(03OCT24) Allow me to cue in Taylor Swift’s “Welcome to New York”~ Plus, my comeback to America has finally happened! I have been planning for numerous occasions to tour here but it didn’t get pushed through due to other commitments. Though, I’m beyond grateful that this happened on my birth month and I have toured it with my college bestie.



Here’s a little throwback when I toured California and Las Vegas in 2016. My entry for this has forever stayed in the drafts because unfortunately, all my blog content for it got corrupted. I only got to save some of my personal pictures which are on my Facebook.

This first part of “My NY Times” is about my basic flight and accommodation tips, how we navigated the big apple and the events we went during my birthday week. Brace yourselves for this special fangirl entry!

The EAST Side Story: ROM/BLG

Please visit TripAdvisor for my specific tour and hotel reviews!
So I had a series of events after *Taylor Swift’s concert*---
I went to Paris and Brussels for a week with my parents and their colleagues. It was quite a similar itinerary I had the last time I went there 2 years ago which you can read about here. The only difference was that Paris was preppin’ up for the Paralympics so there were a bunch of road closures around the city. Nevertheless, it was interesting.

In addition to that, I saw this Emily In Paris-inspired restaurant near the Eiffel Tower and if you’re a fan of the series, then this is definitely a must-try!

(24SEP24) A month after that, I went on a 2nd round of solo traveling as part of my birthday escapades and it has led me to ROMANIA—one of the newest countries to join the Schengen zone. During the planning stage of this trip, I was really having second thoughts if I’m going to push through with it which I’m glad I did (Thanks to my dear friend who encouraged me so). I liked how the country was not as mainstreamed as other EU countries and that has built more of my confidence as a solo traveler. Other people said that it's unsafe, the language barrier is high and there are less Asians travelling there (but, so what?). However, I have to say that Romania has its own beauty and it’s another #EastSideStory for the books!

Here is my 4-day experience in my first Balkan country to visit with a short side-tour to Bulgaria!

Scandinavian Files: DENMARK

(15MAR24) This month marked my 5th year in the UK—and look how I celebrated it outside the country again! 😆 Pretty much because 1) I want to treat myself after passing the “Life in The UK” test which I hope will lead me to a better path and 2) Apart that I wanted a change of scenery, I wanted to use my Schengen visa before it expires. Hence, this happened; though, who would have thought that I had gone to Sweden’s frenemy?!

It feels great to tour another Scandinavian country; I actually had doubts on embarking a solo trip here owing to the fact that I had less preparations for it. I’ve said to myself that I’m just going to rely on my spontaneous instincts when I get there; Yet, Denmark is a breath of fresh air. The hygge has led me to enjoy and explore. So, here’s my 3-day itinerary to the 2nd happiest country in the world!

the Euro-trip in My 30’s

Welcome to my first entry of the year! 5 months after, and I have finished written this blog entry—I know it’s been long and outdated yet I guess that’s just how eventful the past year went for me!😅 I had a new job, re-located to another place then went back to Philippines for the holidays. And I've been writing this bit by bit as the weeks gone by. But as I promised, I’ll aim to write in current time this year. 🤞🏻
(02OCT24) Moving on, I went on a 14-day Euro trip with my parents and colleagues on my birthday last October! Thanks to Europamundo for hosting this trip; The travel agency offers Euro tours in various group packages good for family or for a company trip. It’s my first interconnecting tour across Europe as we went to 4 countries and about 10 cities which was tiring but an adventure of a lifetime. Though, the whole route of the journey was spectacular despite hectic transport changes by land and air.
Nevertheless, here’s a highlight of how our trip went! I suppose this entry might sound like my travel diary but I hope you’d learn something from it 😄

2023 Memories

Chibi in a box made by yours truly!💜
Has this year hopped by so quick? Or perhaps, it was just utterly eventful? I randomly don’t like the number ‘23’ for some reasons yet I remained hopeful that this year would be better than the previous—and certainly, it was. 2023 has been my milestone moment despite sad days, a heartbreak and irrational decisions. But these challenges shaped me to become better that led to new beginnings (with travelling on the side, of course😉) as I reached another decade.

So welcome to my world. Here’s my annual year-in review…for better or for worst. NB: all thoughts are of my own.

The SEOUL Search

(19AUG23) My travel hiatus has come to an end! Yet it felt really quick despite that I’ve been extremely busy as usual since normally, I would fill my days with work while staying in London. That was my way of distraction especially that the month of August has made me miserable at some point---but I’m glad it’s over. There’s absolutely a light at the end of the tunnel. You just have to keep going (and be patient!). ⭐️
So I resumed ticking my travel list as I went to SOUTH KOREA!! It still felt surreal that I finally, finally, FINALLY toured here even for just a short time. There were lapses along the initial planning of this trip but we managed to carry on and made it fun. I definitely need to come back soon!
I will share as much as I can about this trial-and-error trip but please be guided that these are written based on my personal experience. Hence warning, there will be negative comments ahead.⚠️

Scandinavian Files: SWEDEN

(06MAR23) Is it ironic to say that I celebrated my 4th UK anniversary outside GB? I had the saddest February but lets not go in to that. To love yourself is to do the things you want; And so, I went on a very spontaneous solo trip to Sweden. I once told myself not to embark on Scandinavia yet (because it’s expensive) but my not-so irrational decision happened. I might have gone as a lone traveler again though I enjoyed the company of my own. Sweden’s cold, snowy aura has given me the good vibes. 🖤

Here's my 4-day chill and DIY itinerary that I had in Stockholm! I will stow my honest suggestions especially if you are planning to visit this Nordic country during Winter. Believe me, it can be the best time to travel if you want a quiet and crowd-free trip. 😉


NB: My recommended tours in this blog are valid any time of the season!

