Asia
-
Tax refund: How to get the VAT reduction (duty free) in Japan?
Good news: you don’t need to be at the airport to benefit from duty free. All stores with a “tax free” sticker will allow you to save the 8% tax. Be careful, you have to spend at least 5000yen/purchase to be eligible for tax free. For this, you just have to show your passport. Be aware that in Japan, prices are all displayed tax free (including in restaurants) so don’t be surprised if the displayed price of the product you buy is 10,000yen and after the tax reduction, you still pay 10,000yen. All purchases will be put in a sealed transparent bag (like at the airport – as you aren’t…
-
[story time] My Experience as an Apprentice Seamstress in Vietnam
Today, we continue the series [story time]. In the previous episode, I was on an exchange semester in Australia, in Sydney in 2009. At the end of this semester, I could no longer stay in Australia, not having found a job, nor could I return to France (no longer having a visa). So I went back to Vietnam in 2010, at my parents’ home in Hà Nội. Completely confused, not knowing what to do with my life. A Vietnamese girlfriend was in the same case as me, she who dreamed of becoming a fashion designer. And for that, she wanted to take sewing classes first and suggested that I go…
-
How to detect a hidden surveillance camera in an Airbnb home?
Living nomadically, we change our accommodation very regularly and live year-round in Airbnb apartments (at least ten per year) One of our psychoses is to come across an ill-intentioned landlord who has hidden cameras inside the house to keep an eye on us. The risk is very low but not zero, some travelers had this bad surprise. So I got into the habit of doing a little test when you arrive in a new home. This test is very far from guaranteeing the absence of cameras at 100% but it only takes a few seconds The principle: scan the wifi network to identify the devices connected to it. Here is…
-
Da Lat (Vietnam): The most romantic city in Vietnam
In Vietnam, Da Lat is associated with romanticism. It is normal! Da Lat is the number one destination for honeymooners. It also evokes ghosts, it is also the most popular filming location for Vietnamese horror movies. Part 1: Travel Diary Part2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Diary In this travel diary that goes back in time, I tell you about our stay in this beautiful city, which JB and I visited in December 2013. This is only the 2nd time I visit Da Lat. The first time being in 2006 or 2007, with my family. I liked it very much, and I wanted to go back there with JB. What…
-
How to book IRCTC Indian Trains online via 12go.asia as a Tourist
UPDATE July 2019 For the past few months, there has been another simple way to buy train tickets without going through the IRCTC website. It is 12go.asia (click here to go to the site) What you need to know about this site based in Singapore : It allows to buy only the 100 most popular trips in India (a priori they are the most popular trips for tourists too), the list of trips covered are here You choose your tickets and pay at 12go.asia. They then make the reservation with the Indian train system IRCTC (as an agency). Only when they manage to secure and actually book the tickets you…
-
Digital Nomad in Istanbul (Turkey): Where to find an Apartment, Airbnb, Tips & Practical Travel Guide
Since we are digital nomads, Istanbul is the 3rd city where we have a lot of trouble finding a decent apartment (with Seoul and Osaka). The apartments we see on Airbnb are either too crowded, too dark, or too expensive and badly located. So we are going to write you here a small guide for digital nomads like us Istanbul Plan Istanbul is really huge, so I’ll just introduce you to the central part, what interests you the most in Istanbul Many tourists cross a bridge (Galata for the most part) and exclaim: I am in Asia! when it isn’t true. It isn’t because you cross a bridge that it…
-
Istanbul (Turkey) #6: Kuzguncuk, Uskudar – discovery of the Asian Shore
Today, we have an appointment with Kévin, an SEO colleague who knows Istanbul by heart. His Airbnb is on the Asian side, so we meet there to spend the evening together. Before crossing the beautiful bridge that separates Europe from Asia, we first stop at the mosque that we spotted from far from the restaurant with a panoramic view. Ortaköy MosqueThis is the mosque of Ortaköy. The locals seem to enjoy the scenery as much as we do, as many people sit here, chill out, enjoy the street food and the presence of the street cats. The interior is quite small, there is a nice ceiling height and numerous chandeliers.…
-
Practical Pamukkale Backpacking Travel Guide: How to get there, What to visit, Addresses, Advice
We recently left Istanbul for Pamukkale in a backpack. If you haven’t read it yet, check out our travel diary For tips, addresses and advice, this guide is for you. Enjoy! PART 1: How to get there You have different options to get there from Istanbul On an organized tour This is the option that I do not recommend because it is so easy to move around on your own. All agencies in downtown Istanbul will offer you organized tours (with transportation) from Istanbul to Pamukkale(including tour, guide, transportation) for one day, round trip by plane from Istanbul Please note that tour operators also offer 2-day trips from Istanbul to…
-
Pamukkale (Turkey): No Water, Big Disappointment
Have you seen incredible pictures of the immaculate white basins overflowing with clear water, where people were happily bathing in white mud that was too good for their skin? Well, that’s the vision sold by travel agencies, because Pamukkale isn’t like that anymore: Day 1 : After a day in Selçuk / Ephesus, we take the bus at 4:30 pm with the company Pamukkale Turizm (40TL/person). 3h30 later, having witnessed an exceptional sunset from the bus, we finally arrive in Denizli. We are all transferred in a mini bus. In haste and incomprehension (nobody warned us in Selçuk that there was a change of bus), one of the travelers forgot…
-
Ephesus (Turkey) in a backpack – Travel Diary
This weekend we spend 4 days in the Lycos Valley visiting ancient cities and hot springs. Even if there is very little information for those who want to visit the area in a backpack, our experience in Cappadocia shows us that you can always get out of it. So it is only with two plane tickets and no other reservation that we left Istanbul Part 1: Travel Diary Part 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Diary How to get there? We chose to do a large part of the trip by plane (istanbul – izmir) even if it forced us to get up at 5:15 am. We land with 15…
