This post covers everything that goes into planning a trip in detail. A plan will only guide you, because in reality, sometimes things don’t work out or something better comes along – like that time I took the wrong bus (it was the right one but went in the opposite direction lol), so I had to change my plans. This is the longest post of the Solo Travel Series, so I made a little table of contents. 🙂 Why an itinerary is important The best time to go Flight prices Weather/Season Taking time off Spots to visit A general search Touristy vs. “hidden” spots What are your interests? A more…
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Solo Travel #2: Where to Go? What Can You Afford? (My Personal Recommendations)
Narrow down your options based on your budget. How much money you need for a trip depends on where you are going. You have to consider: Flight prices Momondo Cebu Pacific Air AirAsia Accommodation Agoda Booking Hostel World Duration of the trip 4-6 days is a good number for first-timers To get a rough estimate of your budget, check the prices from the links above and do the following calculations: Flight = [ticket cost] + Php850.00 terminal fee + Php1,620 travel tax Meals = 3 x [meal cost] x [number of days] Accommodation = [number of nights] x [per night cost] Take note that this doesn’t account for transportation within the…
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Japan in Spring: Osaka, Nara, Kobe
I landed in Narita Airport (close to Tokyo) on the 25th of March. There I met a Filipina (if you’re reading this, Hi Andrea!) who was traveling to Japan all alone for the first time. She reminded me of myself last year in November. I was full of excitement yet terrified (maybe she wasn’t terrified, but I sure was), not knowing what to do or which way to go. We talked for a little while, I helped her with some things and we had lunch together. Then she went on her way to Tokyo, and I stayed back in the airport waiting to catch my flight to Osaka. Osaka…
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Magical Sakura Days in Kyoto, Japan
The cherry blossom season in Japan has made me realize how colorful and magical life can be. <3 Going to Japan in full-bloom cherry blossom season got me expecting a sea of crowd everywhere, especially in touristy Kyoto. Thankfully, I was able to find spots that were not the usual tourist destinations. I thought that spending 8 days in Japan hunting for cherry trees would bore me in the end, since they are all just the same trees after all, with slightly different shades of pink or sometimes white. I was wrong. While these sites were not all completely different from each other, they all had their own charm. My…
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Kyoto: Arashiyama, Ninenzaka, Kodaiji Temple
Oh my god. I took so many photos in Japan, it’s so hard to go through them! But every time I do, I never fail to get this giddy feeling, thinking to myself.. wow, did this really happen? Kind of unbelievable how beautiful it is, honestly. This is day 2 in Kyoto, which was also my last exploring day of the trip. So.. here goes. First thing on the schedule is Arashiyama. Zenrinji Temple I don’t like walking in the rain, but it gives the place a different kind of charm. Life is too short for plain ol’ black and white socks! Arashiyama Bamboo Grove I was very eager…
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Kyoto: Eikando Temple, Kiyomizu-dera
Best day of the trip! This was such an incredible day, that I had to split it in two blog posts. So after having lunch somewhere… I honestly don’t even remember anymore. Did I skip it? No idea. Anyway, I went to Eikando temple. To my surprise, it was 1000 JPY (~400-500 PHP)! I did not research entrance fees beforehand, and it was a good thing. If I did, I might not have gone to Eikando because it’s so expensive. But… it was the best temple I went to on the trip! Eikando Temple Inside temples, you have to take your shoes off. It’s always such a relief! My…