Paris with a Bit of Brussels

I hope everyone is having a good start of the year so far! Mine has somewhat an emotional trainwreck as I return to London. My holidays in the Philippines has been my elixir to heal from my personal problems. Words can’t express how thankful I am to be with my family most of those times. And now that I am back in British soil, let me simply say that I’m trying to take things here, one positive day at a time. Thus, enough of that dramatic intro.
I know that this is such a very long overdue blog but let me share my previous summer holiday in France and Belgium with my family! It’s quite promising to tour Paris again after the pandemic and nothing much has changed. We went to almost the same places since it’s my brother’s first Euro trip but there are new activities that we did. Also, we had a weekend side-trip to Belgium which will mostly cover this entry. Brussels is a perfect Euro staycation. You can read my previous trip to Paris here ;)

bucketlist-CZECH!

(17NOV22) Where is the lie when I said previously that I’m done for my Euro travels this year?! And yet, this is another spontaneous trip as me and my friend had planned it out for only about a week before transit. Though, I cannot believe that I am able to visit my most targeted European country ever---the CZECH REPUBLIC. Even for just a very short time, those 3 days that I have spent there was fulfilling!

Here's to share my 3-day itinerary to this lovely Bohemian country. Let me simply tell this: it’s always a great and cheap deal to travel across Central/Eastern Europe especially when you travel from the UK 😉 If you are in to some medieval and old-fashioned structures, then this is a must-travel place to visit!

The East Side Story: HUNGARY

(26JULY22) With just 4 days of rest after my trip to the Netherlands, I went on another Euro adventure towards Hungary! I went solo and very spontaneous that I literally booked it on the last minute! (Say, about 10 days before the flight? ;p) Basically, it was my annual leave from work during that period; I was supposed to spend it with my family however, our plan has to be moved. Hence, this happened alongside that I was in dire need to have a change of scenery. I know I made it to 3 years in the UK but homesickness still kicked me to the gut especially the moment when I transferred to another house and I was in the brink of some personal problems. I even had thoughts of doing an emergency landing to the Philippines but of course, that would be irrational 🙇🏻‍♀️ So instead, I decided to visit one of my target EU countries on my bucket list 💖


Let me share my chill and steady trip to this country known as the “Paris of the East”. Budapest has certainly gave me that picture of calm while having frequent strolls along the Danube river.

DUTCH what I Like

(18JULY22) My summer holiday has got me back on touring the Schengen zone and I started in The Netherlands—FINALLY! It has been one of my plans to visit this country for such a long time since it is near the UK (*NB: I used to plan in touring Europe based on its proximity from the UK but apparently, my trip choices nowadays turn out to be…random. Hence, I kinda let the element of surprise lead me to my next destination instead.) and after 3 cancellations due to COVID and work schedule, it happened. This free country is certainly made for the youth with most attractions scream that YOLO. 🤟🏻

Let me share how our 4 days in Amsterdam passed by quickly in the middle of that deadly heatwave. That weather was so unbearable and I hope that it won’t happen again!

A TOUR-kish Delight (Part2)

(30APR22) There’s often a side-staycation to another city in every Turkey visit, and the one that currently tops that list is Cappadocia (Kapadokya). Situated in central Anatolia, this region has an exquisite Stonehenge history given its valley rock views apart from its sunrise hot air balloon rides. It’s incomparable to the life in Istanbul, I should say. ;p

Let me share our 2 and a half day stay in this bedrock town. Yet, behind such Instagram-worthy attractions involved a lot of walking through slopes, hiking, and thrill.

A TOUR-kish Delight (PART 1)

(28APR22) Merhaba! I went on a 5-day trip with friends to Turkey, one of the countries that boasts its border between Europe and Asia. It somewhat felt very different that I didn’t embark on my own this time alongside the realization that there are also cons in group travels. Nevertheless, I highly appreciated my squad for touring with me. ^^ Perhaps I might have gotten more used in planning things on my way that’s why the funny feeling came through. 😅

Anyway, this first part covers our whole preparation to travel over the “Land of Turks” and our stay in Istanbul---NOT the country’s capital but the heart of Turks’ tourist attractions.

