Last year, Jan and I visited Mt. Tate (Tateyama) and made a little promise that we’d come back with the kids next time. And this year, we fulfilled that promise. 😊 Since it’s almost impossible for us to book a winter trip because the season falls while the kids still have classes and th…

Japan has become one of those places that keeps calling us back. This was already our third trip, and every visit has given us something new to love, whether it's the food, the culture, the convenience, or simply the feeling of being there. But despite visiting Japan before, there was…

You know those moments when you just want to do something special for your mom? I guess I’ve reached that chapter where I’m no longer just receiving. I’m finally in a position to give back. My mom worked hard for us her entire life, and now that she’s retired, I want her to truly enjoy wh…

First, let's get things straight. This is not a guide on how to get your Japan visa approved. If that’s what you’re looking for, you may refer to  this post  instead. What I will walk you through is the actual process of applying for a Japan tourist visa , based on timing and preparat…

Boracay has always held a special place in our hearts. For Jan and me, it’s already our third time visiting this little slice of paradise. But this time it's different. We brought the family along.  We flew in early July, right as the habagat season was starting. True enough, it start…

This blog post is long overdue. And by long, I mean five months late. We actually went on this trip last February, and I’ve been meaning to write about it ever since. But you know how it goes, life happens and before you know it, months have passed. What finally pushed me to sit down and …

Our most recent trip to Japan  wasn’t the usual Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka cities that most tourist visit. This time, we flew to Nagoya. And from there, we hopped on a bus for about 4 hours to Toyama City, a place framed by the dramatic backdrop of the Northern Japan Alps. We could have opted for …

There’s something about historical sites that get me. Old castles, ruins, ancient temples, abandoned villages. These are the places where time seems to pause and let you slip between the past and present. I’m the person who reads every plaque, runs my hand along weathered stone walls, and…

Disneyland is known to be the happiest place on earth. But when you have the whole family in tow? That’s a next-level experience. It was magical, exhausting, and definitely expensive.  This time, it wasn’t just me and Jan. We brought almost everyone! Our three kids, my mom and sister, alo…

When I packed for Thailand, I already knew that pulling off an outfit would be a struggle. On one hand, I wanted to respect the culture and keep things conservative. On the other hand, Thailand's unforgiving hot and humid weather would want me wear as little as possible. Temples and c…

Jan and I absolutely love Japan. The first time we went there, we stayed for 8 days. And let me tell you, 8 days in Japan is like getting one sushi roll when you want the whole platter. We tried to cram everything in— ramen in Tokyo, temples in Kyoto, USJ in Osaka, deer in Nara, beef burg…

A few weeks ago, Jan and I were in Thailand. And while writing about our experience at the Grand Palace in Bangkok, it dawned on me—I never wrote about our trip to Singapore last July 2023. How could I have missed that? We've been to Singapore twice before, and the third trip was espe…

I love watching watching documentaries about ancient cities—their mysteries, their cultures, and the stories they tell through the remnants of their architecture. So when I had the opportunity to visit Bangkok, I couldn't let the chance to actually stand in the ruins of a city that on…

Since having kids, Jan and I have struggled to find time for just the two of us. Our best moments alone often consist of quick meals in a parking lot. As much as we wanted to travel as frequently as before, it wasn’t in our cards to travel this year because, as I mentioned in my previous …

Did you know that Cebu Pacific now flies direct from Davao to Thailand?  Yes, you read that right. You can now enjoy flights to Don Mueang International Airport (DMK) 3x weekly!  I never really thought I’d be traveling to another country this year, especially since Jan and I have already …

Do you remember the time when I could not be bothered to look good because I paid so little attention to my outfits? Well, my blog does . 😅 Then I realized how making a simple upgrade to my style just made me feel better overall. It does feel empowering, you know. Every outfit that I ch…

Because I am sick and all of my fingers are broken . But if I'm not going to do it now, I'm not going to remember any of it and this will never be written at all.  This is something that doesn't happen often. Thought about writing this to remind us that we survived this ordeal…