• Around the world,  Digital nomad,  During the World Tour,  TDM,  Tips

    Sending a letter to France from abroad – Test and advice from Service Postal (servicepostal.com)

    This post isn’t sponsored Even if most of the procedures can now be done online, there are still cases where you need to send physical mail (signed contracts, sending registered mail, …) For the reception of mail (which is then scanned for me), I have already mentioned the traveler’s mail service To send mail, I used until now the online service of La Poste It works very well but the service has two drawbacks A limitation of 8 pages maximum by mail. We can do double-sided but in some cases it isn’t enough. The ergonomics of the service is null and void. Really! An operation as basic as entering the…

  • Asia,  Japan,  TDM,  Travel Journal

    Mochi: the Japanese cake that kills (but is delicious)

    A Japanese speciality that I first discovered in Thailand, mochi is a preparation based on sticky rice which, once kneaded, takes the shape of a dumpling.This same preparation is the basis for the famous Chinese coconut beads that I knew and appreciated for much longer.The toppings can vary but the mochi I like the most is topped with a strawberry, sometimes coated with chocolate.The preparation of the mochi can be very impressive, judge for yourself through these two videos taken in Nara in front of the famous Nakatanidou.Mochi is also known to be a killer cake! Japanese people eat an average of 1kg each per year, mainly during the New…

  • Asia,  Others,  TDM,  Travel Journal

    Test & review of the Onsen Tenzan-no-yu in Kyoto (Japan)

    To find out how a session in an Onsen takes place, it’s this way.We went to Onsen Tenzan-no-yu as it is about 15 minutes by bus from the Kyoto bamboo forest. After walking a lot, what better way to relax than a visit to Onsen?As usual, shoes are removed before entering and stored in a locker (no room needed).We recover the key of the locker and we are going to exchange it at the reception for another bracelet which is going to allow us to open and close our locker in the checkroom. With this same bracelet, we can buy drinks, eat at the restaurant or ask for a massage.We’ll…

  • Asia,  Others,  TDM,  Travel Journal

    Test and opinion of the Funaoka onsen in Kyoto (Japan)

    If Google and TripAdvisor list it as an onsen, it is a sento (without thermal water).We arrived for the opening at 3pm. Waited for about twenty people with a small half of foreign tourists.It is so far the public bath that we have done in Japan with the most tourists. The fault lies with the Lonely Planet in which it is listed.As usual, we take off our shoes before entering, no need for locker parts.No automatic machine to buy the tickets, it is a friendly octogenarian who runs the store.Unbeatable rates: 430 yen the entrance.Soap and shampoo aren’t included, you can buy them for 40 and 30 yens respectively.Don’t forget…

  • Asia,  Japan,  Others,  TDM,  Travel Journal

    Test & review of the Spa World Onsen in Osaka (Japan)

    To find out how a session in an Onsen takes place, it’s this way. Spa World is the Disney Land of Onsen, it is unbelievable! Imagine an 8-story building dedicated to wellness On the 1st floor you have the reception. On the 3rd floor you can eat and drink. On the 4th floor you have spas with a European atmosphere (Rome, Greece, Atlantis, Capri, Spain, Mediterranean Sea and Finland) On the 6th floor a gym and spas with an Asian atmosphere (Japanese, “Islam”, Persian, Bali) On the 8th floor you have a swimming pool. Massage rooms, solariums, rest areas, … everywhere Difficult to make an inventory of all the services…

  • Asia,  Others,  TDM,  Travel Journal

    Test & review of Irifune Onsen in Osaka (Japan)

    To find out how a session in an Onsen takes place, it’s this way.Very little touristic, it is a very popular experience that you will live at the Irifune Onsen (in my opinion rather Sento (popular bath) in spite of its name).This Onsen isn’t listed on Google Map, so here is a link to locate it precisely.Even before entering the Onsen, you must take off your shoes and put them in a locker (no room needed).An automatic machine is available to buy your ticket but also to rent a towel, buy soap, shampoo, … (which aren’t provided).The exercise isn’t easy because everything is in Japanese. It took us a good…

  • Asia,  Japan,  Others,  TDM,  Travel Journal

    Test & review of the Tennen Onsen Naniwa Hot Spring in Osaka (Japan)

    To find out how a session in an Onsen takes place, it’s this way.Located north of Osaka, on the 8th floor of a commercial building.You have to take off your shoes before entering (so plan 2 pieces of 100 yens for two lockers: one for shoes at the entrance and one for your clothes afterwards).You can buy your tickets through the ticket machine (800 yen for the entrance, 150 yen for the small towel). The directions are in English.The first time we hadn’t seen the machine, it is quite possible to buy the tickets directly at the counter.It is also possible to buy all the necessary hygiene items.The Tennen Onsen…

  • Around the world,  Asia,  During the World Tour,  Japan,  Others,  TDM,  Tips

    Onsen and Sentō: the guide to public baths in Japan

    Having loved the experience of thermal baths in Budapest, I was eager to discover the Onsen in Japan I had the opportunity to get a taste of it by testing an Onsen in Hanoi, Vietnam, but the day after our arrival in Osaka, we went to a first real Japanese Onsen The experience is great and we will surely test several of them during our stay 🙂 In the first part of this article we will describe how a session in an Onsen takes place. In the second part, we will talk more specifically about those we have tested Obviously you won’t find many pictures in this article, this will…

  • Around the world,  Asia,  During the World Tour,  Japan,  TDM,  Tips

    SIM card with prepaid 4G data in Japan: how much does it cost? Where to buy it?

    Buy a SIM card before you leave SIM cards in Japan are expensive and the purchase / activation process is quite complex (see all indications below). A cheaper and simpler alternative is to buy a SIM card in France, before leaving. With this offer for example(Amazon link) you get 6 GB of data valid for 15 days at the rate of 24 € which is much more interesting than what you will find on site. At the end of the 15 days, the SIM card can be recharged. Where to buy a prepaid SIM card at Osaka (Kansai) airport? After passing through immigration and collecting your luggage, locate the area…

  • Asia,  During the World Tour,  TDM,  Tips,  Vietnam

    Prepaid 4G SIM card in Vietnam: how much does it cost? Where to buy it?

    Why should I buy a SIM card in Vietnam? Because you need the Internet to order your Grab (equivalent of Uber in Vietnam)Tourist agencies tend to call you to confirm the imminent arrival of your bus / any change related to your trip. Vietnamese telephone operators Viettel MobiFone VinaPhone Vietnamobile Viettel is the operator Irecommend if you can find a SIM card from this operator at the airport because it is the only one for the moment (2018) to offer a very good 4G service. It belongs to the army so the infrastructure is better, you can get better reception.Other operators offer 3G, and are just starting to deploy 4G.…