With the removal of travel restrictions in Japan, the Japanese government has introduced the Visit Japan Web, a service for smooth arrival procedures at the airport. With this service, you can register your passport details for faster processing when you arrive in Japan. Note that from April 29, 2023, quarantine procedures are no longer in effect. To register go to the Visit Japan Website at http://vjw-lp.digital.go.jp/en before your flight to Japan. You will need to create a new account and then enter the details of your passport, visa details, your contact details in Japan, and fill out t ..read more

Heading to Japan soon? Load up your Gcash because you can now use your Gcash to pay when you shop at any Don Quijote stores in Japan! This is made possible with the Alipay+ payment system. Open your Gcash account, tap on the QR code icon and tap on Pay Abroad with Alipay+. You’ll be presented with a QR code that you will use to pay for your good at any merchant accepting Alipay+ overseas. You can also use Alipay+ to pay using True Money Wallet, Kakao Talk, and TouchnGo.Isn’t that awesome? Now you’ll be able to go all out with your shopping at Don Quijote, especially if you’re taking advantage ..read more

With Japan slowly reopening to foreign tourists, Don Quijote has introduced a new discount coupon.  The Don Quijote Discount Coupon gives you 10% off your purchases and an additional 5% off your minimum ¥10,000 (excluding tax) purchases in their stores in Japan.  Similar to the previous Yokoso Pass, this coupon is available for all foreign tourists and Japanese citizens not residing in Japan. To use the coupon, click on the banner or this link to open the coupon page. You have to do this at the cashier before paying. Once the page has loaded, scroll down to tap on the coupon to get ..read more

With Japan slowly reopening to foreign tourists, Don Quijote has introduced a new discount coupon.  The Don Quijote Discount Coupon gives you 10% off your minimum ¥10,000 purchase (excluding tax) in their stores in Japan.  Similar to the previous Yokoso Pass, this coupon is available for all foreign tourists and Japanese citizens not residing in Japan. To use the coupon, click on the banner or this link to open the coupon page. You have to do this at the cashier before paying. Once the page has loaded, scroll down to tap on the coupon to get the unique code that will be scanned to g ..read more

I have been stuck in Manila since the whole country has been put under community quarantine in March 2020. Several variations of the quarantine have come and gone and I’m still here. Though I have already resigned myself that long-distance travel is not in my near future, getting my first dose of the vaccine has left me feeling hopeful. Of course, even when fully vaccinated I have no plans of traveling the same way I did before. At least not for the next two to three years. I am, however, more open to having a staycation with friends. As always, when it comes to staycations, I turn to Airbnb ..read more

It’s been more than a year since this pandemic started. I can’t say it’s been more than a year since I last traveled, but it’s been a while. Back in February when the new cases seemed to be tapering off and active cases were low for a densely populated metropolitan, I was able to take a weekend off to the mountains of Rizal for a much-needed break. It got me eager to do more staycations, but the cases went up again due to the new variants of the coronavirus that are more contagious, coupled with people getting laxer with maintaining the minimum health protocols to protect themselves. It’s frus ..read more

It seems just like yesterday that I wrote about the blog turning 11 years. Here we are, three years later, still wandering, but not quite the same way as before. In 2018 I registered Just Wandering Tours, my tour business based in Bulusan, Sorsogon. I had it in my mind to settle in Bulusan, and this cemented it. I specialize in offering customized tours of Bulusan and around Sorsogon, highlighting the province’s natural beauty and patronizing community-run tourism enterprises. However, I still divide my time between Manila and Bulusan. This was the year I was planning on staying there longer ..read more

Years ago, I was asked to speak at a Belle de Jour event that focused on travel. Many of the participants have not tried solo travel before, so they were raising their concerns and asking my opinion. One of the questions was: what do I do if I get sick when I’m traveling solo? Know your body That was my answer. Personally, I think it’s important that you know and understand how your body works. Every body is different, and what might work for me may not necessarily work for you. At that time, I was still working nights. I am prone to anemia, so I always make sure that I am getting enough sleep ..read more

The PTAA Travel Tour Expo is happening right now at the SMX Manila. This three-day expo is from February 7-9, 2020, 9:30 am to 7:00 pm (6:00 pm on Sunday). The admission fee is Php 70, Php 50 for senior citizens, free for CITI credit card holders (present the card and valid ID). Students with valid ID can also enter for free, but only on February 7. If you’re planning a trip this year, this is the place to get amazing and exclusive deals from airlines, tour agencies, hotels, resorts, and other travel service providers. Don Quijote, one of Japan’s biggest retailers returns to this year’s ..read more

I first sign up for Airbnb almost 10 years ago, when I was still traveling frequently overseas. There’s not as many Airbnb properties in the Philippines yet, so we use Airbnb as an alternative to look for good accommodations that fit our hostel budgets, but doesn’t make us feel like we’re having a hostel experience (introverts, what can I say?). Click on the property name to view the listing on Airbnb, and take note of the date of stay. The property would have probably changed since then! Green Oasis in Casablanca, Morocco Date of stay: October 2011 Our first Airbnb experience! It’s a gorgeou ..read more