Ho Chi Minh (Un Journal Noir)

Ho Chi Minh, also known as Saigon—it's a city in Southern Vietnam; a blend of beautiful French architecture and eastern temples; it offers delicious street food like the bánh mì and bánh xèo to the hungry traveller; it speaks of long walks through parks and beckons to shoppers with its day and night markets that sell so many things at such affordable prices; it is the home of cultural buildings like the Saigon Opera House as well as historical landmarks, like the Cu Chi Tunnel and the War Remnants Museum.

Stinky Tofu, Tanghulurs, and Other Street Food in Taiwan

When a self-confessed foodie goes to a new place, of course she's going to Google what kinds of foods to eat there.

My siblings and I went to Taiwan just before 2016 ended. It was an adventure of many firsts—first time for all of us to go to Taiwan, first time for two of my siblings to be out of the country, first time for all of us to travel somewhere without our family, first time for some of us to experience a weather colder than the usual 26-28 degrees Celsius we have in Manila.

Of course, we Googled where to stay, where to go, what to do, and most importantly, what to eat. Taiwan, apparently, is one of the best food trip destinations, with all their famous street foods and night markets We didn't get to eat all that we wanted to, but these are some of the best and tastiest street food we got to try.

Why Davao Has Become a Home in the South

I like diversity. I like changes in scenery. I like long, winding roads and forest trails; I like beaches and infinity pools. I like mountains and hills, valleys and rivers.

From the mountains to the beaches

They say that one of the best things about Davao is that you can go from the mountains to the beaches and back again in one whole day. If you are looking for a variation beyond nature trails and winding mountain paths, you can take a quick drive down to the beach. Boats are available for rent, as well as snorkelling gear. Soon, you will feel the salty spray of the sea and smell the summer ocean breeze, touseling your hair and warming your face.

It's Been a Great Year of Adventure, 2016

Oh, wow, haven't the last couple of months been busy? I've been reflecting on my trips this year (with the help of http://www.2016bestnine.com, which is an site that generates your best nine photos on Instagram), my planner, and my blog posts (or lack thereof).

Five Things That Made Me Fall in Love with Ilocos

There are some places that, when you visit them, you fall in love with them and leave a part of yourself behind. Maybe because of the experience, because of how it looked, and how it felt. Maybe because of its history or its scenery. When I went to Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur last month, the tour package included a lot of stops in different places, but there were certain places that I liked the best and would love to visit again should I find myself once more in Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur someday.

The Liebster Award

The Liebster Award is an online award given to bloggers by other bloggers that helps spread the love that we all so desperately desire. Liebster is a German word that translates to “dearest” so getting nominated for this is bound to give you a warm, fuzzy feeling.

Video: Triplets Explore Ilocos 2016

Last week, I went on a trip to Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur, which are northern provinces of the Philippines. Lengthy post coming up about what we did and where we went and a bit of what we ate, but in the meantime, watch the video below that one of my friends made of our travels (and she's really good at it!). We call ourselves the Triplets, though we are neither siblings nor the same age nor have the same birthday. Ilocos is just one adventure, we are looking forward to more.

(Thanks for the video and the photos, Kim!)


Triplets Explore Ilocos from Kim P. Veria on Vimeo.

The 'One Lovely Blog Award'

Shout out to Hannah Henderson of Hannah Henderson Travel. Thank you so much for the nomination! I'm honoured.

As part of the nomination, I have to surrender a portion of my soul. Just kidding.

Packing Tips & Tricks for Travel [Infographic]

Got too many stuff to bring on your next vacation? What goes in your carry-on? What should you put in your check in? What are essential and what can be left behind?

I'm a huge fan of travelling light—and smart. I used to be the kind of person who would take a week to pack, but after being on several trips and reading countless articles and watching countless videos, I've learned that there are better ways to pack that will help me save time and space and make the experience all the more fun and less stressful.

The infographic below is a great guide to packing and travelling smarter.

Books to Inspire You to Travel

Books have inspired me in so many ways. Not just to try to write my own stories or to use writing as a means of expressing myself, but as I mentioned in a previous post, my love for travel was born out of my love for books.