Wani Wanders : My unexpected journey

My life at 20's.

[wanichua]

...SO UNFAIR

Why does we live in a world where people only wanted to believe on the things they just wanted to believe in?

Our silent battles will remain in silence because we live in a world full of judgements. 

I hope you can still fight and choose to fight no matter what. 

[wanichua]

3 THINGS I CONSIDER IN CHOOSING MY ACCOMMODATION FOR MY TRIP

1. Rate - Since I am on a budget trip. I need to budget my expenses wisely. I always consider the rate per night of the accommodation before I book. I often made my reservation through online platform such as Airbnb, Booking, Agoda and Trip. 

My tips: If you already decided where to stay in your trip. Try to check the same property in other booking platform. Why? Based on my experience, the listing price (rate) or offers is different. I attached the sample rate of same property from different booking platform site. Look at the rate and offer of each platform. 

2. Location - Not all cheap accommodation have good locations. You need to consider the area for your convenience and to save money in transportation as well. In the property description you can check the details.

My tips: I always choose the one that are near the metro station so It will be easy for me to move to one place to another for my tour or the accommodation that are near to the tourist spots.

3. Reviews -  Most of the reviews are neither correct nor reliable; however this really helps you to decide if the property is good enough for you.

My tips: Sometimes I also asked recommendations from my friends. I mentioned in my last post that I joined travelers’ group. If you are in community that are into budget travels it will be easy to get suggestions and recommendations. 

Hope you find this helpful in choosing your accommodations.  :) 

[wanichua]

5 WAYS ON HOW TO BOOK CHEAP AIRFARE

Since a lot of people are asking me on how I get and booked ticket during seat sale. I am sharing with you My 5 ways on how to score the cheapest fare. 

1.   Follow and subscribe – To get an updates in the upcoming promotions of the airlines follow their social media and subscribe in their newsletter. Also, it is helpful if you join a travelers’ group to stay connected in case you missed some of the update. My most reliable travelers’ group is DIY Travel Philippines this group really helped me to stay updated and connected in any travel related matters. I also met a lot of solo travelers here.

2.    Create membership account – Membership is FREE. This will help you to stay updated and to enjoy some of the perks as a member, such as earning points or flight mileage. You can use your points to avail tickets and get discounts. Also, if you are a member there are exclusive promos.

These are the accounts I often use. I provided the link on its name, you can click the membership and you will be redirected to site to register.

2. 1 Cebu Pacific –  Get Go

2.2 Air Asia – Big Member

2.3 Philippine Airlines – Mabuhay Miles

2.4 Jeju air  – Jeju air

Once you have created an account, you can save your personal details; this will help you in your future booking. Every time you will book you do not need to type your details, you just need to tick off or click the box that you are the passenger unless you are booking other person which is you can also save the details in your account.

3.   Planned ahead of time - You need to plan your travel destination and your intended travel dates. Based on my experience and observation, the sale date usually starts every weekday. If your travel date falls on Friday, weekends or holidays the rate might be higher. So during seat sale, I always plan and search the date that starts on Thursday or before holidays so I could score the cheapest rate and have longer trip as well.

Additional since it is seat sale a lot of people are booking so you need to book as fast as you can and be flexible with the travel date if your Plan A did not work go ahead with Plan B.

4.   Double check your travel details – Since we are in rush and panic to score the cheapest seat we tend to make mistakes in our booking reservation. The most common mistakes I made are wrong spelling of name or gender but this can be changed as long as the mistake is minimal, just call or message the customer service.   Base on my experience these are the mistakes that cannot be changed:

4.1 Route – For example, you will book Manila – Cebu but you interchange to Cebu- Manila. This mistake cannot be changed, so you need to book again.

4.2 Date – If you made a mistake in choosing your travel dates. This will be subject for rebooking.

4.3  Add-ons purchase – For example, you made a mistake in your add-on, instead of getting 20kgs of baggage allowance you selected 40kgs. Once your booking is already confirmed there is no way to changed or refundable. 

 Ps: Don’t make the same mistake I did. HAHAHA

5.    Read – Lastly, make it a habit to read always. Learn from others experiences, mistakes and stories until you master all the travel hacks. 

 Hope this help will help you to score during seat sale. Aja!

[wanichua]

My 5 A MUST bring and prepare for my solo travel

1.       Documents and Travel Insurance – It is important to secure all the documents you need in your trip. Aside from printing those documents, always save it in your phone. Secure your documents in a waterproof pouch or put it inside the zip lock.

Since I am travelling alone, I always purchased travel insurance for my trip. If something unexpected happens during your trip, you and your family can claim something from the insurance company. Better to be prepared.

2.       Medicine Kit – Since you will be going to unfamiliar places. It’s better to have your medicine kit with you, especially if you have medicine allergy. Also, in another country the medicine brands are not the same so it might not be that effective once you take it. In my case, not all the medicine is effective. So I had to secure my own kit.

  3.       Portable Weighing Scale – I always bring with me my portable weighing scale to monitor my baggage’s weight. Since I am on a budget trip I need to avoid any unrelated expenses that are not included in my budget. Approximately the cost of excess/additional baggage is around PHP 1,500 – 3,000 (30USD – 60 USD) depend on the country and airlines. So adding additional baggage allowance is a big NO for me! I stick with 7kgs/10kgs free baggage.

