Off-the-Beaten-Path Travel Stories

June 29, 2019December 14, 2025japan, summer, tokyo, travel

10 Must-Do Day Trips from Tokyo (Less Than 2 Hours Away!)

Looking for ideas on fun day trips from Tokyo once rainy season is over? Look no further! Here are 10 must-do day trips tried and tested by yours truly.

June 21, 2019October 25, 2022central asia, eating, spring, travel

A Day in Tashkent: 5 Easy Things to Do

A quick and dirty guide to the most interesting things to do in Tashkent, for those who only have limited time to spend in the Uzbekistan capital.

June 7, 2019June 7, 2019central asia, spring, travel

5 Wildly Beautiful Side Trips from Almaty

Me and a bride posing at Big Almaty Lake

Here are five must-do side trips from Almaty that are so jaw-droppingly gorgeous you’ll fall in love with Kazakhstan and our home planet all over again.

May 30, 2019October 25, 2022central asia, spring, travel

Report: Uzbekistan-Kazakhstan Border Crossing at Zhibek Zholy

On the Kazakhstan side of the border crossing

A firsthand report of the Uzbekistan-Kazakhstan border crossing at Zhibek Zholy in May 2019. Includes the latest info, travel times, and humour.

May 25, 2019October 11, 2022central asia, spring, travel

My Kazakhstan Village Homestay Experience in 25 Photos

I had an amazing weekend doing a village homestay in Kaskasu near Shymkent, southern Kazakhstan. A picture tells a thousand words, so here are 25 of them.

May 5, 2019May 5, 2019japan, spring, tokyo, travel

My Semi-Disastrous Izu Islands-Hopping Trip

My Izu Islands-hopping plan was simple: 5 days, 5 islands. Kozushima, Shikinejima, Niijima, Toshima, Oshima. Unfortunately, things didn’t exactly turn out as planned.

April 16, 2019April 13, 2023japan, life, spring, tokyo, travel

5 Last Minute Golden Week Ideas to Avoid Inflated Prices

Here are 5 last-minute Golden Week ideas for those of us who have missed the cheap flights, but still want to make full use of the 10-day holiday!

April 4, 2019February 2, 2023chubu, spring, tokyo

Fuji Shibazakura Festival: Get Those Spring Feels

Fuji Shibazakura Festival, Mt Fuji and mini Mt. Fuji

Missed the cherry blossom season in Tokyo? Never fear! You can still enjoy shibazakura (moss phlox) long after the cherry trees have sprouted leaves.

March 21, 2019March 21, 2019japan, life, tokyo

UNKOOOO! A Look Inside the Poop Museum Yokohama

The newly-opened Poop Museum in Yokohama shows just how fun Japan has made something traditionally seen as gross. Read a firsthand report on a day of UNKO!

March 9, 2019January 29, 2023eating, japan, spring, summer, tokyo

Nanaya Matcha Ice Cream: World’s Most Intense Green Tea Gelato

Suzukien x Nanaya Matcha level 7 ice cream

Nanaya Gelato boasts the world’s strongest matcha (powdered green tea) flavour with its ice cream range featuring 7 levels of matcha intensity.