COVID restrictions might have eased up to its limit in present time but here’s a friendly reminder to stay caution when travelling

A SWISS Escape (part 2)

Here’s a continuation of my Swiss trip which focuses on my stay in Zurich and the filming locations of the hit k-drama “Crash Landing On You”. Special thanks to my friends in the BinJin fandom, Andy for her local Swiss tips and O for creating a Google map of CLOY filming sites. I wasn’t able to go to those places in Interlaken and Iseltwald but I mostly got all the Zurich sites covered (plus Sigriswil!)
And as I trace the steps of Yoon Seri and Ri Jeong Hyeok, I have to say that it’s very nostalgic and heart-fluttering all at once! 💓

A SWISS Escape (part 1)

Hello, I’m back—-from blogging & TRAVELLING 😅

(07OCT21) First off, I didn't really mean to be on hiatus for 3 long months yet time has been constraint for working, fangirling and dealing with reality. I even had 2 drafts on queue all along but let me put my recent travel first since it's finally allowed to travel overseas!! Thank goodness that most international borders have eased up their restrictions. However, please bear in mind to travel with caution and only consider to travel when you are fully vaccinated. 
I also celebrated my birthday this month and on that week, I pushed through with my last year’s plan to go to SWITZERLAND. 🙈 Everything is so surreal like, “pinch me, I must just be dreaming THAT I AM TOURING THE PLACE WHERE HYUN BIN & SON YE JIN FILMED CRASH LANDING ON YOU” 😭 There’s a lot of beautiful sceneries which are truly worth an escape from reality. 💜

This first part covers a short guide of my trip preparations/tips and my journey in one of the Swiss Alps. I am saving my nostalgic CLOY feels on my next entry ;p The guide is applicable for UK residents holding Philippine passports and Filipino tourists coming from the Philippines as well. ^.^

**NOTE: Safety COVID precautions were observed throughout the whole trip.

Thank You 2020, Next?

 

will COVID go away if we say 10 nice words a day?

Thank goodness that this year has reached its end; The world has faced so much struggles and devastating events throughout this time from the occurrence of a pandemic to societal issues. 2020 may not be the perfect vision that we expected but I believe that there are still little sparks of joy while we adjust to 'the new normal'. Hence, here's my top 5 precious moments during the this 2nd decade.

lets WALES awhile

Helloooo!Sorry for this superr delayed entry that I didn't even get to post something for a month!😅 I have been very busy during my birthday celebration as it was a blast both in personal and fan girl life 🥰 I'll be posting an entry about it this November as a peace offering, I promise! ;)

(22SEP20) This is absolutely, the most spontaneous trip I've ever had. Never in my existence have I booked something 2 days prior to date! Though, this is one of our friend's ideas so fortunately, the expenses of going to Wales at that time wasn't expensive (it is cheaper compared to Cornwall). Hence, we had a 3-day staycation in Cardiff--the Southern highlight and capital of Wales.
Among the 4 Great Britain countries, Wales could be the least mainstream of them all. If you're thinking of a go-to place to relax and zone out from modern day life, then this is your area-to-be 😉
*NB: Safety COVID precautions were strictly observed during these tours.

My Princess Diary: University-hopping.

The pandemic continues to wreck a lot of long-time plans and I'm tired lamenting about it. I'm suppose to travel back home during my annual leave this month but unfortunately, the quarantine rules overseas remain hectic. I never want to spend my short trip on isolation. With the light and positivity to make my vacation productive, I went out of London again besides my BinJin fangirl duties. Haha!
I've journeyed to two cities with the most prestigious universities alongside a quaint village in the South. So which is better between Cambridge and Oxford? And is it really worth visiting the Cotswolds? Lets find out. ;)

*NB: Safety COVID precautions were strictly observed during these tours.

Taking a Break in Austria

I'm back in London last month from my heartwarming holiday in my hometown(my beloved Philippines!❤️)--nothing truly beats spending Christmas and new year with the family. I got to eat the pinoy foods as much as I can, went to the gym and many other activities which made me felt homesick when I returned to the UK 😢 We, overseas workers have that phase and there's no way out but to motivate thyself! Nevertheless, I will definitely go to Manila within this year again. And also, I spent the new year in Japan.


Our hotel is literally located in front of the Hachiko statue.

Additionally, we went to Tokyo Disneysea which I'm supposed to blog but I wasn't able to cover everything!One day is not enough for a Tokyo Disney resort--the queues for the rides are endless even with a fast pass and there's a lot of attractions. I had a good short time though and once again,I hope to be back.^^
Apart from my dramatic prologue,I went solo-travelling in Austria during my 3-days off from work.The weather and environment in London that week was stormy and sad, it triggered me much so I pushed through with my spontaneous plan. It was nerve-wrecking since this will be my first time to travel solo in EU but boy, I was so proud to conquer it. Vienna is simply amazing ❤️
This entry will cover my whole itinerary and some solo travel tips that I did in Austria. 😉

#2019Recap

Another year has passed and it turned out to be an emotional trainwreck despite my travelventures. From the loss of a family member to bidding farewells to loved ones, it’s been heavy yet I happily survived. ;”) Everything seemed like blessings in disguise with these whir of events.Hence, lets cheers to the ones that I got!