• Asia,  Destinations,  Trains, Planes & Rideshares,  Travel Diary,  Vietnam

    From Tam Coc to Hue by overnight bus

    Previously: Ninh Binh Day Tour Journal date: November 13-14, 2023 I booked this bus through my hostel for something like $20 USD. It included transport over to the bus station (which was just down the street, haha!) and a small snack bag and a large water bottle. The bus trip Unfortunately, I don’t have any photos for this bus because I got sick right before with a cold. Of course, I didn’t have any cold meds with me and when I visited the (very small) pharmacy in town, I could only get regular Ibuprofen. A hostel friend gave me some Lemsip which did help. Rather than spend my last day…

  • Destinations,  North America,  United States

    Libraries for nomads | Non-resident library cards

    Despite traveling around the world and seeing many amazing things, I still like to keep up my reading habit. It’s nice to have access to some small entertainment, whether I’m on a long bus ride or trying to chill in a hostel after a day of walking around, and stocking up on books on my Kindle fits my needs perfectly. Because I’m a budget traveler, I want to save as much money as I can and put that towards more travel…which means I use my library card basically every day. With a little planning, you can snag a library card either before you start your nomad journey or even while…

  • Asia,  Destinations

    10 months in Asia: Solo female backpacker’s travel budget

    Last year (2023), I spent 10 months traveling around Asia on a backpacker’s budget. I had a general monthly budget of $1,500 USD/month. In order to keep track of what I spent and make sure I didn’t go too far over my budget, I kept a very detailed spreadsheet. The spreadsheet keeps track of how much I spend within certain categories, my overall spending per month and year, and how much I spent within a specific country. Some of my totals are a bit off because I didn’t keep detailed track of my cash spending until September, but generally I kept things separated out into major categories like Accommodation, Tourism…

  • Asia,  Destinations,  Japan

    Tokyo Convenience Store Food Prices 2024 | Budget Travel in Japan

    When I’m trying to get an idea of a budget for a trip, I find it helpful to have actual prices for things. One way to save money while traveling in Japan is to buy food at convenience stores, since they’re practically on every corner and most are open 24/7. Some even have fresh food similar to a grocery store, so you can stock up on things to make in your hostel kitchen. Here’s some prices I gathered from convenience store visits in Tokyo, Japan in spring 2024. While there’s a little bit of a price difference between the different store brands, it’s not a HUGE difference (maybe $0.10-.50 USD),…

  • Asia,  Destinations,  Japan

    How to find eki stamps in Japan

    Looking for a free and fun thing to collect while traveling in Japan? Try starting an eki stamp collection! Eki stamps (translated to “station stamps”) are (free!) rubber stamps used as a kind of tourist souvenir around Japan. Originally, they were only found at train stations (hence “station stamp”) but now you can get them nearly everywhere. Finding and collecting eki stamps is one of my favorite things to do in Japan, and I encourage everyone to get some for their own collection. That said, finding eki stamps (and the like) can be a little difficult if you don’t speak or read Japanese. Here’s how to find eki stamp locations…

  • Asia,  Destinations,  Japan

    Where to find the Narita Airport eki stamp

    Eki stamps (“station stamps”) are (free!) rubber stamps used as a kind of tourist souvenir around Japan. You can get them at train stations, subway stations, most tourist spots, museums, and more! Finding and collecting eki stamps is one of my favorite things to do in Japan, and I encourage everyone to get some for their own collection. Narita International Airport eki stamp location Narita International Airport has an eki stamp available at the Narita Airport Tourism Information center. Here’s what it looks like: The Narita Airport Tourism Information Center is located in Terminal 1, BEFORE security, on the first floor. When you get out of baggage claim, turn to…

  • Asia,  Destinations,  Japan,  Trains, Planes & Rideshares

    From Los Angeles to Tokyo (Narita) with ZipAir

    Journal date: February 20, 2024 In January, I snagged ticket from Los Angeles to Narita (Tokyo) with ZipAir, Japan Airline’s discount branch, for only $207. Normally, one way tickets with ZipAir are closer to $300-400 USD, so I wanted to take a chance for such a good price. My ticket didn’t come with anything except a 7kg carryon allowance, so I bought a “service package” upgrade which included a checked bag up to 30kg, one meal, and a seat of my choice. Check-in at LAX was fast and easy, since I had pre-purchased my checked bag. Everyone had to check in at the counter, as ZipAir doesn’t do electronic boarding…

  • Asia,  Destinations,  Trains, Planes & Rideshares,  Travel Diary,  Vietnam

    From Hanoi to Tam Coc (Ninh Binh) by minivan

    Previously: 4 Days on the Ha Giang Loop Journal date: November 11, 2023 I booked transport from my hostel in Hanoi to my new hostel in Tam Coc, a town right next to Ninh Binh, a popular backpacker’s destination. My Hanoi hostel booked it for me for 350,000 dong / $14.25 USD. Generally, I find it easier to just book transport through my hotel/hostel, as it doesn’t cost much more than booking a bus online myself. Bonus: they often include direct pickup— and sometimes drop off— so I don’t have to pay for a Grab to/from the bus station. Score! The minivan to Tam Coc was a very comfortable ride,…

  • Asia,  Destinations,  Travel Diary,  Vietnam

    4 days on the Ha Giang Loop (Easy Rider edition)

    This is one of the things that everyone says you MUST do, and honestly— I agree. If you have the time/money/physical health to go on a multi-day motorcycle tour of northern Vietnam: do it! It was the most fun thing I did in Vietnam and it’s a highlight of my year. Safari Hostel Ha Giang Loop Tour I booked my 4 day/3 night easy rider tour package through Safari Hostel, which included the bus from Hanoi and back, and extra night at the hostel. I went with Safari under recommendation from a traveler friend, and I’m glad I did as they have small groups of under 12 people and less…

  • Asia,  Destinations,  Trains, Planes & Rideshares,  Vietnam

    Day trip to Halong Bay, Vietnam from Hanoi

    I booked a day tour through Viator for a trip to Halong Bay from Hanoi. Halong Bay is about 3 hours away from Hanoi, so quite a long drive going there and back in one day…but a day trip is much cheaper than a multi-day cruise so I just went for it. Day tour vs. multi-day tour Because a day tour is compressed, you don’t get to explore every single thing in Halong Bay. However, you do get to see quite a bit. Day tour from Hanoi itinerary Here’s what we did on the day tour that I took: Stop at a pearl farm/jewelry store: Every bus on every tour…