japan/china 2019
On my second visit to Asia, I got to visit two countries: Japan and China. Ben’s Grandpa still lives in China – Shaoxing to be exact. So when his family decided to visit, I tagged along. Any trip to anywhere in Asia from NYC warrants at least two weeks, since it’s such a long flight.…
10 foods you should say, “ni hao” to in china
I wish I got the chance to try a lot more food but unfortunately, we were only in China for about five days. As with any country, China has its regional cuisines (I highly recommend watching, “Flavorful Origins” on Netflix to learn more about Chaoshan and Yunnan cuisines). Being that China is one of the…
6 things i learned in the 5 days i spent in china
Credit cards (and cash) are not widely accepted. Not even McDonald’s in the Shanghai train station accepted credit cards. The main form of payment is via AliPay or WeChat app where it’s either linked to a credit card, or you pre-load money onto it and it works like a debit card. Weather at the end…
7 things you should know if you’re applying for a china visa
If you’re planning to visit China, you’ll need a Visa. There are different forms you can select from, depending on the reason for your visit and the length of your stay. Here are some things to keep in mind before you apply: Download and complete the correct form (typed, in caps) prior to your visit…
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how to be a traveler in singapore (12 things to do)
1. Eat at the hawker stalls I think this is an obvious one but I thought I’d list it anyway. After all, one of the best ways to learn about a culture is through their food. And in Singapore, you won’t find a shortage of hawker stalls to expand your palette at 2. Marvel at… Read more
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19 foods to eat in singapore
There are an estimated 13,000 hawker stalls in Singapore. 13,000!! That means if you ate at a different stall each day, it would take you 35 years to eat through them all. There is no one definition for Singaporean food. It’s more of a mix of different cultures, with influences from its neighbors, Malaysia, China,… Read more
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17 foods to say “halo” to in bali
These are all the foods we ate in Bali. We even got the chance to cook some of these! Like many Asian cultures, rice is served with most meals – even breakfast. Sambal is also served on the side of most meals and have varying degrees of spice levels, so just try not to learn… Read more
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17 things i learned in the 7 days i spent in bali
1. Hire a private driver This sounds like it would be really expensive but it’s actually not. For 12 hours and 2 passengers, this cost us $40 USD on Klook. Typically, 12 hours is the max, but you can pay extra per hour for overtime. If you need a car for a shorter amount of… Read more
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why i wouldn’t recommend visiting nusa penida in bali
When Ben and I visited Bali in September 2022, we knew we wanted to tack on a snorkeling trip somewhere. Beautiful beaches, deep blue waters, it was going to be the perfect setting. We decided on Nusa Penida because it had snorkeling, a visit to few other spots that looked IG-worthy (emphasis on IG worthy),… Read more
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balinese cooking
I haven’t had a whole lot of experience with eating Balinese or Indonesian food, much less cooking it. When Ben and I travel, we try to take a local cooking class if we can, and the timing/pricing is right. Luckily, we were able to find one while we were staying in Ubud. We booked ours… Read more
how to be a traveler 