.

com/ryantrahan! I'm gonna go get some lunch now. I have somehow stumbled upon a revolving sushi bar.

This is a crazy experience. It's very high tech. You don't really have to interact with anyone.

You order on this tablet. And literally, like, 15 seconds after I ordered, my first plate arrived. It's so fun watching people's orders fly by on this belt.

Also, shout out to Table 33. It's somebody's birthday there, apparently. That was the cutest thing I've ever seen.

However, I am more concerned about the fact that I just got all of this food for the equivalent of less than 4 USD. What is going on? What is happening?

Am I moving to Japan? We'll find out after I try this tuna roll. Oh!

I think I'm moving to Japan. I am at a very busy street. Can you see me?

Try to spot me! If you spot me in this clip, I will give you $1,000. I'm right here.

I'm not in the crowd. I was. Next on my typical daily routine.

. . It's time to get some work done, but I can't quite check into my capsule hotel.

So I'm gonna go try to find a coffee shop or something. I got on the next train. There weren't any seats available, which made things a little difficult.

And when I got off the train, I stumbled into probably the coolest shopping mall in the world. It is several stories of shops, and look at what these vending machines are selling! These dudes selling meat and caviar.

Are you serious? Don't worry, guys! In case you were wondering, the future still has Carl's Jr.

and giant robot statues. This is Gundam. Just casual.

. . casual things I'm running into.

. . in this city.

I'm still looking for a coffee shop. And then I stumble into this group of people that are all dressed like the same green dude. I don't understand what's going on.

So I was just sitting here, looking at this huge crowd of people, wondering what they're doing. And then I saw 2 other people doing the same thing. And I ran into.

. . Lara: Lara.

Era: Era. Ryan: Lara and Era. So you guys are from Turkey?

Lara: Yeah. Era: Yes, we are. Ryan: And you guys have seen my videos before?

Era: All of them. Ryan: That's crazy. Ryan: That is so fun.

So one goal on this trip is to make a friend. Not many people speak English. I've been kind of nervous to, like, meet a friend.

But you guys could be my friend. Era: Pinch me! Ryan: Pinch her!

She pinched her. Okay, you could pinch me too. Ouch!

I'm just kidding. Just to confirm that we're friends, we could do a dance together. Ryan & Lara & Era: We're friends.

Ryan: It feels pretty cool making friends all the way in Japan. But even with everything they have to offer here, in such a futuristic city, I'm kind of just missing my life back home. Plus, I'm supposed to be working right now.

I'm sorry! How am I supposed to work under these conditions? It's beautiful out here.

At the end of this very fun street, I found my capsule hotel. Glansit. Hey, guys!

I'm in my sleep pod. Allow me to explain why I'm whispering! I checked in with the front desk.

He directs me to the lockers, where I must replace my shoes with these slippers. I go up to the third floor, walk into my sleep pod, and it is silent. Like.

. . there are people here, but it's silent.

And I hear someone go. . .

Man: Ah! Ryan: Which to me translates to: "I hate Ryan Trahan". So that's why I'm whispering.

But the sleep pod is pretty sweet. Check it out! This is the front.

This is the back. There are also controls and a little clock and chargers for your electronics. Pretty nice.

I found myself in a trance, watching this woman play music on the TV. I suddenly woke up in disarray. Am I gonna be late for dinner?

Yes, Ryan. It's 6:00 in the morning. I somehow slept for 12 hours straight.

Morning routine. I brushed my teeth in the bathroom stall, washed my face in the tiny sink, put on my deodorant, and I'm out the door. I wanted to find a different coffee shop, and I stumbled upon this one.

Key's Café. The latte is indeed yummy, yummy. And now I'm here, outside of a train station somewhere in Tokyo.

My goodness, this city is massive! So guys, I traveled to one of the most ancient towns in the world. I went "glaving", I watched Love Is Blind Germany in German in Italy.

I also traveled to one of the most futuristic cities in the world. I got served by dancing robots. I ate $1 sushi that made me question everything I've ever spent money on.

And if one thing is for sure, this was probably my least productive workweek of all time. And I loved every second of it. Haley: Ryan!

Hello! Hello! What's your answer?

Which one would you time travel to? Past or future? Ryan: You know what?

Doesn't matter. As long as you come with me. That was a creative way of telling you my takeaway of my experience.

Although the past and future may have compelling things to offer, it's communities and relationships with people we love, such as Haley, that matter most. And we can access those right now, today. Let's take advantage of that!

What would be your answer? Thank you to everyone who's been going to Target and getting Joyride! And finally, YouTube thinks you'll love this video on the screen right now.

So just give it a click! Give it a watch! Thank you so much for watching!

You guys are the best.