Tips
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reMarkable Paper Pro Review: way too expensive
The reMarkable Paper Pro was released in September 2024, and I wanted to give you an honest review as I did for the reMarkable 2. I waited for bug fixes, software stability, and faster shipping times before taking the plunge and purchasing it. And here it is, the long-awaited article, with a small comparison between reMarkable 2 vs. reMarkable Paper Pro in case you’re hesitating between the two. I’d like to clarify that I have no affiliation with reMarkable. I purchased this tablet with my own money. The Advantages of reMarkable reMarkable sells tablets equipped with E Ink screens, designed for taking notes, drawing, reading, and annotating books and documents.…
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How to order from US websites and get delivery in France
Have you ever drooled over Sephora USA or Amazon USA, wondering why they don’t sell in Europe? Today, I’m going to share my tips for ordering from US websites and getting delivery in France. This article is not sponsored and is only intended to help you find what you need. The US market is huge, which is why many US websites and sellers prefer to sell only in the US rather than dealing with international shipping (with customs and currency issues). However: How to order from a US website that doesn’t ship to Europe/France? There are services that receive all your orders for you in the US. By signing up,…
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Where to exchange money in Athens?
In Athens, the day before we went to Egypt, we were worried about tipping. Having taken a first trip to Egypt a few years ago, we had the opportunity to realize how prevalent the culture of baksheesh is. Anyone who provides you with a service, no matter how small, will expect a tip. It’s part of Egyptian culture, and it’s surely amplified by the fact that you’re a foreign tourist, and therefore obviously very rich š Anyway, not only does it need to be factored into your budget, but on top of that, we remembered the difficulty of getting small bills for tips, which caused a certain amount of stress.…
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Egypt: How to get the visa on arrival at the airport
It’s very simple. Before passing through immigration, you’ll see a small arrow pointing to “visa on arrival.” It points to two counters that look like currency exchange / bank counters. The visa costs 25 dollars per person, and you need to pay in foreign currency. If you don’t have dollars, you’ll have to pay 25 euros. The exchange rate, as you can see, isn’t great. So if you have US dollars, pay in dollars. We didn’t have exact change but giving a 100-dollar bill, we got change in dollars, no worries! If you only have euros, that’s fine too, but note that paying in US dollars costs the equivalent of…
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How to get a visa for Jordan? Is the Jordan Pass worth it?
I first wanted to apply for an eVisa in anticipation of our trip to Jordan, but it seems the website doesn’t want us. Indeed, as French citizens, the visa is obtained on arrival, and costs 40 JOD. Apparently with cash payment in JOD, so you’ll need to exchange money at the airport’s exchange offices, which we want to avoid. I could have ended my article there, but I discovered that the visa is free if you’ve purchased, before your arrival, a “Jordan Pass”. The Jordan Pass costs between 70 and 80 JOD depending on the number of days you plan to spend in Petra. Be careful to buy these passes…
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How to get an e-visa for Saudi Arabia?
At theDubaĆÆ World Expo in 2022, we visited the impressive pavilion of theSaudi Arabia which gave us an irrepressible urge to visit this country. When a Saudi employee asked us at the exit, we replied, “what a shame we can’t visit your country!”. He replied: “of course you can visit Saudi Arabia”.“Really?”“Yes, you can go see my colleague over there, you’ll get your visa in 10 minutes”. Woooow. Indeed, since October 2019, the Kingdom has opened up to “non-religious tourism”. Saudi Arabia is preparing for “life after oil” and plans to develop tourism to make it a significant economic sector. Maybe it’s because of Covid that came right after, but…
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How to get from Narita airport to downtown Tokyo?
We went to Japan recently, and my parents, who arrived a day after us, took the wrong train at Narita airport. Here I explain the most common mistakes, and if you follow our tips, you’ll be able to catch the right train without getting lost. You absolutely must take the train/subway because taxis are very expensive (several hundred euros) and the shuttle is not an option (too slow). First of all, you’ll need an internet connection, because Google Maps will be your best ally. Buying a SIM card on the spot in Japan is not recommended because it’s one of the few countries where data costs more when you buy…
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Scooter rental in Koh Tao (Thailand): address & prices
Disclaimer: be careful! You’ll have no trouble renting a scooter in Koh Tao (or anywhere else in Thailand). If you don’t have a motorbike license, it’s still illegal. It can expose you to fines (very unlikely on Koh Tao), but above all: you won’t be covered by your insurance in case of an accident. Moreover, it’s easy to get overconfident on Koh Tao. It’s a little paradise; you see foreigners riding without helmets, bare-chested and barefoot… It’s quite exhilarating, that feeling of freedom. It’s still dangerous: you drive on the left, there are steep ups and downs, there can be sandy areas, and during monsoon season, you can find yourself…
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Prepaid SIM/eSIM in Bhutan: How much does it cost? Where to buy one? (2024)
Buying an eSIM valid in Bhutan If you want to keep things simple and have a compatible phone, you can buy an eSIM valid in Bhutan. Since Bhutan is a tiny country, there don’t seem to be many options available for it. Airalo offers one at an attractive price (USD 9.50), but with little data (1 GB). So it’s not necessarily a great deal. Buying a SIM card at the airport At Paro International Airport, you’ll find two counters selling SIM cards: You can’t miss them; the airport is tiny! The offers are pretty much the same. For a week with unlimited internet, it’ll cost you 1,100 ngultrums, or about…
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How to get cash (for free?) from ATMs in Japan?
Although card payments are widely accepted in Japan, it’s still essential to have some cash on you at all times. Street food stands and the machines used to order at restaurants are often cash only. Withdrawing cash from ATMs outside the eurozone always needs a bit of planning, as you can quickly lose a few percent on each withdrawal if you don’t optimize. The first step is to make sure your bank doesn’t charge you withdrawal or currency conversion fees. This is the case with many neobanks: N26, Revolut, Boursorama, Fortuneo, etc. (still, check the maximum “no-fee” amounts). If you don’t have a neobank account, ask your banker. Most traditional…
