Witness Terracotta Soldiers in Xi’an
November 26, 2013
One of the most impressive aspects of my trip to Xi’an was witnessing the Terra-Cotta soldiers. I was quite mesmerized by this experience, and thought it deserves a separate post. Most people who’ve seen it says the experience is somewhat overrated, and I certainly can see why this may be. Nevertheless, I found the ancient relics to be most fascinating.…
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Xi’an Wanderings
November 24, 2013
Last weekend, I took my first overnight train in China to the ancient city of Xi’an. My friend Aly, who has lived in China for 4 years now, is a huge fan of train travel. It was her birthday weekend, and her only request was to take an overnight train somewhere for 14 hours. I happily tagged along. As someone…
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Halloweekend in Moganshan
November 3, 2013
Every now and again, a weekend trip is necessary for a Shanghai dweller to get some fresh air, to switch up daily routine, and obtain some fuel for the soul. This weekend, I was invited to a trip to Moganshan (莫干山), a popular getaway destination just 3 hours of drive from Shanghai. A girl whom I met recently invited me,…
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Danba, China: The Valley of Happiness
October 21, 2013
Life of a globetrotter can be strangely disorienting. One minute, you are in the Tibetan village sharing roads with goats, the next, you are in Shanghai, sharing roads with cars and motorbike drivers who possess severe road rage. We live in the world where we can wake up in one setting and go to sleep in the next. Our minds…
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Muddy Road to Heaven: Hiking in Sichuan
October 13, 2013
Back in my Peace Corps days, I had the nickname of Posh Corps. Somehow, despite living in a village amidst the mountains of Cameroon, I managed a rather posh life (relatively speaking – Internet connection in a house without running water is pretty posh, no?). It didn’t take me long to acquire a personal moto driver who would come pick…
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Yoga Retreat with Yejo Circle
July 1, 2013
After stuffing my face for four days in Hong Kong, I came back to Shanghai and went on my first yoga retreat. A friend informed me a few months ago of a great group, Yejo Circle, that organizes city-break events at a low cost. I’ve been eyeing at the yoga retreat for quite a while, but until now, I’ve always…
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Solo Travel Encounter
June 26, 2013
Today, while I was marveling at the amazing Hong Kong skyline, and waiting for the Symphony of Lights to begin, a girl came up next to me and said hello. I met her yesterday while getting tickets to take the tram up to the Peak Tower. She asked if the massive line was for the ticket, or to board the…
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Tim Ho Wan: Cheapest Michelin-starred Restaurant in the World
June 25, 2013
I don’t think I’ve yet been to a Michelin-starred restaurant, so when my friend recommended the cheapest one in the world in Hong Kong, it was a no brainer to give it a go. The IFC (super fancy) mall location of the hot spot, Tim Ho Wan (添好運) is rather misleading. I trekked all the way there on foot. Google…
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Hong Kong at First Sight
June 24, 2013
I am in Hong Kong this week to take care of some visa business. This is my first time in Hong Kong! From the moment I landed, it felt like a breath of fresh air. I don’t even have a problem understanding Chinese, yet it was so nice to be in a place where most people speak English. Everything felt…
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Fresh Tagaytay Air
June 17, 2013
My Manila trip back in April wasn’t the highlight of my getaway. As my stay in Shanghai was approaching six months, I was in desperate need of some fresh air! A Twitter friend suggested that I check out Tagaytay, beautiful mountain range just two hours outside of Manila by bus. I wanted nothing but fresh air and a quiet place to…
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