Travel Tuesday :- Sagada, Philippines

Nature is an integral component to living a balanced life. The fresh air. The silence. The beauty.

Personally, I try my best to spend some time with nature during my travels as I live in a metropolitan city.

While I was traveling in the Philippines, I made sure to give myself time for hikes in nature. Coincidentally, prior to my arrival to the country of 7107 islands, I heard about a person’s wonderful experience from hiking in Sagada. So I did my best to include Sagada to my itinerary.

Travel Tuesday :- Quirky Travel Tips when in Hong Kong

Hong Kong, the land of mixed ideals and unimaginable contradictions. It has attracted tourists, travelers, expatriates and mainlanders for decades. In some ways, not much has changed but it has also changed in many countless ways.

There is a charm in Hong Kong that is not found anywhere else. Today, I will share with you some unique phenomenons found only in this little piece of land that is my birthplace.

Travel Tuesday :- Asia bound

Greetings! Apologies for the lack of written posts. I was neck deep with the Spiritual Travel Tours website – I still have a lot of work to do in the background but at least I have launched it and happy with the results! If you don’t know why another website… it is my business venture. I am combining travel with spirituality to help empower those interested to see the world with a different perspective and a greater level of awareness with stronger intuitions.

Within 48 hours of this post, I will have landed in Hong Kong, my birthplace. I took these night shots back in July of 2013 when I was there last.

View of Hong Kong harbour from the Peak after dark

Travel Tuesday :- Floating Time!

Do you enjoy taking baths, after a long day or a long week?

Have you added a cup of epsom salts into the bath to help release lactic acid after a strenuous workout? What happens when 1000 pound of epsom salt is added to a tank of water?

Effortless buoyancy!

Have you ever heard of Sensory Deprivation Tanks or Float Tanks!?! I found out about them a few years ago from a friend and have been curious about them ever since. However, at that time, the cost of a one-hour session was pretty pricey (in my mind) – approx. $100 CAD. So I waited. While I was roaming the world in 2014, a couple of places opened in Toronto and made it more affordable. One of them being Float Toronto. Late in December, I took the plunge…

Travel Tuesday :- Hot Springs in Israel

Wherever I travel to I tend to seek out at least one location for a bit of self-care, spa time, “Me” time. When I was in the Northern reaches of Israel early in November of 2014, I looked for a natural hot springs that is easily accessible from Tiberias.

Tiberias is a city on the Sea of Galilee. Minutes from Tiberias is the Tiberias Hot Spring which is accessible on foot or by taking the local bus. It is located at the just South of the Hamat Tiberias National Park. I found out about it when I saw it from the bus en route to my day hike in the Yehudiya National Park.

However, when I consulted with the hotel owner, he said “Don’t waste your money there, if you want to visit a proper hot spring, go to Hamat Gader!”

Travel Tuesday :- Land crossing between Israel and Jordan – Part 2

This time last week, you read Part 1 of this post. If not, here is your chance.

Last week, I shared with you my experience entering Israel at the Ben Gurion airport and crossing into Jordan in the South at the Eilat-Aqaba border crossing.

Today, I will share my experience entering Israel from Jordan at the King Hussein-Allenby border crossing and my exit experience at the Ben Gurion airport.

Travel Tuesday :- Land crossing between Israel and Jordan – Part 1

In some countries, overland border crossing is easy and breezy – most time I don’t even know it happened. Other times, it’s a bit more challenging and takes some preparations.

Sadly the border crossing between Israel and Jordan is of the latter – so I’ve decided to share my experience so others can learn from it. From entry into Israel, Crossing from Israel to Jordan in the South and Crossing from Jordan to Israel in the North.

This is a 2-part post. Today it’s about entering Israel and from Israel to Jordan. In one week, I’ll tell you about from Jordan crossing to Israel and leaving Israel.

Travel Tuesday :- Hotel Bookings, Forget about it!

The Day I showed up at a hotel without a booking was Liberating. Who woulda thunk!

After visiting 46 countries in the world, meeting plenty of people who just stroll up to hotels and hostels without a booking… I am finally brave enough to follow their footsteps. I mean considering I only had a return flight for this current 6-month journey with no set itinerary and not know where I’ll be the next day… I sound like a late bloomer.

Travel Tuesday :- Quirky Travel Tips from Turkey

My first visit to Turkey was in 2010, at that point I was part of a tour group. The tour focused on the Western side of Turkey. During that time, most of my meals was taken cared of by the tour company. I didn’t get to choose the restaurant or budget. There was menus in Turkish and English. The tour company looked after the logistics of hotels and transportation. I just followed the leader and took lots of photos.

This time in 2014, I spent 2 months (cumulatively) in Turkey. I traveled alone, met fellow travelers along the way, some we simply connected in the hostel others we toured the location together. One travel friend met up with me in 5 different cities within Turkey, it was quite the experience of separation and reunion over the span of 2 weeks.

Travel Tuesday :- Trust

While on the road – alone – it can be challenging. Everyone is a stranger. And if your parents or guardians told you to not talk to stranger when you were a kid growing up and you want to keep following that adage – you’d be inadvertently on a silent retreat.

Sooner or later, you will HAVE to talk to a stranger… for directions, for help, to check into your new accommodation.

Then if you’re on a budget and staying in dorm rooms, there comes another level of interaction with strangers. No you’re not sharing a bed with them but you are paying to share a confined space with them. Your personal space is a little smaller. All your current personal belongings on display.

Personally I have never had the need to share a room with a complete stranger until I started my solo travels. Yes I was fortunate – I did not share a room with my brothers or cousins when we traveled. I tend to trust people by default – some times I trusted too much.

Some hostels, pensions or whatever they are called in your destination provide a locker for all or part of your belongings. Some do not.

Question: What happens when one of your roommate is intentionally waiting for the opportunity to steal from you?