 4.       Belt bag – I learned that as solo traveler it is important to have this; especially if you are quite forgetful and tend loss things around you- just like me. I highly recommend you to have belt bag not just for fashion or part of your OOTDs but for the safety and convenient of your belongings, you can just insert your important things such as your passport, money and credit card; without worrying to lose them or left it somewhere since its secure and safe attached in your body. 

Also, my belt bag helps me somehow to save some of my baggage’s weigh.  I can put small things on it such as metal magnets and key chains this might be small but it can really contribute in the weigh of your baggage allowance. 

5.       Foods and water bottle – If I am in a solo travel I don’t usually eat so I always bring cup noodles, coffee, biscuits in my trip and water bottle so I could just refill instead of buying one. These help me to save both money and time.

PS: Hope this help you in your adventures. :) 

[wanichua]

5 THINGS I LEARNED AS A SOLO TRAVELER

Travelling alone? Most of the time being a woman creates a lot of questions; you will be asked neither by other people if you can do it nor if it’s okay to travel all by yourself in unknown place?  At first, I am hesitant I also asked myself. I doubt, afraid, scared and then the “what if’s” question comes in my mind.

Ever since, It is always been my dream to be in a foreign country alone so when I had the opportunity way back in 2018,I took the courage to fulfill my dream with no hesitation at all even though that time I am not financially capable since I am unemployed. I booked my RT ticket going to JAPAN during Cebu Pacific sale. 

Japan is considered as one of the most expensive countries in the world. Honestly I really had a limited budget, looking back I did not know how I survived. LOL

I must say my first solo trip was the craziest decision that every solo traveler could ever made. But I just want to fulfill my dream; to travel alone and visit my dream country.

Little did I know that the decision I made would change my life’s perspective about travelling and taught me an important lessons. 

1.       Selfish –  Yes travelling alone could make you selfish. Every time we do something in life, we always think what will be the outcome of our actions with other people but travelling alone made me selfish. You don’t need to worry what you will do; you can just sleep all day, eat what you want, go to the places you wanted to visit, walk instead of riding or just sit somewhere without considering other people. YOU CAN BE JUST YOURSELF.

2.       Boost Confidence – It will boost your confidence to the highest level than you could ever think. Imagine talking to a stranger with language barriers and culture differences. The mistakes you made before and during your trip. You will hop on/off in a wrong station, walk towards the wrong directions, etc. those mistakes and experiences will give you more confidence that you can use in your daily life. Believe me.

3.       Step out in your comfort zone – Doing things for the first time without knowing the outcome alone was the most challenging part you will experience as a solo traveler. It will take a lot of courage to do it alone, you will learn to think out of the box in order to survive your trip and trust yourself without being afraid whether you make it or fail it.

4.       It’s okay to make mistake – We live in a society that we are so afraid to make mistake because other people might judge us. Travelling alone taught me not listen to what other people will say rather trust my own judgment and stand firm with the decision I made.

5.       Heal you and challenge you– After I graduated way back 2017, I am lost, scared and pressured. I do not know how to move on in the next chapter of my life. I fail my own expectation, other people’s expectation and so on. But travelling alone HEALED ME. You will be able to know yourself better than before. You will be amazed with yourself and after the trip you will be proud at yourself.  You will be more excited to do solo travelling alone and CHALLENGE yourself again and again.

PS: Every year, I committed to myself to do solo travelling alone.  

[wanichua]

Inhale, exhale and smile. Life goes on you must move on! #vsco #vscocam #vscoph (at Pinto Art Museum)

[wanichua]

Missin’ the food here. ❤️ #macarons #twg (at St. Luke's Medical Center - Global City)

[wanichua]

Taking the right path. 🚴🏻‍♂️ #vsco #vscocam #travel2018 #lostinsanfrancisco #lostincalifornia (at San Francisco Ferry Building)

[wanichua]

Quality time. ❤️ 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 #vsco #vscocam #travel2018 #lostincalifornia #pier39 (at PIER 39)

[wanichua]

#vsco #vscocam #travel2018 #wander #lostincalifornia (at Exploratorium)

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🦆 🦆 🦆 #travel2018 #vscocam #vscoph #vsco (at South Lake Tahoe, California)

[wanichua]

So dramatic effect. 😍❤️#travel2018 (at Heavenly Mountain)

[wanichua]

One day is not enough to explore its beauty. We are so mesmerised in this place perfect example of God’s wonderful creation.❤️ 🌲🍂🍁🌾 (at Yosemite National Park)

[wanichua]

Village Store. #yosimite #wonderfulcreation #travel2018 (at Yosemite Village, California)

[wanichua]

Fog. ☁️ #yosimite #wonderfulcreation #travel2018 (at Yosemite National Park)

[wanichua]

Nature. 🌲🍂🍁🌾 #yosemite #wonderfulcreation #travel2018 (at Yosemite National Park)

[wanichua]

1st 2018 upload and selfie. 😂🐾😍❤️🌸😘🐶 #2018 (at Hayward, California)